Jeanne Foglia Raeli

I started my career at Riverlake as an assistant officer, as my background and studies were focused on administration and human resources, and today I am a Senior Operator.

I am the perfect example that anything is possible if you believe in yourself, with no specific maritime education but with the ability to do things with the right skills, motivation and willingness to learn, then anything is POSSIBLE.

A few months after joining Riverlake, an opportunity arose for me to change my position and work in the Operations Department. What is the Operations Department? It is the department that deals with all shipping and logistics once the vessel is fixed, throughout the voyage, and until the goods are delivered to the port of discharge. Understanding shipping contracts is key and the operator’s responsibility is to ensure that the voyage runs smoothly and efficiently.

The fantastic thing, if you think about it, is that I’m sitting in Geneva and dealing with people from all over the world. Speaking four languages has helped me a lot in developing and building strong relationships with my clients. My day-to-day work is never boring as I am in constant contact with counterparties, gathering information and helping clients. My proven skills are well recognised, and this is due to the support I have received from the managers and colleagues and obviously the time my mentor spent with me when I changed jobs. We had daily discussions, helping me a lot to develop myself in my shipping role, with training programmes and advice. To be honest, it wasn’t easy at first, but as I said before, with the willingness to learn, anything is possible.  I am now the one giving advice to newcomers.

Riverlake has a “CAN-DO” attitude and is very supportive of all its employees, they support personal and professional development.

Not all companies in the shipping industry are committed to helping women develop their careers without sacrificing their own needs. When I became a mum, we established a work-life balance and for a couple of years I was working part-time.

After all these years, my motivation for coming to work is definitely the WORK and the PEOPLE with whom I have collaborated, I do believe that it is very important to really enjoy the job you are doing.

I would definitely recommend Riverlake to others, they can offer you vast opportunities, career and personal development, being part of this GROUP is not just a challenge, you will feel part of a FAMILY.