Maria Bruun Skipper joined the Danish Shipowners' Association (DSA) in 2009 and represents the political interests of the Danish ship owners at national and international level. In December 2014 Maria was appointed Director for Security, Health, Environment and Innovation (SHEI). The SHEI department is responsible for technical, nautical and political aspects of security, health, environment and innovation. Piracy, safety, security, climate and environmental regulation, enforcement of the sulphur regulation, ship recycling, occupational health and safety and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are among the topics covered by SHEI.

Maria is a member of the Advisory Committee for the project Mitigating and reversing the side-effects of environmental legislation on Ro-Ro shipping in Northern Europe at the Technical University of Denmark. In addition member of the Advisory Committee for the project Climate change and maritime industry voluntary measures at the University of Copenhagen. Before 2009, Maria worked as political advisor to Mrs. Anne E. Jensen, Danish member of the European Parliament. Maria holds a master's degree in Political Science from University of Southern Denmark as well as a master's degree in European Politics and Administration from the College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium.