The 11th Annual World Ocean Summit & Expo 2024 | Economist Impact events | 10 March 2024 | Lisbon Congress Centre, Praça das Indústrias 1, 1300-307 Lisboa, Portugal

This summit returns in 2024 following last year’s successful event in a city—and country—leading the way in advancing the sustainable ocean economy. The summit convenes the widest cross-section of the ocean community from business and finance to government, national and international policy-makers, civil society, and academia.
The summit is designed to instigate action to develop a sustainable ocean economy; to encourage new partnerships across industries, with NGOs, scientists, technology developers and investors. By bringing together all stakeholders in the ocean ecosystem, the summit provides the perfect platform to inspire new synergies, solutions and strategies on the track to meet the 2030 targets in UN SDG 14.

The Agenda:

Next year’s agenda will focus on ocean health, with industry strategies to accelerate the sustainable ocean economy, and ocean-climate solutions. All tracks will feature speakers and sessions on investment and innovative financial tools to drive the restoration of ocean health.

2024 Speakers

Sylvia Earle
President and co-chair, Mission Blue

Peter Thomson
UN secretary-general’s special envoy for the ocean

Patricia Scotland
Secretary-general of the Commonwealth

Lily Cole
Model, activist, and ambassador, Sea Shepherd

Walter Roban
Deputy premier and minister for home affairs, Bermuda

Olivier Poivre d’Arvor
Ambassador to poles and oceans, France

Gina Guillén-Grillo
Director general for foreign policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Costa Rica

Fabien Cousteau
Aquanaut, oceanographic explorer, environmental advocate, founder, Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center and Proteus Ocean Group

Marisa Lameiras da Silva
Director-general, marine policy, Portugal

Steven Myers
Minister of environment, energy and climate action, Prince Edward Island

Anna Lindstedt
Ambassador for the ocean, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden

Kestutis Sadauskas
Deputy director-general, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission

Ilana Seid
Permanent representative of Palau to the UN

Abraão Vincente
Minister of sea, Cabo Verde

Wendy Schmidt
President and co-founder Schmidt Family Foundation, Schmidt Ocean Institute

Emanuele Grimaldi
Chair, International Chamber of Shipping, and president, Grimaldi Euromed

Markus Müller
Chief Investment Officer ESG & Global Head of Chief Investment Office, Deutsche Bank - Private Bank

Marisa Drew
Chief sustainability officer, Standard Chartered

Adonai Herrera-Martinez
Director, environment and sustainability, EBRD

Tim Fitzgerald
Chief sustainability officer, American Seafoods

Caitrin O’Brien
Vice president, ESG, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Minna Epps
Director, ocean, IUCN

Peter Rive
Co-founder, SolarCity

Giulio Venier
Programme manager, Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative

Anama Solofa
Lead negotiator, oceans, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)

Henrik Oksfeldt Enevoldsen
Head of Oceans Science Section, IOC UNESCO

José Rino
Projects directorate, air and maritime, EIB

Suzanne Johnson
Senior adviser, Ocean Stewardship Coalition, UN Global Compact

Laurent Ballesta
Founder and leader of Gombessa Expeditions, Andromède Océanologie

Carlos Duarte
Professor of marine science, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Julie Pullen
Partner and chief scientist, Propeller

Andre de Fontaine
Senior director, Neoteric

Martin Visbeck
Head of research unit, physical oceanography, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research

Amelia Wenger
Conservation scientist and water pollution program lead, Wildlife Conservation Society

Maja Felicia Bendtsen
Chief business officer, bulk, Port of Roenne

Miguel Marques
President of the executive board, Inovamar

Oliver Withers
Biodiversity head, Standard Chartered

Aboud Jumbe
Principal secretary, Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zoi Konstantinou
Policy officer, DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission

Fred Kao
Chief executive, SyAqua

Gyorgyi Gurban
Head, projects implementation, department of partnerships and projects, IMO

Frank Arendt
Chief procurement officer, Migros Industrie

Brune Poirson
Chief sustainability officer, Accor

Tavish Scott
Chief executive, Salmon Scotland

Alfred Achar
Founder and managing director, Bayrise Fish Farm

Monica Verbeek
Executive director, Seas At Risk

Øystein Tvedt
Founder and chief executive, Ava Ocean

Rafael Castellanos
Chairman, Port of San Diego

Vera Coelho
Deputy vice-president, Oceana

Vincent Pieribone
Co-CEO and chief science officer of OceanX

Edward Hill
Chief executive, National Oceanography Centre

Jonas Skattum Svegaarden
Chief executive, Katapult Ocean

Francesco Cacciabue
Partner and chief financial officer, Glennmont Partners

Yohei Sasakawa
Chairman, The Nippon Foundation

Simon Bennett
Sustainability adviser, Swire Shipping

Oliver Tanqueray
Head of Ocean, CDP Global

Alissa Peterson
Co-founder and executive director, SeaAhead

Steve Widdicombe
Director of science & deputy chief executive, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML)

Michael Aw
Founder, Ocean Geographic

Nicholas Hardman-Mountford
Head of oceans and natural resources, The Commonwealth

António Nogueira Leite
President, Forum Oceano

Aaron Vermeulen
Finance practice lead, WWF International

Neha Jain
Co-Founder, ZeroCircle

Daniel Suddaby
Executive director, The Global Tuna Alliance

Brad Ack
Executive director, Ocean Visions

Sergio Gonzalez Carrillo
Regional coordinator, Baja California Sur

Adriana Alzate
Executive board member, Ecomares

Ruben Eiras
Secretary-general, Forum Oceano

Sven Biermann
Executive director, Fisheries Transparency Initiative

Folayinka Dania
Chief resilience officer, Lagos

Ingvild Jenssen
Executive director and founder, Shipbreaking Platform

Callum Roberts
Professor of marine conservation, University of Exeter

Bill Collins
Founder and director, Cascadia Seaweed

Karen Sack
Executive director, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA)

Joan Fulton
Partner and chief operating officer, Ocean Assets

Cécile Roques
Product manager, Notpla

Emanuel Gonçalves
Chief scientist and board member, Oceano Azul Foundation

Helena Vieira
Coordinator senior researcher in environmental economics, University of Aveiro

Nicolas Pascal
Executive director, Blue Alliance Marine Protected Areas

Danielle Southcott
Founder and chief executive, Veer.Voyage

Wang Songlin
Founder and president, Qingdao Marine Conservation Society

Wolfram Guntermann
Director, regulatory affairs fleet, Hapag-Lloyd

Thérèse Lundquist
Chief executive, Sea Technology

Oliver Steeds
Director, The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census

Peter Hammarstedt
Director of campaigns, Sea Shepherd

Brett Molony
Science director, Environment Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

Rebecca Hubbard
Director, High Seas Alliance

Anssi Mikola
Founder, RiverRecycle

Jenna Jambeck, PhD
Regents Professor, College of Engineering, University of Georgia

Takeshi Hashimoto
Chief executive, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines

Catalina López Salazar
Director, Aquatic Animal Alliance, The Aquatic Life Institute

Lubomila Jordanova
Chief executive, PlanA

Brendan Tougher
Marine monitor product manager, ProtectedSeas

Rafael Sarda
Senior Scientist, National Council of Research (CSIC), Spain

Kirsten Isensee
Programme specialist, ocean carbon sources and sinks, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), UNESCO

Larsen Mettler
Managing director, S2G Ventures

Conor Ludden
Business development manager, Notpla

Katherine Cooke
Principal consultant, climate finance and the blue economy, Oxford Policy Management and former advisor to government of Fiji

Jan-Olaf Meynecke
Manager, Whales and Climate Research Program

Estrela Matilde
Executive director, Fundação Príncipe

Dan Hammer
Managing partner, Ode

Akash Rastogi
Lead strategist, Ocean Frontier Institute

Jasmine Fournier
Executive director, Ocean Sewage Alliance

Carole Durussel
Deputy secretary, OSPAR

Jahed Momand
Co-founder and partner, Cerulean Ventures

Nancy Gillis
Senior director, industrial pathways transformation, World Business Council for Sustainable Development

Andre Beirao
Head, Brazilian Observatory of Maritime Policies

Jessie Turner
Executive director, International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance)

James Wunderman
Chair, San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority

Julien Braun
Project manager, Haida Gwaii Marine Plan, Council of the Haida Nation

Bryan Wood-Thomas
Vice-president, environment policy, World Shipping Council

Madadh MacLaine
Secretary-general, Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association

Isabel Moura Ramos
Executive board member, Port of Lisbon

John Maggs
President, Clean Shipping Coalition

Rita Sousa
Partner, Faber Ocean / Climate Tech

Jacob Armstrong
Shipping policy manager, Transport & Environment

Akshay Gunteti
Director of circular economy partnerships, Green Worms

Benjamin Maurer
Head, renewable energy projects, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Charlotte Langley
Chef and co-founder, Scout Canning

Icarus Allen
Chief executive, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and PML Applications

Luís Araújo
President, European Travel Commission

Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy
Steering Committee Chair, Ocean Sewage Alliance Managing Director, World Ocean Council

Joy Huan Zheng
Founder of YOUTH LEADER FUND under China biodiversity conservation and green development foundation

Ram Amar
Chief executive, Rewind.earth

Jennifer O’Brien
Chief executive and founder, Sea and Believe

Hendrik Tiesinga
Founder, Climate Edge

Virgil Zetterlind
Director, ProtectedSeas

Punyasloke Bhadury
Professor, IISER Kolkata

Sandra Silva
General manager, Portugal, Mary Kay (sponsor)

Masanori Kobayashi
Senior research fellow, Ocean Policy Research Institute, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Jagadeesh Ambati
Founder, EverestLabs

Carlos Chacon
Biodiversity lead, Latin America, Global Fishing Watch

Ann Carpenter
Chief executive, Braid Theory

Adam Baske
Vice-president coastal markets and restoration, Running Tide

Paul Dobbins
Senior director of impact investing and ecosystems services, World Wildlife Fund

Tyler Gwinn
Director investment relations, Trousdale Ventures

Adrien Vincent
Programme director, Seaweed for Europe

Gonçalo Faria
Hub Azul Manager, Fórum Oceano

Chris Gorell Barnes
Founding partner, Ocean 14 Capital

Tomasz Telma
Global director, Financial institutions group IFC

Francisco Saraiva Gomes
Founding partner and Chief investment officer, Ocean 14 Capital

Christiana Dujardin
Systemiq

Kristin Ang
Co-Chair, Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) President, Port of Tacoma Commission

Kathy Graham
Director-general, marine planning and conservation, fisheries and oceans, Canada

Sonali Siriwardena
Partner and global head of ESG, Simmons & Simmons

Alex Kopelyan
Senior director and partner, IndieBio, SOSV

Monica Jain
Founder, Fish 2.0 Ventures

Aleks Gosiewski
Founder, Keel Labs

Chris Vivian
Co-chair of GESAMP Working Group 41

Maya Gabeira
Professional big wave surfer, activist and board member, Oceana

Evie Ward
Blue carbon coordinator, Plan Vivo

Kate Schweigart
Vice-president, innovative finance, RARE

Leonor Picão
Coordinating Director of the Resources and Supply Department at Turismo de Portugal, I.P.

Kerstin Schmeiduch
Director, corporate communications and sustainability, Nestle Purina

Robert Hoddenback
Global director climate and nature, Fugro

Renaud Dupuy
Director, marine protected area of Cap d'Agde, France

Maria de Athayde Tavares
Lawyer, finance, energy and infrastructure, Lisbon, Linklaters

Vidar Helgesen
Executive-director, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), UNESCO

Andrea Carafa
Entrepreneur-in-residence and lecturer, University of California, Santa Cruz

Catarina Martins
Chief technology officer and chief sustainability officer, MOWI

Emma Cobos
Director of innovation and business strategy, Port of Barcelona

Lisa Boulton
Ocean regeneration lead, Nestle

António Baldaque da Silva
Adjunct professor of finance, Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics

Julia Marsh
Chief executive and co-founder, Sway

Maria Damanaki
Advisor on Climate and Marine Policy Former EU Commissioner for Marine, Leading Women for the Ocean (LWO) /CLIMARE solutions

Erica Ocampo
Chief sustainability officer, The Metals Company

Khaled Irani
Advisor, Royal Hashemite Court, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Einar Gunnarsson
Chair, fisheries subsidies negotiations and ambassador of Iceland, WTO

Kimberley Mathisen
Chief executive, Hub Ocean

Ted Janulis
Founder and principal, Investable Oceans

Ross Brooks
General partner, Katapult Ocean

Amisha Patel
Director Global Public Affairs Offshore Wind & Internal Lead Global Offshore Wind Alliance - Global Wind Energy Council

Dennis Fritsch
Blue economy associate, Minderoo Foundation

Meaghan Brosnan
Chief operating officer, WildAid

Daniela Allerbon
Chief executive, Aquit

Sian Rees
Associate professor, social-ecological systems research, University of Plymouth

Ari Greenberg
Seaforester

Daniela de Sá
Founder, Najha Fashion

Martin Koehring
Global director of impact, Forum for the Future

Torsten Thiele
Executive director, Global Ocean Trust

Richard Hill
Chief executive, Ocean Generation

James Ellsmoor
Chief executive, Island Innovation

Allyson Browne
Chief executive, High Ambition Climate Collective

William Cleverly
Chief executive, OWC, ABL Group

Paula Mendonça
Executive director, Ocean Startup Project

Assunção Cristas
Partner, VdA

François Mosnier
Head of Oceans Programme, Planet Tracker

Ana Queirós
Marine and climate change ecologist, Plymouth Marine Laboratory

Adam de Sola Pool
Special adviser, innovation and entrepreneurship, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Claire Jolly
Head Ocean Economy, Science, Technology and Innovation Directorate, OECD

Michael Sadowski
Executive director, The Circulate Initiative

Naka Kondo
Japan lead, Impact Initiatives, Economist Impact

Charles Goddard
Editorial director, Economist Impact

2024 Sponsors

UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF:
• Under the patronage of

FOUNDING SUPPORTER:
• Portugal
• Blancpain

LEAD SUPPORTER:
• Oceano Azul Foundation

SILVER SPONSORS
• Ocean14 Capital
• Purina
• Standard Chartered

BRONZE SPONSOR:
• Mary Kay

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS:
• Ava Ocean
• Blue Marine Foundation
• EverestLabs
• Sea Technology
• Simmons & Simmons
• SyAqua