When I took on the RINA presidency in 2022, I set out three broad ambitions: to widen the pipeline of people coming into naval architecture and marine engineering, to sharpen RINA’s thought leadership, and to make the institution more relevant, more modern and more visible. Four years on, with two terms complete, I can say with confidence that progress has been made, while being equally clear that there is more still to do.

The word “relevance” has been something of a touchstone throughout my presidency. Professional institutions, like any organisation, can fall out of step with the communities they serve. My encouragement to anyone who perhaps drifted away from RINA, or who holds a picture of what we were, rather than what we are, is simply this: come and take another look. We have changed, and we may now offer what you need.

Some of that change is operational. We have steadily moved towards web-enabled systems, better digital communications, and an increasingly capable and diverse board. The transformation is far from complete, but the direction of travel is clear, and our new CEO, Paul Jobson, who joined about a year ago through a rigorous external recruitment process, is driving that transformation with real purpose. The board’s role in his appointment was deliberate: we recognised that we could support outward-facing engagement and member communications ourselves, but that we needed a leader with deep operational experience to run the Institution effectively. I am confident that we made the right call.

I am also proud of the Developing Careers Committee, which we established during my presidency. Led by younger council members, including founding members Chris McNair and Chris Baker, the committee covers everything from STEM outreach to early career mentoring and support. It has been impressively active, and it reflects my conviction that broadening the language around engineering, for teachers, parents and young people alike, is essential.

Skills such as spatial reasoning and creative problem-solving are the lifeblood of our profession, yet they are rarely celebrated in the school curriculum. If we can reach young people earlier and help them recognise themselves as potential engineers, we will build a stronger and more diverse community.

Looking back at the industry over the same four years, the pace of change is striking. Digital systems, AI, autonomy, and advanced visualisation techniques that would have seemed ambitious or niche in 2022 are increasingly routine. The speed of that transition is the defining characteristic, not simply the scale of it.

On sustainability, the picture is more complex. The geopolitical context has shifted, and some of the optimism around future fuels and energy efficiency has been tested and challenged. However, I do not expect momentum on that front to stall and what encourages me is the intensity of innovation, with smarter energy management systems, digital optimisation, efficient hull forms and a broader spectrum of energy-saving devices coming to market. The maritime industry needs to focus on the long investment horizon that turns today’s R&D into tomorrow’s reality.

On a personal note, I am the first woman to serve as RINA president, and had always hoped to be the first of many. This is already proving to be the case with Annabelle Ransome-Williams set to take over. She brings tremendous experience, enthusiasm and passion for naval architecture and for the Institution. I have no doubt she will continue to drive forward the initiatives we have started, and then some.

Author profile

Catriona Savage, outgoing RINA president and global technical director at BMT.

This article appeared in Opinion, TNA May-June 2026.