Governance

Mandate: permanent

Graduated in Marine Biology from Lisbon Classic University in 1986. Alumni Member at IMD (1995), Harvard (1997), and Stanford (2000). Board member of Jerónimo Martins from 1995 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2015. Board member of Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos, SGPS, S.E., since 2001. CEO of Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos B.V., main Shareholder of Jerónimo Martins, SGPS, S.A.. Board member of Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos since 2009. He is Chairman of Unilever Fima, Lda., Gallo Worldwide, Lda., and JMDB Representação e Distribuição de Marcas Lda.. Since September 2015, he is Chairman of Oceanário de Lisboa, S.A. and, since December 2016, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors of the Oceano Azul Foundation. He is Chairman of Movendo Capital B.V., since 2017.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Dr. Enric Sala is a former university professor who saw himself writing the obituary of ocean life and quit academia in 2008 to become a full-time conservationist as National Geographic Explorer in Residence. He founded and currently leads Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, media, economics, and policy – working with local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments to protect vital places in the ocean. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 26 of the largest marine reserves on the planet, covering an area of over 6.5 million square km.

Enric has received numerous awards, including 2008 World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader, 2013 Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award, 2018 Heinz Award in Public Policy, National Geographic Hubbard Medal, Albert I Grand Medal, and Officer of the Order of San Carlos of Colombia. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of Oak Foundation and a member of its founding family. He has directed the Oak Foundation’s Environment Programme since its inception in 1998. Oak’s Environment Programme funds ambitious initiatives to deliver climate action and protect marine resources from destructive industrial fishing and plastic pollution. He is a founding board member of OceansFive, and a member of the Board of Oceana and ClimateWorks. He is also ambassador for the Climate Leadership Initiative, which supports efforts to engage more philanthropists on climate issues.

Mandate: 2021-2025

Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Trustee of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), a world leader in deep-ocean science and technology. Member of the Joint Oceans Commission Initiative, Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, recipient of the Audubon Medal for Conservation. Her portrait is on display at the National Portrait Gallery.

Mandate: 2023-2027

João Vale de Almeida is a senior European Union Ambassador who recently retired from active duty after a 40-year international career. He was last posted in London, until November 2022, as the first EU Ambassador to the United Kingdom, after Brexit. Previously he was Ambassador to the United Nations and Ambassador to the United States. The Ambassador is currently teaching at Columbia University in New York, as SIPA’s “George W Ball Professor of International and Public Affairs”, and will join the University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom, as a visiting fellow later in the year. Ambassador Vale de Almeida has a vast experience in European and International affairs, combining political, security, and economic aspects, and has practiced diplomacy at the highest level over the last two decades. He is a keen promoter of public diplomacy and has engaged extensively as a public speaker in business and academic circles in Europe and in the United States and is regularly interviewed by television, radio, and print media from around the World.

Mandate: not applicable

Teaches Philosophy in the Departments of Philosophy and European Studies at the University of Lisbon, where he is a Full Professor. Member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences and of the Navy Academy. He was scientific coordinator of the Gulbenkian Environment Programme (2007-2011). He has an extensive bibliography and a broad international experience as a speaker on Philosophy, Environment, and International Relations.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Graduated in Marine Biology from Lisbon Classic University in 1986. Alumni Member at IMD (1995), Harvard (1997), and Stanford (2000). Board member of Jerónimo Martins from 1995 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2015. Board member of Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos, SGPS, S.E., since 2001. CEO of Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos B.V., main Shareholder of Jerónimo Martins, SGPS, S.A.. Board member of Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos since 2009. He is Chairman of Unilever Fima, Lda., Gallo Worldwide, Lda., and JMDB Representação e Distribuição de Marcas Lda.. Since September 2015, he is Chairman of Oceanário de Lisboa, S.A. and, since December 2016, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors of the Oceano Azul Foundation. He is Chairman of Movendo Capital B.V., since 2017.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Member of the Oceano Azul Foundation’s Board of Directors and its Chief Scientist is a marine ecologist and conservationist, expert in marine conservation and in particular the creation, monitoring and implementation of marine protected areas. Associate Professor at ISPA – Instituto Universitário and researcher at MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre. Was deputy-head of the Task Group for Maritime Affairs that developed the National Ocean Strategy. Is a member of the Portuguese National Council of Environment and Sustainable Development.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Former Chief Executive of the Marine Institute, Ireland’s national agency for marine research and development, which he led from November 1993 to October 2019. He has spearheaded the organisation’s expansion from a staff of 1 to over 200 with a budget over €62 million. He has overseen the delivery of two custom-built multi-purpose research vessels, the Celtic Voyager and the Celtic Explorer, and the design and construction of the Marine Institute’s world class headquarters at Rinville, Oranmore, County Galway and the major modernisation of its research facility in Newport, County Mayo. Following his PhD in the National University of Ireland, Galway, he worked at the University of Georgia in the US (1985 – 92). He was elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA) in November 2006 and received the NUI Galway Alumni Foundation Award for Natural Sciences in 2008. Peter was appointed a member of the EU Horizon Europe Mission Board for Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal & Inland Waters in 2019 and is on the Strategic Advisory Board, Field Earth & Environment, Helmholtz Association, Germany.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Tiago Pitta e Cunha has been Chief Executive Officer of Oceano Azul Foundation since its establishment in 2017. For over two decades, he has pursued an international career advocating for stronger ocean governance, having worked in ocean sustainability for the United Nations, the European Commission, the Portuguese government, and the President of Portugal.

He started his career in the United Nations working as a counsellor on ocean affairs in the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations (1997-2002) and represented the European Union in the UN General Assembly on ocean affairs during the 2000 Portuguese and French EU Presidencies. He was appointed Coordinator of the Oceans Strategic Commission, a high-level

working group in charge of designing the country’s national strategy for the ocean, by the Portuguese Prime-Minister, in 2002. As a policymaker, he worked in the cabinet of the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs, as the Coordinator of the European Commission for the development of the new EU Integrated Maritime Policy (2004 – 2010). In Portugal, he was adviser to the President of the Republic on Environment, Science and Maritime Affairs (2010-2016).

He was awarded the European Citizen’s Prize by the European Parliament for his actions dedicated to promoting ocean governance in the United Nations, the European Union and in Portugal in 2016. He was awarded with the Pessoa Prize, the most prestigious award in Portuguese culture and science in 2021.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Karen is a co-founder and Executive Director of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA).   She has worked on ocean conservation, law, and policy for the past three decades and spoken and written extensively on ocean conservation issues. She previously served as CEO of Ocean Unite, co-founded with Sir Richard Branson and José María Figueres. Before that, she had roles as Senior Director for International Oceans at The Pew Charitable Trusts and, as Head of Greenpeace International’s Political & Business Unit as well as its Oceans campaign. She has spearheaded global campaigns to secure a new high-seas biodiversity treaty, establish large marine reserves and sanctuaries, reform the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, end illegal fishing and high-seas bottom trawling, and drive political and policy action to protect marine species. She also initiated the Global Ocean Commission. Karen has master’s degrees in international environmental law and international political economy. She is originally from South Africa and now lives in the United States.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Dr. Diva Amon is a Caribbean marine biologist focused on the little-known habitats and animals of the deep ocean, and how our actions are impacting them. She works at the nexus of science, policy and communication and has a deep desire to see stewardship measures applied to the deep ocean as well as the engagement of a broader group of global stakeholders towards this effort. Diva has participated in research cruises around the world and has been featured on global outlets. Amon is a scientist at the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a founder and director of SpeSeas, an organization dedicated to marine science, education, and advocacy in her home country, Trinidad and Tobago.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of Oceano Azul Foundation and Executive President of Oceanário de Lisboa, S.A. since October 2023, Helena Bento has a degree in Business Administration and Management from Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics. She was CEO of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation between April 2020 and September 2023. She was CEO of JMDB Representation and Brand Distribution, from February 2017 to April 2021. She directed the international area of Gallo Worldwide from 2009 to 2017 where she led teams in Brazil and China and was responsible for the international expansion of the Gallo brand in America, Asia, and Africa. She started her professional career at Unilever Fima in Portugal, having performed several functions in the Marketing area. Defines herself as a team builder, considering that leadership must be exercised with eyes open to the future, looking for new ideas and concepts. Born in Lisbon in 1975.

Founder of Ecologic Institute, he is currently Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Agora Energiewende, Germany, Senior Member of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Canada, Non-Executive Director of the Oceano Azul Foundation. Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science and Adjunct Professor of German Studies at Duke University, as well as Adjunct Professor at EADA Business School. In 2015, he was Visiting Scholar at the MIT. His research focuses on the theory and practice of think tanks and their function in different political systems, the interactions between policy domains and international relations, and global governance on environment, resources, climate and energy.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Tiago Pitta e Cunha has been Chief Executive Officer of Oceano Azul Foundation since its establishment in 2017. For over two decades, he has pursued an international career advocating for stronger ocean governance, having worked in ocean sustainability for the United Nations, the European Commission, the Portuguese government, and the President of Portugal.

He started his career in the United Nations working as a counsellor on ocean affairs in the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations (1997-2002) and represented the European Union in the UN General Assembly on ocean affairs during the 2000 Portuguese and French EU Presidencies. He was appointed Coordinator of the Oceans Strategic Commission, a high-level

working group in charge of designing the country’s national strategy for the ocean, by the Portuguese Prime-Minister, in 2002. As a policymaker, he worked in the cabinet of the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs, as the Coordinator of the European Commission for the development of the new EU Integrated Maritime Policy (2004 – 2010). In Portugal, he was adviser to the President of the Republic on Environment, Science and Maritime Affairs (2010-2016).

He was awarded the European Citizen’s Prize by the European Parliament for his actions dedicated to promoting ocean governance in the United Nations, the European Union and in Portugal in 2016. He was awarded with the Pessoa Prize, the most prestigious award in Portuguese culture and science in 2021.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Member of the Oceano Azul Foundation’s Board of Directors and its Chief Scientist is a marine ecologist and conservationist, expert in marine conservation and in particular the creation, monitoring and implementation of marine protected areas. Associate Professor at ISPA – Instituto Universitário and researcher at MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre. Was deputy-head of the Task Group for Maritime Affairs that developed the National Ocean Strategy. Is a member of the Portuguese National Council of Environment and Sustainable Development.

Mandate: 2023-2027

Member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of Oceano Azul Foundation and Executive President of Oceanário de Lisboa, S.A. since October 2023, Helena Bento has a degree in Business Administration and Management from Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics. She was CEO of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation between April 2020 and September 2023. She was CEO of JMDB Representation and Brand Distribution, from February 2017 to April 2021. She directed the international area of Gallo Worldwide from 2009 to 2017 where she led teams in Brazil and China and was responsible for the international expansion of the Gallo brand in America, Asia, and Africa. She started her professional career at Unilever Fima in Portugal, having performed several functions in the Marketing area. Defines herself as a team builder, considering that leadership must be exercised with eyes open to the future, looking for new ideas and concepts. Born in Lisbon in 1975.