Engineer Ilya Espino de Marotta took office as deputy administrator of the Panama Canal, marking history as she was the first woman to perform this function.

The new sub-administrator began her career on the Canal in 1985 as the only engineer in the shipyard. She now works with more than 1,000 women in the interoceanic highway and recently served as Vice President of Traffic Business and Executive Vice President of Engineering during the Panama Canal Expansion Program.

“Ilya exceptionally managed the construction of the expanded Canal, which led the interoceanic route to a new era of maritime trade,” said the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Minister for Channel Affairs, Aristides Royo, who held her in office.

The administrator of the Panama Canal, Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, said that “it is a great honor to work with a visionary like Ilya, and I am sure that he will continue contributing to take the Canal towards a new decade of innovation.”

The Board of Directors of the Panama Canal appointed the engineer Espino de Marotta as deputy administrator on February 15, 2019, along with the appointment of the administrator Vásquez Morales. In this way, it happens to Manuel Benítez when he retires after more than 40 years in the Canal.

Engineer Benítez held several positions in the Canal, including that of interim manager of the High Voltage Electricity Branch, manager of the Public Services Maintenance Branch within the Maintenance Division, manager of the Energy Section and manager of the Electrical Division

About the engineer Ilya Espino de Marotta

The engineer Espino de Marotta began her career in the interoceanic route in 1985, and has more than 30 years of experience in the Panama Canal in positions as executive manager of resource management and project controls before the Expansion Program.

As for his training, he obtained a degree in Marine Engineering from the University of Texas A&M, and a master’s degree in Economic Engineering from Santa María la Antigua University in Panama City. He participated in the Executive Development Program at INCAE Business School and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University; and has a project manager certification from the Project Management Institute.

Reference: micanaldepanama.com