Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.
Senior Managing Director

Naoki Asami

Naoki Asami graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering in 1985 and completed his master's course at the University of Tokyo, School of Engineering in 1987. Amid the second AI boom, he chose artificial intelligence applications in mechanical design as his research topic. In 1987, he joined Nikkei BP (then known as Nikkei McGraw-Hill), covering the computer and semiconductor fields in the Nikkei Electronics editorial department. In 1994, he took a post in Silicon Valley, where he covered the IT industry, including Intel and Microsoft. After serving as editor-in-chief of Nikkei Electronics and publisher of Nikkei Business, he became a director in 2013, managing director in 2019, and senior managing director in 2023, where he remains today.
His favorite fish are sweetfish and horse mackerel.

Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd.
Founder/CEO

Wakao Hanaoka

Wakao founded Seafood Legacy in 2015 and serves as its CEO. He leads system-level transformation to mainstream environmentally sustainable and socially responsible seafood across Asia by forging alliances among diverse stakeholders across the domestic and international seafood industry, financial institutions, governments, civil society organizations, academia, and media.
He has held advisory roles on numerous government committees in Japan, such as the Fisheries Working Groups under the Regulatory Reform Promotion Council, Cabinet Office of Japan, as well as the Wide-area Fisheries Adjustment Commission, Fisheries Agency of Japan. Through these roles, he has contributed to policy development and the design of legal frameworks for sustainable fisheries and seafood systems.
Wakao currently also serves in several international leadership roles, including as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Friends of Ocean Action and a board member of the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions.

Fisheries Agency of Japan
Director-General

Hitoshi Fujita

Fisheries Agency of Japan
Director-General
Hitoshi Fujita joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 1987. Since then, he has served as the Director of Resources Management Division, Director of Policy Planning Division, Director of Fish Ranching and Aquaculture Division, Director-General of Resources Management Department of the Fisheries Agency and Deputy Director-General of the Fisheries Agency. He is currently the Director-General of the Fisheries Agency since July 2025.

Umios Corporation
Representative Director, President & CEO

Masaru Ikemi

Masaru Ikemi was born in 1957 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from the Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University in March 1981, he joined Taiyo Gyogyo Co., Ltd. (currently Umios Corporation) in April of the same year. He served as General Manager of the Overseas Operations Department of Maruha Nichiro Foods, Inc. (currently Umios Corporation) in 2008, and Acting General Manager of the Overseas Business Coordination Department of Maruha Nichiro Holdings, Inc. in 2009. In April 2011, he was appointed Executive Officer of the company. He became Executive Officer of Maruha Nichiro Corporation in April 2014, Director of the Company in June 2014, Managing Executive Officer in April 2017, and Director of the Company in June 2017, a position he continues to hold. In April 2019, he was appointed Senior Managing Executive Officer, and in April 2020, Representative Director, President & CEO of the Company. Since April 2026, he has served in his current position.

National Fisheries Institute Sushi Council
Executive Director

Dick Jones

Dick Jones is a global seafood and aquaculture executive with more than four decades of leadership experience spanning sustainable fisheries, aquaculture development, seafood markets, and international supply chains. His work has focused on connecting industry, environmental organizations, policymakers, and food system leaders to advance responsible seafood production and long term ocean health. He has led organizations and initiatives across the commercial seafood, nonprofit, and trade association sectors, with expertise in market strategy, stakeholder engagement, sustainability, and business growth. Jones is widely recognized for his ability to bridge commercial realities with evolving consumer and regulatory expectations. He currently serves as Executive Director of the National Fisheries Institute Sushi Council, where he works to support the responsible growth, integrity, and long term sustainability of the global sushi sector.

Advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
President of Yorozu Fisheries Advisory Office afc.masa

Masanori Miyahara

He worked for the Fisheries Agency for 37 years until 2014, followed by 7 years as President of the Fisheries Research and Education Organization, leaving in 2021.
In his late 20s, he studied at Duke University in the U.S. and was involved in many international negotiations, especially chairing international conferences related to bluefin tuna. He is currently the chair of the Northern Committee for Pacific Bluefin Tuna of the Midwest Pacific Tuna Conservation Commission. He also served as the leader of the Fisheries Agency's recovery team from the Great East Japan Earthquake, covering everything from rescue activities to the restoration of the fisheries industry.
Currently, as the president of afc.masa, he travels around Japan and abroad to provide consultation on various issues related to the seafood industry.

Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
East Asia Manager

Shaochi Chiu

Shaochi Chiu is the East Asia Manager at the Environmental Justice Foundation working to improve sustainability and human rights protections in the fisheries sector. She leads a team across Japan, Korea and Taiwan to investigate fisheries crime and associated human rights abuses and advocate for better transparency to eliminate the exploitations.

Qingdao Marine Conservation Society
Founder and President

Songlin Wang

Songlin Wang is a marine conservationist with over 20 years of experience advancing sustainable fisheries, responsible aquaculture, and marine habitat restoration in China. He has led major programs for The Nature Conservancy, WWF, the Paulson Institute, and Ocean Outcomes. In 2017, he founded the Qingdao Marine Conservation Society (QMCS), a leading Chinese NGO that engages stakeholders across sectors to promote ocean conservation and align China’s Responsible Seafood Movement with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Wang holds degrees from Ocean University of China and Yale University. He is a 2021 Pew Marine Fellow, a member of Friends of Ocean Action, and serves on the board of the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions.

Korea Federation for Envionmental Movements
Policy Change Team
Marine Policy Activist

Yujin Song

Yujin Song works on sustainable seafood policy and marine biodiversity conservation at the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM). For the past three years, she has led a campaign to strengthen seafood traceability and supply chain transparency in Korea, collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders—including consumers, fishers, the National Assembly, and government agencies—to drive policy reform. As part of this work, she contributed to advocacy efforts supporting the passage of Korea's Sustainable Coastal and Offshore Fisheries Development Act, a landmark law aimed at improving the traceability of Korean seafood, engaging with lawmakers' offices and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries throughout the legislative process. She is currently engaged in shaping the law's subordinate regulations to ensure the traceability provisions are implemented effectively. Her work also includes running pilot projects with producers and distributors to identify structural gaps in Korea's seafood traceability system, using these findings to inform concrete policy proposals submitted to the government and legislature. Her approach centers on translating field-level evidence into actionable legislative and regulatory recommendations, bridging the gap between grassroots realities and national policy-making.

Fisherman Japan Marketing Co.,Ltd.
CEO

Yuki Tsuda

Originally the second-generation operator of a wholesale seafood business in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Yuki co-founded the Fisherman Japan General Incorporated Association with local fishermen in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Currently, the sales division has been spun off as Fisherman Japan Marketing Co., Ltd., where he leads efforts to expand sales channels both domestically and internationally and to support fishing communities across Japan.
In parallel, he actively promotes sustainable seafood through public awareness initiatives, impact investing via the FJ Blue Fund, and efforts focused on marine conservation, the elimination of IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, and the promotion of seafood resource management. He also organizes the "Suisan Summit" alongside passionate fishermen and stakeholders nationwide, aiming to amplify voices from the field and engage in policy advocacy at the national level.

Ocean Outcomes
Korea Fisheries Senior Manager

Doohyun Park

Doohyun Park is a dedicated conservation professional with over 10 years of experience in marine policy development, corporate sustainability, and multi-stakeholder engagement. Currently, he serves as the Korea Fisheries Senior Manager at Ocean Outcomes (O2), where he leads the national program to improve tuna fishing practices, supports local seafood sectors, and builds collaborative networks between government agencies, NGOs, and seafood companies. His work is central to advancing sustainability in the region; he created the Korean Roundtable for Sustainable Tuna, a pre-competitive platform that includes companies representing about 80% of Korea’s tuna longline production. Beyond environmental goals, Doohyun leads strategic expansions into social responsibility for distant-water fleets. Doohyun previously spearheaded sustainable fisheries initiatives at WWF Korea, where he led industry partnerships and pioneering electronic monitoring projects to enhance transparency and combat illegal fishing. Before his time at WWF, he served as an interpreter for the Korean Ministry of Environment, representing the nation in major multilateral agreements and managing international cooperation on biodiversity and protected areas.

Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Coalition
Secretariat

Mandy Wong

Mandy supports the industry-led Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Coalition as the Secretariat and oversees Choose Right Today, a consumer-facing sustainable seafood initiative under the ADM Capital Foundation. With a Marine and Freshwater Biology background, she pursued a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the University of Hong Kong. Mandy is dedicated to mainstreaming sustainable seafood and empowering businesses to source seafood responsibly through capacity building and industry engagement. Growing up in Hong Kong, a global seafood trade hub, Mandy has the privilege of accessing a great variety of seafood from different parts of the world. She developed an appreciation for diverse culinary traditions and fisheries alongside a passion for conserving marine resources. Mandy believes every person plays an important role in driving seafood sustainability.

Global Seafood Alliance (GSA)
Market Development
Senior Vice President

Steven Hart

Dr. Steven Hart is Senior Vice President of Market Development for the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA). He received his Ph.D. in 2006 from Purdue University with an emphasis on aquaculture nutrition. After completing his degree, he worked for the Indiana Soybean Alliance as their Director of Aquaculture, and in 2011, was named the Executive Director of the Soy Aquaculture Alliance. Dr. Hart joined GSA in 2015 with his primary responsibility to increase market acceptance for responsibly produced seafood in Asia as demonstrated through the assurances provided by the Best Aquaculture Practices and Best Seafood Practices certification programs. His role has since expanded, joining the GSA senior leadership team, and leading these efforts globally, working with producers and end market retailers and food service operators to improve responsible sourcing policies for seafood products. This has led to improvements in sourcing policies with distributors, importers, retailers, restaurants and food service companies globally. Dr. Hart also serves on the Board of Directors and is a past-Chair for the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to increase seafood consumption in America.

AquaPro Co., Ltd.
Founder and CEO

Jihyun Yun

Dr. Jihyun Yun is a leading aquaculture expert with a Ph.D. in Aquatic Life and extensive experience in sustainable marine technology. She currently serves as a Policy Advisory Committee Member for Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, a member of the Presidential Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Policy, and Vice President of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Aquatic Science.
As the Founder and CEO of AquaPro Co., Ltd. (and Co-CEO of Raon Bada Co., Ltd.), Dr. Yun pioneers eco-friendly Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). Under her leadership, AquaPro obtained Korea's first New Excellent Technology (NET) certification for RAS construction in the fisheries sector.
Notably, Dr. Yun achieved Korea’s first ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) certification for Olive Flounder, a prestigious sustainability standard that Raon Bada maintains today. Through data-driven, land-based farming, she is dedicated to meeting global responsible sourcing demands and driving sustainable innovation across East Asia.

DearOcean
Representative

Woojin Chung

Woojin (Kate) is representative of DearOcean. It offers consultancy bridging marine conservation, ESG strategy, and ocean education across the Asia Pacific by helping businesses turn sustainability commitments into commercial strategy from responsible seafood sourcing to Asia market transformation. She led campaigns in South Korea at the Environmental Justice Foundation to improve transparency, traceability, and human rights protections in the fisheries sector over the past five years. She previously spent six years working with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries where she contributed to fisheries tariff negotiations and economic cooperation before becoming a programme manager of port development aid. As the programme manager, Woojin was responsible for the Ministry’s port construction aid programmes across Asia, Pacific and Africa. Prior to the governmental jobs, she served the nation as Naval officer working for intelligence coordination between Republic of Korea and the U.S Navy for maritime security.

Chiba Prefecture Coastal Small-Scale Fishing Vessel Fisheries Cooperative
Representative Director and Chairman

Mitsuhiro Sakai

Born in 1961. After graduating from high school, he served in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force for three years. He later took over his family’s fishing business and has engaged in coastal fisheries for more than 40 years, primarily in longline tuna fishing, vertical-line fishing for alfonsino, and trolling for skipjack tuna. He has served as a Senior Fisheries Instructor of the Chiba Prefecture Fisheries Association, a member of the Chiba Prefecture Fisheries Adjustment Commission, and Chairperson of the Katsuura Operations Council of the Chiba Prefecture Fisheries Radio Station. In 2023, he was appointed Representative Director and Chairman of the Chiba Prefecture Coastal Small Fishing Vessel Fisheries Cooperative Association. He is committed to the sustainable management of fishery resources, including alfonsino and other commercially important species.

Yeongrak-ri Fishery Collective
Haenyeo

Kylie Genter

Kylie Genter is the first American to join the ranks of Jeju Island’s female traditional divers, the Haenyeo, who free dive off the coast of South Korea collecting sea urchin, cucumber, conch, and various other seafoods. Born in upstate New York, Kylie originally moved to South Korea in the fall of 2012 to work as an English teacher. After moving to Jeju in 2016, she began her Haenyeo journey in the summer of 2018 by attending Hansupul Haenyeo School. In January of 2024 she continued her training as a "baby diver" at Yeongrak-ri village on the south western coast of Jeju where she would go on to earn her license as an officially registered Haenyeo in 2026. When Kylie's not diving, she’s creating social media content, sharing her knowledge of the daily lives of haenyeo with the world.

Self-employed Fisherman
Board Member of Tianjin Hangu Fishers’ Association

Cuibo Liu

Cuibo Liu born in 1964, is a board member of the Tianjin Hangu Fishers’ Association and a certified Second-Class Captain. He is actively engaged as a volunteer in marine ecological conservation and the preservation of traditional salt-fishery cultural heritage, and is a recognized inheritor of multiple Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) projects. He also serves as a Fisheries Culture Advisor to the Qingdao Marine Conservation Society and as an Advisor to the Tianjin Binhai New District Writers Association.
With over 40 years of experience in fisheries production, Cuibo Liu has dedicated himself to the study of traditional fisheries culture in Tianjin Binhai, the preservation and transmission of fishing community heritage, public cultural outreach promoting local traditions, as well as marine ecological conservation and environmental education initiatives.

IPNLF (International Pole & Line Foundation)
Fisheries Director

Craig Turley

Craig Turley is Fisheries Director at IPNLF, where he leads initiatives to support the development of sustainable one-by-one fisheries and responsible seafood value chains around the world. With extensive experience working across the fisheries sector, Craig has dedicated his career to advancing approaches that deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits for coastal communities.
A passionate advocate for small-scale fisheries, Craig believes they play a critical role in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges, including food security, poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods, and marine conservation. His work focuses on strengthening fisheries management, supporting fisheries improvement initiatives, and promoting market-driven solutions that reward responsible fishing practices.
Craig is particularly interested in the potential of well-managed one-by-one fisheries to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while ensuring healthy ocean ecosystems and resilient fishing communities for future generations.
Through his work with IPNLF, he continues to champion practical, collaborative approaches to sustainable fisheries development worldwide.

Blueyou
Co-Founder and CEO

René Benguerel

René Benguerel holds a master’s degree in Aquatic Ecology and Fish Biology. Before founding Blueyou in 2004, he worked in the Swiss retail sector where he was appointed procurement manager for sustainable fish and seafood. At Blueyou, René has been leading the development of both impact and commercial blue food strategies across the globe, developing more than 20 fisheries and aquaculture programs with community-based operators in Asia and Latin America and the related supply chains into global retail and food service markets. Blueyou has been a leader and innovator for climate-smart, restorative and socially-inclusive blue food harvesting systems. As co-founder and CEO, René has been managing Blueyou’s extensive network with strategic partners on both private sector business, conservation NGO and impact investors and leads Blueyou’s continuous innovation and leadership in the blue food transformation landscape.

Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST)
Executive Director

Huw Thomas

Huw Thomas founded 3 Pillars Seafood in 2020 to provide responsible sourcing and supply chain advice to seafood processors, retailers, and non-governmental organisations.
With a career spanning nearly 30 years in the seafood world Huw has been Fisheries & Aquaculture Manager of a UK retailer, led the market engagement work for a US-based trust aiming to end illegal fishing, the Technical Director of one of the UK's leading chilled seafood processing companies and run a shrimp processing plant in Vietnam.
At The Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST), Thomas acts as Executive Director leading the organisation to achieve its vision of a world where universally adopted, digital traceability promotes trust in fishery and aquaculture supply chains.

Nature Positive Initiative
Convener

Marco Lambertini

Marco Lambertini is the Convener of the Nature Positive Initiative and former WWF International Director General. An environmental activist since the age of 12, Marco’s experience and career ranges from ecological field research and nature reserve management to high level advocacy and international policy, integrated conservation and development projects, communication and campaigning in many countries all over the world.
Marco is member of the China Council (CCICED), the Board of Directors for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and The MedFund, the Unilever Sustainability Advisory Council, Honorary Fellow at the Hoffmann Centre for Global Sustainability/Geneva Graduate Institute, Board member of the Belt and Road Initiative Greening Coalition, a founding member of the Nature Action Agenda and Friends of Ocean Action at WEF, former member of the UN Global Compact Board and co-focal point for UNDESA’s Community of Ocean Action on Marine/Coastal Ecosystems..
Marco is the lead author of the book “Becoming Nature Positive: transitioning to a safe and just future” (2025, Earthscan Routledge, London) and Executive Director of the 2026 film of the same title.

The Nature Conservancy
Large-Scale Fisheries Director

Ben Gilmer

Ben Gilmer has over 20 years of experience in environmental conservation and food systems, specializing in fisheries, agriculture, climate, technology, and community development. Ben is the Director of Large-Scale Fisheries at The Nature Conservancy, where he promotes seafood sustainability policies, commitments, and tools to corporations, NGOs, and governments. He leads a team with projects spanning Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa and provides oversight for fisheries electronic monitoring and reporting technologies and fishery improvement projects.
Ben has also worked as a sustainability consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank and other clients and was a member of TNC’s Global Oceans team, where he supported international marine conservation and fisheries projects.
Ben serves on the ISSF Board of Directors and as Chair of the ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee. He has a master’s degree from West Virginia University and a bachelor’s degree from Radford University.

ZENKAI+
Founder

Gunther Errhalt

Gunther Errhalt is the Founder of ZENKAI+, a Japan-based company bringing electronic monitoring and other fisheries technologies to the Asian market. He works with fishing companies, technology providers, and regional fisheries bodies across the Asia-Pacific, supporting the practical adoption of camera-based monitoring and fisheries intelligence. His goal is to make fisheries compliance less of an economic burden and more of an economic positive through close collaboration with fishermen, purchasers, and governments.
Gunther is also a fisheries sustainability consultant whose experience includes MSC assessment, vessel monitoring, fisheries analysis and fisheries policy support.

TOYO REIZO Co., Ltd.
President and CEO
Chief Sustainability Officer

Yasuo Mitani

Yasuo Mitani joined a general trading company in 1995 and began his career in the seafood business. From 2006, he spent four years in Vietnam, where he played a key role in expanding aquaculture, processing, and sales operations for vannamei shrimp and pangasius. He subsequently worked in the salmon and trout business, building extensive expertise and broad experience across the global seafood sector. In 2017, he was appointed President and CEO of Sanyo Foods Co., Ltd., where he led the growth of its smoked salmon business. In June 2024, he became President and CEO of Toyo Reizo Co., Ltd., an integrated seafood trading, processing, and distribution company, and also serves as Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO). Guided by a field-oriented management philosophy, he is dedicated to fostering the sustainable development of the seafood industry while enhancing corporate value for customers, business partners, producers, employees, and other stakeholders.

FCF Co., Ltd.
ESG & Sustainability Department
Project manager

Metilda Chu

Metilda is a project manager in the ESG & Sustainability team at FCF Co., Ltd., overseeing fishery sustainability programs across the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. She has previous experience in compliance and traceability, including vessel and catch-data verification, and risk assessment. Building on this background, she has expanded her focus to fishery sustainability and at-sea implementation, and currently manages MSC certifications, fishery improvement projects, electronic monitoring initiatives, and supply chain risk management for tuna fisheries.
Her work focuses on connecting sustainability commitments with practical implementation at sea. She works with vessel operators, technology providers, government agencies, NGOs, researchers, certification bodies, and other industry stakeholders to improve the quality, reliability and practical use of fisheries data. Through these collaborations, she supports the development of monitoring and management systems that strengthen compliance, transparency, and trust throughout the seafood supply chain.

Ocean Outcomes
Taiwan Fishery Senior Manager

Ho-Tu Chiang

Ho-Tu leads the development and implementation of Ocean Outcomes’ sustainable fisheries projects in Taiwan, including the research, as well as technical support for those projects. This includes engaging with the region’s commercial tuna fisheries and NGOs, and developing project work plans and stakeholder convenings. Ho-Tu has over ten years of strategic and on-the-water experience in international affairs and monitoring, control, and surveillance, having worked in the Coast Guard for the Taiwanese government.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and　Technology (KAIST)
School of Computing,Auto-ID Labs
Professor (School of Computing), Director (Auto-ID Labs)

Daeyoung Kim

Daeyoung Kim is a Professor at KAIST and Director of Auto-ID Labs KAIST. Auto-ID Labs KAIST is part of the global Auto-ID Labs network, a research partner of GS1, and a founding member of the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST). His research focuses on the Internet of Things and AI-ready data based on GS1 and GDST standards, as well as Vision AI, Agentic AI, and On-device AI. His team developed Oliopass, a blockchain-based traceability platform supporting GS1 EPCIS 2.0 and GS1 Digital Link. Oliopass is also a Verified GDST-Capable Solution. Professor Kim collaborates with GDST, MSC KR, ASC KR, Ocean Outcomes, the FDA-recognized Better Process Control School (BPCS), and seafood companies in Busan. Together, they develop interoperable GDST-based traceability systems incorporating the GS1 Digital Link to improve supply chain transparency, food safety, sustainability, consumer communication, and regulatory compliance. He is currently conducting research on AI transformation using trusted, interoperable data generated by GS1 and GDST standards.

Fishing Industry Association of Papua New Guinea
Management
Chief Operating Officer

Marcelo Hidalgo

Marcelo Hidalgo is the CCO of the Fishing Industry Association in Papua New Guinea (FIA PNG). He is also the founder and director of Seafoodmatter, a consultancy company based in the Netherlands.
With over 29 years of experience in the aquaculture and fisheries supply chain, he has advised major retailers, tuna fleets, seafood processors, NGOs and governments on the implementation and improvement of responsible sourcing and seafood sustainability. His experience covers fish farm management, standards development, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement.
Marcelo developed and implemented the Responsible Sourcing Policy (RSP), which made FIA PNG a leader and reference in the Pacific Region, with a positive impact on Land and at Sea. He served as a Managing Director member of the Global Dialogue on Seafood traceability and is currently on the board of directors of several environmental NGOs.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aquaculture and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Trade, Business, and Commerce from the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral in Ecuador.

Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC)
Training and Research Supporting Division Head

Kongpathai Saraphaivanich

Mr. Kongpathai Saraphaivanich is a leading fisheries specialist and the Training and Research Supporting Division Head at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD). Since joining SEAFDEC/TD in 1999, he has built extensive expertise in fishing gear technology, fishery management, and fishery information. With over two decades of experience, he serves as the primary officer responsible for regional initiatives to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. His work centers on developing high-impact technological tools, most notably the electronic ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme (eACDS) and the Regional Fishing Vessels Record (RFVR) database. As a key technical advisor, Mr. Kongpathai spearheads capacity-building programs across Southeast Asia. He focuses on Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) and Port State Measures (PSM) to ensure the strict traceability and long-term sustainability of the region's fishery products.

Wholechain
Head of Growth

Erin Taylor Cooper

Erin Taylor Cooper is Head of Growth at Wholechain, where she helps food, seafood, pet food, and retail supply chains implement practical, standards-based traceability programs that meet growing regulatory, buyer, and market expectations. With more than a decade of experience advancing traceability, sustainability, and responsible sourcing, Erin has worked with global retailers, foodservice companies, suppliers, and industry groups including ALDI, Albertsons Companies, Wegmans, Mars Petcare, Thai Union, Iberostar, Gorton’s, Sea Pact, and others to translate complex supply chain goals into actionable implementation strategies. Before joining Wholechain, Erin held leadership roles at FishWise, including Deputy Chief of Party for the Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability, a USAID initiative focused on strengthening legal and responsible seafood trade. Her work has centered on cross-sector collaboration, supplier engagement, and the adoption of interoperable traceability systems across fragmented global value chains. At Wholechain, Erin brings a systems-level perspective and a practical implementation lens to help companies build traceability programs that support compliance, transparency, risk management, and long-term business value.

Norinchukin Research Institute / Norinchukin Bank
Senior researcher

Naohito Okazoe

Born in a family of small-scale fish farmer. In 2006-23, as a FAJ or MOFA staff, engaged in the fisheries coordination at RFMOs, FAO and IWC, as well as in the policy debate of marine biodiversity. Currently at Norinchukin Research Institute, provides sustainability consulting mainly to food and agriculture companies, while working as a fisheries analyst. Also supports the corporate sustainability of Norinchukin Bank as a staff member. Master of Agriculture (Marine Biology) / Master of Public Policy.

Nomura Asset Management co., ltd.
Responsible Investment Department
Senior ESG Specialist

Wakaba Kawai

In the Responsible Investment Department of Nomura Asset Management, Ms. Wakaba Kawai is responsible for strengthening and promoting initiatives related to responsible investment and ESG. Her main responsibilities include the exercise of voting rights and engagement on foreign stocks, integration of ESG research and investment research, dissemination of information related to responsible investment, and external activities. She also actively participates in external ESG-related initiatives and collaborative engagements to build a network.
After working for a Japanese investment trust management company and a foreign asset management company managing Asian equities, she joined Nomura Asset Management in 2005. From July 2009 to March 2020, she was in charge of Asian equity management at the Singapore office. She has been assuming her current position since April 2020.

Umios Corporation
Sustainability Department
General Manager

Yusuke Sato

In 1994, joined Maruha Corporation (now Umios Corporation), worked for 15 years in the Overseas Operations Department, managing a shrimp fishing and aquaculture joint venture company in Madagascar,
as well as import/export and shrimp sales operations.　
From 2009, primarily within the fisheries division, worked in the Maruha Nichiro Group's Quality Assurance and Quality Control Department, responsible for quality and hygiene management at manufacturing plants and audits.
Engaged in sustainability section from April 2020, and assumed current position in April 2025.

Professor, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Green Goals Initiative, Tohoku University, and Nikkei BP ESG Fellow

Kaori Fujita

Born in Uozu City, Toyama Prefecture, Kaori Fujita graduated from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, the University of Tokyo, and joined Nikkei Business Publications (Nikkei BP). She served as a reporter for Nikkei Electronics, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Japan, Editorial Board Member of Nikkei Ecology, Producer of the Nikkei ESG Management Forum, and Senior Deputy Editor of Nikkei ESG, among other roles. She specializes in biodiversity, natural capital, sustainable procurement, business and human rights, ESG investing, and regional revitalization. As a professor at Tohoku University, she serves as Deputy Director of the "Nature-Positive Sustainable Development Hub". She is a member of the Central Environment Council of Japan's Ministry of the Environment and a Board Member of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). She is also a founding organizing committee member and producer of the Global Nature Positive Summit 2026. Her publications include "A Practical Guide to Biodiversity and Nature-Positive Management in the ESG and TNFD Era."

Marine Stewardship Council & Aquaculture Stewardship Council
Head of Capital Markets Outreach

Ray Dhirani

Ray is a sustainable finance professional and leads the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)'s capital markets practice. Practically, this means he leads the ASC and MSC’s interactions with banks, investors, and policy makers on blue finance. He joined MSC and ASC in May 2024 after working for Tribe Impact Capital in London and after a decade at WWF, the global environmental NGO. At Tribe, Ray headed the impact management function, and, at WWF, he led the UK's sustainable finance team.
Ray was instrumental in the production of Our Planet: Too Big to Fail, a multi award winning film produced by Silverback Films, focused on what the finance sector can do to help safeguard our natural world - both on land and at sea.
Previously, Ray spent eight years in the global markets division of Merrill Lynch in New York specializing in foreign exchange and short interest rates.
Ray holds a BSc. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a MSc. in Environment & Development from the London School of Economics. He has sat on two non-executive boards - Parmenion’s Ethical Oversight Committee as well as WHEB Asset Management’s Advisory Committee. He currently serves as a parent governor for the Pirbright Village Primary School in the UK.

Thai Union Group PCL.
Chief Sustainability & Communications Officer

Adam Brennan

Adam Brennan is the Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer at Thai Union Group.
Adam has extensive global leadership experience in driving through impactful sustainability programs across complex supply chains. At Thai Union, Adam reports into the CEO and is a member of the Group’s Global Leadership Team. He has ultimate responsibility for delivering on the goals under our sustainability strategy, SeaChange®, including; Safe & Legal Labour, Responsible Sourcing, Responsible Operations and People & Communities. All of these initiatives are key contributors to the Company’s 2030 strategy and align with Thai Union’s corporate goal of “Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans”.
Previously, Adam has spent the last decade in Asia working on driving sustainability across the footwear and fashion industry, where he served as a Board Director on various multistakeholder initiatives, as well as, leading the sustainability programs for C&A, a leading global fashion retailer, and PUMA, the well-known sport and lifestyle company.

Nissui Corporation
Sustainability Department
General Manager

Akihiko Nishi

Joined Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (now Nissui Corporation) in 1993. After many years working in the marketing and sales divisions for frozen foods, he transitioned in 2020 to the CSR Department, now the Sustainability Department, where he is responsible for sustainability-related initiatives.
Currently, he leads the planning and implementation of sustainability strategies aimed at driving the Nissui Group’s sustainable growth and enhancing corporate value through addressing social and environmental challenges. In addition, he is actively engaged in various initiatives to help resolve fisheries sustainability challenges, while also promoting dialogue and information disclosure with stakeholders, including investors and financial institutions.

Rikkyo University
Social Design Studies
Specially Appointed Professor

Mariko Kawaguchi

Formerly served as Head of the CSR Office at Daiwa Securities Group Inc. and Principal Researcher at Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd. She assumed the current position in April 2020. For over 20 years, has been engaged in research, analysis, and policy recommendations on sustainability from the perspectives of corporations (CSR), investors (ESG investment), and consumers (ethical consumption). In her current role, contributes to education on sustainability studies while also serving as CEO Advisor to Sagamiya Foods Co., Ltd., focusing on food sustainability. Additionally serves as Advisor to the Sustainability Advisory Board of the Asset Management One and as Outside Director of Mitsubishi Kakoki Kaisha, Ltd.

University of Wollongong
Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS)
Professor / Fisheries Governance Program

Quentin Hanich

Dr Quentin Hanich is a Professor of Fisheries Governance at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong, where he leads the Fisheries Governance Research Program. Quentin has worked widely throughout the Indo-Pacific region in various international partnerships focusing on ocean governance, emerging technologies, marine conservation, fisheries management and development. In addition to his academic work, he has chaired international working groups, facilitated inter-governmental workshops, and advised Ministerial meetings, national delegations and sub-regional groups. He is currently the Chair of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission’s (IOTC) Technical Committee on Allocation Criteria and a member of the United Nations Pool of Experts for the World Ocean Assessment.

Shanghai Ocean University
College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management
Associate Professor

Huajie Lu

Huajie Lu, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Master’s Supervisor at the College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, China. He was a Visiting Scholar at North Carolina State University, USA, from June 2024 to May 2026. His research focuses on pelagic squid jigging fisheries, cephalopod fishery biology, ecology, population dynamics, and sustainable utilization of marine living resources. He is a core member of China’s Squid Jigging Technology Group under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
With over 15 years of experience in marine fisheries science, Dr. Lu has participated in four high-seas squid surveys in the Southwest Atlantic, Northwest Pacific, and Southeast Pacific Oceans. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers on commercially important cephalopod resources, including Illex argentinus and Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis, focusing on their biology, environmental responses, and sustainable utilization.

Korea Maritime Institute (KMI)
Fisheries Policy Research Division
Director

Jung Myeonghwa

Myeonghwa Jung is a Research Fellow at the Fisheries Research Division of the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Republic of Korea. Since joining KMI in 2013, she has focused on international fisheries trade, international fisheries cooperation, distant-water fisheries policy, and measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. She has contributed to the development of Korea’s Basic Plan for the Development of the Distant-Water Fisheries Industry and has conducted foundational research supporting the introduction of Electronic Monitoring (EM) systems in Korean distant-water fisheries. Her research also covers fisheries governance, sustainability standards, market access requirements, and international fisheries regulations. Through her work, she has been actively involved in policy research aimed at strengthening the sustainability and transparency of Korea’s fisheries sector. Her current research interests include emerging international fisheries regulations and their implications for fisheries policy, industry practices, and international cooperation.

Stockholm Resilience Centre
Professor and Science Director

Henrik Österblom

Henrik Österblom, is professor at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and leads the Anthropocene Laboratory at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His work focuses on human cooperation – with a particular focus on the role of corporate actors to stimulate change. His main scientific contribution is the identification of keystone actors, and the establishment of the SeaBOS initiative (www.seabos.org), where transdisciplinary scientists and leading seafood companies are co-producing solutions to the ocean challenges.

Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL)
Senior Researcher

JongChul Kim

JongChul Kim founded a non profit public interest lawyers organization, Advovocates for public Interest Law in 2011 where he has been working with vulnerable migrants in Korea including refugees and victims of human trafficking over 15 years.

Certified Non-profit Organization Human Rights Now
Secretary General

Ryutaro Ogawa

Ryutaro is a lawyer specializing in labor disputes, administrative litigation cases, immigration, and refugee matters. Since 2022, he has been serving as the Secretary-General of the certified nonprofit organization, Human Rights Now (HRN). He is also a Deputy Secretary-General in charge of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in the International Human Rights Treaties Working Group under the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, a board member of The International Human Rights Law Association and a coordinator for the Japan Lawyers Network for Refugees, etc.

Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative
Human Rights at Sea and Maritime Security
Program Director

Jeremia Humolong Prasetya

Jeremia Humolong Prasetya currently serves as a Program Director at Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative, who is responsible for the organization's portfolios in human rights at sea as well as maritime security. Over the last 8 years, his research and advocacy work focuses on the nexus of ocean sustainability, maritime security, and human rights protection of fishers. In addition to journal articles, a book chapter, and policy reports, his writing featured in The Jakarta Post, Indonesia at Melbourne, and Heinrich Boll Stiftung. His analysis is also quoted in media outlets, including Reuters, the Guardian, the Australian, and Kompas. Jeremia holds a LL.M. in Public International Law from Universiteit Utrecht.

Taiwan Association for Human Rights
Senior Researcher

Yi hsiang Shih

Yi-hsiang Shih, the current Senior Researcher of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, was enlightened in 2005 when he went to the Philippines to conduct a fact-finding mission on the human rights massacre at Hacienda Luisita. He has been working as a human rights worker for more than fifteen years now. Issues he focuses on include transitional justice, international human rights conventions, migrant workers and distant water fishing workers, and Human Rights Responsibilities of Businesses.

BEBESEA
Executive Director HRWG & Co-founder

Daniel Awigra

Based in Indonesia, Daniel Awigra is a human rights activist and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), Indonesia’s leading NGO coalition for international human rights advocacy. Through his leadership, he oversees the work of the BEBESEA Secretariat while advancing regional and global advocacy on migrant workers’ rights, democracy, and human rights protection. He has extensive experience facilitating multi-stakeholder policy dialogues across ASEAN and beyond. Since 2025, he has been serving as a member of the Executive Committee of FORUM-ASIA, — a leading regional human rights network comprising more than 90 member organizations across Asia that works to protect human rights defenders and defend democracy. He also co-founded the Journalist Association for Diversity (SEJUK) in 2008 to promote human rights and inclusive journalism in Indonesia.

Marubeni Seafoods Corp.
CSR & Compliance Team
Sustainability and Compliance Officer

Ryo Takahashi

Since 2025, Takahashi has been working on sustainability and compliance-related matters as part of the CSR & Compliance Team at Marubeni Seafoods. Prior to joining Marubeni Seafoods, he worked at a consulting firm specializing in the seafood industry, where he engaged in corporate engagement and the implementation of sustainability projects. Previously, he worked for a seafood trading company, where he was responsible for the procurement and sales of wild-caught shrimp. Drawing on his hands-on experience in procurement and sales, as well as his expertise in sustainability, Takahashi aims to advance sustainable sourcing while strengthening Marubeni Seafoods’ sustainability framework.

Dignity in Work for All (DIWA)
Thailand Country Office
Country Director

Panyarak Roque

Pan Roque is the Country Director for Thailand at Dignity in Work for All (DIWA), where he leads work on responsible business, human rights, and decent work. He specializes in migrant labor, ethical recruitment, forced labor and trafficking-in-persons risks, and human rights due diligence (HRDD) in global supply chains. Pan has extensive experience conducting and advising on human rights impact assessments (HRIA), labor rights assessments, responsible recruitment, and the design of practical due diligence and risk-management approaches for businesses. His work brings together companies, government agencies, civil society, workers, and international organizations to translate human rights standards into effective policies and practices. His regional expertise spans Thailand and key migrant-worker origin countries in Southeast Asia, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, as well as labor and human rights issues across Asian supply chains. He holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford.

Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd.
COO / Vice President

Aiko Yamauchi

After researching fisheries management systems and community-based management cases in Japan's coastal fisheries, Aiko joined WWF Japan as the Ocean and Fisheries Group Leader. She joined Seafood Legacy in 2019 and collaborates with domestic and international stakeholders to provide technical support for environmental sustainability and human rights due diligence, aiming to realize responsible seafood procurement systems by Japanese companies.
Aiko serves as the secretariat for the Japan Responsible Seafood Procurement Roundtable (JRSR), the first competitive platform for Japanese seafood major buyers, which was established in 2025. She also plays the role of the independent coordinator of the "IUU Forum Japan," which is a coalition of Japan based NGOs group.
Aiko holds a doctor’s degree in marine science from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology and a bachelor’s degree in fisheries science from Tokyo University of Fisheries.
- Member of the special committee of stock management of Fisheries Policy Council (FAJ) (2017-2023)
- Board Member of DIWA Japan (2025-)
- Regional Fisheries Coordination Committee for the Pacific Ocean (FAJ) (2026.6-)

ARIA Strategic Communications
President

Robin Teets

Robin Teets has worked broadly with seafood industry leaders, conservation organizations and philanthropies to help advance collaborative efforts to improve fisheries and ocean ecosystems.
A seasoned facilitator and strategic planner, Robin has extensive experience in helping organizations and collaborative groups surface opportunities and issues, and to find the common ground required to move opportunities forward.
Robin is the Project Leader for the NGO Tuna Forum, which brings together NGOs, individuals and organizations that work comprehensively on tuna sustainability issues globally. He currently leads efforts to implement the Market Commitment Evaluation Framework and chairs the Global Tuna Alliance’s Partner Advisory Group. Robin has also helped to establish the U.S. IUU/Labor Rights Coalition and has consulted for the Anti-IUU Forum Japan and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

FishWise
Market Programs Director

Michelle Beritzhoff-Law

Michelle Beritzhoff-Law is an experienced and dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in fisheries management, sustainable seafood standards, and marine conservation. As Market Programs Director at FishWise, she oversees our market partnerships and helps lead projects focused on improving seafood sustainability, human rights, and traceability within the seafood industry. Her work involves collaborating with businesses, NGOs, and other stakeholders to develop and implement innovative solutions for a healthier ocean and more responsible seafood supply chains.

Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions (CASS)
Director of Community Engagement

Laura Miller

Laura is excited about creating spaces that help people feel comfortable and confident, so they can let their best selves shine. As Director of Community Engagement at Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions, she works with a membership body of hundreds of passionate changemakers to keep them informed and connected so they can find the people and information they need to succeed. She’s done fieldwork with coastal communities in Cambodia, Costa Rica, and Madagascar, drove impact at WWF-Canada and Fair Trade USA, and holds a master’s degree in Marine Management from Dalhousie University.

Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. Intelligence Group
Head of Intelligence Group

Yasuhiro Kawai

His first career at Nikkei BP was an ICT media reporter. After editor-in-chief of Nikkei Communication he became a senior researcher at Cleantech Lab in 2013. In addition to smart city-related projects, he was involved in the planning and management of research groups aimed at creating new businesses, as well as the planning and writing of specialized research reports. He led media projects in collaboration with client companies, such as “Designing for the Future Society” and “DIGITALIST". After serving as director of the Cleantech Lab and head of the technology media (Nikkei xTech) unit, he assumed his current position in April 2024.