Celebrity Cruises has revealed Reshma Sujani, author, founder and CEO of international non-profit Girls Who Code, as godmother of Celebrity Apex.

The first Celebrity Cruises ship to launched in the UK in over a decade, Saujani will name the new ship at the official inaugural ceremony in Southampton on 30 March 2020.

The line’s president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, said: “Reshma is bridging the gap in the historically male-dominated industry. She is evolving the image of what a computer programmer looks like and does, inspiring a whole new generation of girls and women to bravely pursue this field. Because she is a game-changing visionary, she is the perfect Godmother for a game-changing ship like Celebrity Apex.”

Traditionally the godmother is the spiritual embodiment of a vessel and she inspires, protects and touches the lives of everyone who sails on board. In its Edge Series ships, Celebrity is selecting godmothers who are ‘breaking ground in their respective fields for people around the world’.

The first Edge Series Godmother, who inaugurated Celebrity Edge in November 2018, was Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, renowned for her advocacy of educational opportunities for girls everywhere.

Saujani is a lifelong activist who surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress in 2010. Her viral TED talk and international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect have sparked a worldwide conversation about how girls are being raised.

Her work on behalf of women and girls has earned her broad recognition including Fortune World’s Greatest Leaders; Fortune 40 Under 40; WSJ Magazine Innovator of the Year; Forbes Most Powerful Women Changing the World; and Fast Company 100 Most Creative People, among others. She is the winner of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education.

She said: “Girls Who Code is committed to giving girls more visible role models in computer science and helping them see that this is a field where they can really thrive.

“Just as we are on a mission to close the gender gap in tech in our lifetimes, Celebrity Cruises’ is leading the way to create a more diverse future in the maritime industry. It is an honour to have the support of Celebrity Cruises in our work, and to be named as the Godmother for Celebrity Apex.”