After 9 years at the helm, Ben Willows will leave UKSA this Summer to take a new role with RS Marine Group.
Ben started at UKSA as a teenager over 20 years ago, as a seasonal watersports instructor, and was appointed CEO in 2016.
During the last 9 years, UKSA has been transformed, delivering world-class education, training, and support for its students. Student numbers have increased from 7,000 to over 11,000, through the delivery of highly impactful programmes for children and young people, from the Isle of Wight and across the UK. It has also created a fantastic staff team and built new facilities, including the opening of UKSA’s new training centre and the Sea Change building in 2022.
Speaking about his forthcoming departure, Ben has said:
“For over twenty years, UKSA has been my entire professional life, and I have given everything possible to lead, support, and develop UKSA during this time. I love the organisation, its people, and its work. Being part of such a brilliant organisation has been a great privilege, and I will miss it dearly. It is though, time for me to move on to a new opportunity as part of the next chapter of my career.
“I will remain committed to supporting UKSA and, most importantly, I will continue to champion and promote the charity’s fantastic work for its young people and students.
“UKSA is a jewel in the island’s crown and the flagship provider of education and training to the Maritime community. I am confident these brilliant communities will continue to support it.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the students who train at UKSA. Being part of their journey and seeing so many lives changed and successful careers formed are what make UKSA so special. I would also like to thank the amazing staff team at UKSA, its incredibly generous supporters, partner organisations, and, particularly, the Chair of Trustees, Richard Stokes, for his incredible support and the wider board of trustees. I will miss you all.”
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Richard Stokes, UKSA Chair of Trustees, has said:
“Ben’s commitment to UKSA over his 9 years as CEO has been unwavering. His energy, leadership and passion for the charity have helped transform the organisation into a world class maritime training provider, and to prepare thousands of young people for their careers on or around the sea.
“On behalf of all the Staff and Trustees, I would like to thank Ben for the huge amount of effort that he has put into the organisation during his 20 years as an employee. I wish him every success in the next stage of his career with RS Marine Group.
“The search for a new CEO will start very soon.”
There is a standard practice when writing for any audience that the first reference any organisation uses its full title with any acronym following in brackets. Further references can then use the acronym only. It is really unhelpful when a journalist refers to an organisation only by an acronym.
Are we all supposed to know what UKSA is in this piece? Can we please have some professionalism in the standard of reporting in the Island’s press.