VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Office of the President has announced the appointment of Wilnette Joseph as the deputy chief executive of the Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority, bringing a wealth of legal and regulatory expertise to the role from across the maritime, aviation, and offshore sectors. The Wilnette Joseph appointment to SMSA took effect on April 18, 2026, recognising her strong track record in legal advisory, regulatory compliance, and policy development.
Ms Joseph currently serves as manager for Legal and Policy at Air Seychelles Limited, where she leads the development and implementation of legal frameworks, oversees regulatory compliance, and advises senior management and the board on corporate governance, employment law, and strategic risk management. Her professional journey includes senior leadership roles such as head of Legal at Abacus Seychelles Limited and senior legal officer at SMSA, where she played a key role in drafting maritime legislation.
Ms Joseph holds a Master of Laws in International Maritime Law from the IMO International Maritime Law Institute in Malta and has continuously strengthened her expertise through practical experience across multiple highly regulated industries. Her professional strengths include legal strategy, governance, legislative drafting, compliance oversight, and institutional capacity building.
The SMSA is responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental protection in Seychelles waters, overseeing regulatory compliance, international convention implementation, and supporting the government in treaty negotiations and Cabinet processes. Ms Joseph’s deep understanding of maritime law and her experience across aviation and offshore sectors bring a valuable cross-sector perspective to the authority’s leadership team.
The appointment reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening institutional capacity within key regulatory bodies. Ms Joseph’s background in legislative drafting and international conventions positions her well to contribute to SMSA’s mandate of ensuring maritime safety and compliance with international standards.
Wilnette Joseph’s appointment strengthens SMSA’s leadership with extensive maritime legal expertise.
