Valrie Campbell: Breaking barriers in the port and maritime sectors

VALRIE Campbell is a trailblazer in the port and maritime sector. She wields tremendous influence and earns the respect of her peers in a male-dominated industry. And the Organization of American States Inter-American Committee on Ports recently awarded her the 2024 Outstanding Woman in the Port and Maritime Sectors in the Americas.

Campbell is the first woman to head terminal operations at Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) in the company’s almost 80-year history. Her professional journey has extended far beyond what she imagined growing up in a rural district in Clarendon. The pace of her quiet home community was slow, and its economic activity was largely agricultural. When she moved to Kingston with her mother as a teenager, she was not sure what she wanted to do with her life. After high school, she entered the insurance industry, working for three years. While she enjoyed her time there, she felt there was more to explore and other horizons to conquer.

She then applied for and landed a job at Kingston Wharves Limited. Her first role was as a receptionist and telephone operator. Campbell knew that this role was only the beginning of an illustrious career. So, she adopted the approach that if she had a job as a floor cleaner, she would be the best floor cleaner there was—a philosophy of excellence that her mom instilled from a very early age.

“My entry into the port and maritime sectors was not planned. I joined KWL in 2001; however, after joining the company, I became aware of the significant role that ports and the various connected companies involved in shipping and trade contribute to national and global trade and economic activity,” she said.

“I fell in love with the industry, and the many barriers did not deter my ambition of charting my course and significantly impacting this sector.”

Education has always been important to her, she said, because she saw this as a means to empower herself and advance in her profession. Shortly after joining KWL, Campbell enrolled to pursue her bachelor’s degree at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in the United States.

“While it was difficult to achieve this educational achievement on a telephone operator’s salary, I decided to invest in my education; when peers were purchasing cars and doing other things, my focus was education,” Campbell said.

Later, she completed an MBA at NSU. With the support of KWL, she also earned a diploma in port management and studied to receive several certifications in port security, safety, and terminal management.

She was also selected to participate in an IMO training course at the Maritime Training Institute in Le Harve, France. She participated in study tours to terminals in France, Colombia, and the United States. Yet, even with the certification, Campbell had to deal with gender biases.

“I faced many challenges and hurdles throughout my journey in the port and maritime sector. These included gaining the respect of my colleagues and superiors, including other women, and proving competence often required me to work twice as hard. Over the years, I faced many unconscious and sometimes overt biases and discriminatory attitudes, which at times made it difficult to be heard or taken seriously in decision-making processes,” Campbell said.

Few women were in technical leadership roles in the company and the sector, which limited mentorship opportunities in the early days. This lack of female representation made it challenging to visualise a clear path to success in the industry. But Campbell was not daunted.

“I found a great mentor and coach in my CEO, who held me accountable and challenged me to deliver at a high standard consistently. When I advanced to more senior positions in the company, the demanding nature of the roles, including long hours and travel, made it very challenging to maintain a good work-life balance,” she added.

Campbell was responsible for the daily management of the Kingston Wharves terminal, and her leadership extended to overseeing operational policies and procedures, ensuring efficiency, safety, and security in all activities. Under her direction, she oversaw the key business portfolio and was responsible for over 70 per cent of the organisation’s revenue and profits, which saw remarkable growth in both areas under her leadership.

“I am proud of my role in supporting and helping drive the organisation’s growth for many years. The Kingston Wharves revenues increased multiple folds, and the terminal division for which I had primary responsibility contributed nearly 70 per cent of the revenue and profit annually,” Campbell said.

Her career reflects a remarkable ascent. She received ten promotions within the organisation. She held other positions throughout the years: security, safety, claims manager, operations manager, claims officer, and accounting clerk.

After years of growth and development, she was appointed terminal manager at Kingston Wharves, the first female to hold that position in the company’s history and possibly the Caribbean’s. She was later promoted to director of terminal operations and general manager, group operations. In 2020, when Kingston Wharves celebrated its 75th anniversary, she was recognised for 19 years of service.

She has significantly contributed to KWL’s competitiveness through her innovative leadership, commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, and advocacy for gender equality in the workplace.

Campbell’s contributions to the port industry earned her recognition from her peers and external organisations. As Jamaica’s first female terminal manager, she was honoured with the prestigious 2019 WiMAC Award, which celebrated her ground-breaking achievements and leadership in the field.

Her exemplary career and dedication to breaking gender barriers made her a visionary leader and a driving force for change in her industry and community.

This led to her recently receiving the OAS award.

“I am humbled and honoured,” she said. “I am pleased to represent myself and my country in this significant way. The award is a powerful example of breaking barriers and paving the way for greater representation of women in this sector.”

She said winning the award comes with the responsibility to lead by example.

“It solidifies the idea that representation matters and inspires a commitment to mentor and empower the next generation of women leaders,” Campbell said.