Some careers begin with a carefully mapped route, but for Women In Shipping and Transport Services (WISTS) founder and owner Dheshree Chetty, it began in a filing room.

In 1996, the Durban-born graduate volunteered at Kien Hung Shipping, organising company files for a monthly stipend of R1 200. It was a modest beginning, but one that gave her the opportunity to learn the shipping industry from the ground up. Thirty years later, that same commitment to understanding every aspect of the business is reflected in WISTS, the company she leads today.

After completing a Bachelor of Social Science at the University of Natal in 1995 and graduating in the top three of her class from Damelin's flagship business programme, Chetty built her career across several of the world's leading shipping companies. As Kien Hung Shipping became part of United Ships Agency and later Hamburg Sud, she gained experience across operations, customer service, sales and management.

In 2009, she joined Maersk as a senior sales executive before moving to Sharaf Shipping in 2012, where she became its first Indian female branch manager. Her leadership was recognised in 2013 when she received the Business Women's Association Corporate Category Award.

Chetty launched Women In Shipping for the first time in 2014. Although the business closed in 2018 following the loss of its largest account, she returned to the corporate sector with Hapag-Lloyd, taking on senior responsibilities across national sales, customer service, minerals and metals, and the customer service transition during the acquisition of DAL Shipping.

Rather than seeing the setback as the end of her journey, Chetty viewed it as an opportunity to grow. She returned to entrepreneurship in January 2025, relaunching WISTS with greater experience, stronger industry knowledge and a renewed sense of purpose.

"Closing my first business was painful, but it was not the end of my story. I went back into the industry, kept learning and returned to entrepreneurship with more experience, more resilience and a clearer purpose. Reopening Women In Shipping has been my proudest personal achievement. The more you serve, the more you are blessed."

Today, WISTS provides responsive, tailored end-to-end supply chain solutions, including freight forwarding, customs clearing, warehousing and distribution, imports and exports, project cargo, and broader logistics services. The company has also established a strong presence in the mining sector, predominantly handling the export of chrome and fluorspar, alongside specialised project cargo movements that require careful planning and execution.

Drawing on Chetty's three decades of experience with global shipping lines, WISTS combines industry expertise with a personalised approach, ensuring clients receive practical solutions and direct support throughout the supply chain.

Chetty believes leadership is about ownership, service, and building long-term relationships. Her goal is for clients to feel they have a logistics partner who understands both their cargo and their business, rather than simply another service provider.

The purpose behind WISTS extends beyond moving freight. The business is committed to creating opportunities, developing talent and increasing women's participation across the shipping and transport industries. For Chetty, Women's Month is both a celebration of progress and a reminder to continue creating pathways for future generations of women.

Service also plays an important role in her personal life. Together with her husband, Yugen Chetty, she volunteers through the Rivers Foundation, preparing sandwiches each week for schoolchildren in need. It reflects a philosophy that guides both her leadership and her life: "The more you serve, the more you will be blessed."

Away from work, Chetty enjoys padel, 1980s and 1990s R&B music and spending Sundays watching a good television series. She has watched Dirty Dancing countless times and even danced to its theme song at her wedding.

From volunteering in a filing room to leading a growing logistics business, Chetty's career has been shaped by resilience, continuous learning and a commitment to service. Through WISTS, she continues to build a business that combines industry expertise with personal attention while helping move cargo, businesses and opportunities forward.

Get in touch with WISTS and simplify your shipping and transport projects: admin@womeninshipping.co.za