Meet the 2019 Ocean Talks Speakers

Doctor Mark Spalding is a Senior Marine Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and is leading a series of projects to model and map the value of nature to people. At the same time, Dr Spalding has a fellowship at the University of Cambridge and is the Chief Science Advisor to the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration.

In each of these roles, and for more than 30 years, Dr Spalding has sought to improve our understanding of marine ecosystems. Among over 100 publications, are 8 books which describe the worlds of coral reefs, mangrove forests, protected areas and marine conservation. Dr Spalding has an unparalleled understanding of our reliance on the sea; of the many threats to marine life; and of the opportunities to turn things around. This big-picture vision is also grounded in a real-world understanding: Dr Spalding has undertaken marine research and expeditions in many remote ocean settings. For him the connection between large scales and real places is essential – field-scientists often fail to see the bigger pictures, while the makers of maps, models and theories, grounded in universities, can be very clever, but they can also be wrong.

Oliver Steeds is the Founder, Chief Executive and Mission Director of Nekton Oxford Deep Ocean Research Institute (Nekton), dedicated to the exploration and conservation of the deep ocean. He is a leading explorer, submersible pilot, and a critically acclaimed, former broadcast journalist with NBC, ABC, Discovery Channel and Channel 4. Nekton’s current Mission First Descent 2019-2022 is operating in the Indian Ocean, the least explored and least protected ocean. Oliver is also the Co-founder of the educational non-profit, Encounter EDU and the Ocean’s Academy.

Frederikke Magnussen is the Co-founder of A Plastic Planet (APP) and Ocean Family Foundation (OFF). Frederikke left Denmark at an early age to pursue a career in fashion, living in Paris, Australia and New York. She studied Psychology at NYU and Birkbeck, exploring her passion for helping others, setting up ‘Being Human’ wilderness retreats to reconnect stressed people with nature, alongside Sille Lundquist.

During the mid-2000s, Frederikke became aware of the growing problem of plastic pollution in our ocean, during a screening of the first documentary feature on ocean pollution – A Plastic Ocean in which she played a role in the making. During the film launch Frederikke joined forces with Sian Sutherland to create the first APP campaign that asked supermarkets to give their customers choice by providing Plastic Free Aisles. After 12 months of extensive pressure on the food and drink industry, support from Theresa May as part of her 2025 Environmental Plan and considerable media coverage, the world’s first Plastic Free Aisle was launched; a symbol of possible change for the world. APP have this year alone opened another supermarket in London as a living lab to show that change can happen today with new innovations.

Privately, Frederikke and her husband have set up Ocean Family Foundation (OFF) with two other families who are passionate about conservation and education to protect the oceans the families share and love.

Seattle-based New Zealander Rob McCallum is the Co-founder and Expedition Leader of EYOS Expeditions and is regarded as the foremost provider of expedition services to the superyacht industry and holder of several world records. The team at EYOS Expeditions have lead over 1200 expeditions for private clients, scientists and film makers (often with all three groups combined) to the most pristine and challenging destinations on Earth.

Rob is presently managing The Five Deeps Expedition as the primary mission planner and as the Expedition Leader for each of the expeditions 10 dive projects. He has led multiple expeditions to Titanic (4000m), Bismarck (5000m) and helped with the design and management of many complex deep-water expeditions, including the search for AF 447 and James Cameron’s dive to the Mariana Trench in Deep Challenger.

Rob managed the refit of RV Nadir into MV Alucia, where his experience with the science, film-making and private adventure was able to be combined and infused into Alucia’s design. This experience lead EYOS Expeditions to be selected as the design partner for Damen Shipyards ‘SeaXplorer’ range of expedition yachts. These yachts continue the theme of enabling luxury yacht owners' full global access and the ability to support science, film making and private adventure.

Rob is a licensed aircraft pilot, a PADI Dive Master, a longtime member of the Explorers Club (NY) and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Matthieu Rytz is a producer, curator, photographer and director. A visual anthropologist by training, his passion for photography and ethnology has led him across the globe to photograph cultural and human diversity over the past ten years. His photographs, as well as those he has commissioned, have been exhibited internationally.

He strives to bear witness to complex human stories and focus especially on the relationship between Man and Nature. He specialises in photographic installation and is currently working on a multidisciplinary project using film, still images and virtual reality - whatever best serves the story.

He recently produced, filmed and directed his first feature film, Anote’s Ark, a documentary dealing with the realities of climate justice and migration. It premiered at Sundance 2018.

Matthieu was born in Switzerland and is now a digital nomad and can be followed at rytz.co

Doctor Rob Hall is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Oceanography at the Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of East Anglia. He uses autonomous underwater vehicles to measure subsurface ‘internal’ waves in the ocean worldwide, from the shallow seas around the United Kingdom to the deep Southern Ocean. These internal waves, which can be hundreds of metres high, affect the strength of ocean currents and therefore the Earth’s climate. They also impact marine biology by supplying key nutrients from the deep ocean to photosynthesising organisms in the photic zone and resuspending organic material around deep-water coral reefs.

Dr Hall started his training in oceanography as an undergraduate student at the University of Southampton, followed by a PhD in Physical Oceanography at Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory and the University of Liverpool. He then spent three years working as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Hawaii before returning to the United Kingdom to become a lecturer at the University of East Anglia. He now teaches oceanography to students at a range of levels, from first year undergraduates to master’s students, including hands-on experience of ocean measurement during a field course in Scotland.

Brandon Harvey is a Board of Trustees Member for the Polar Citizen Science Collective and also the Director of Expedition Operations and Programme Development for EYOS Expeditions. He grew up on the shores of the Salish Sea, in British Columbia and his early passion for marine mammals lead him to a long career in the polar regions aboard a variety of expedition vessels and yachts. Brandon has participated in countless expeditions to the Southern Ocean and the High Arctic as an educator, adventure guide, and Expedition Leader.

Over the past 20 years, Brandon has demonstrated his proficiency in developing exceptional client experiences and engaging educational programming. The past decade has found Brandon directing operations for tourism operators, previously as Operations Manager for Maple Leaf Adventures, Director of Expedition Operations for Polar Latitudes and currently as Director of Expedition Operations and Programme Development for EYOS Expeditions. Brandon was a key partner in developing a dedicated Citizen Science programme aboard polar expedition vessels. In 4 seasons the programme has become the model for integrating citizen science on polar expedition vessels and maximising client interaction with citizen science projects.

Working for EYOS Expeditions Brandon’s goal is to integrate citizen science projects aboard private yacht expeditions. While exploring remote regions client’s experience can not only be enriched by conducting research but legitimately contribute to scientific research. Brandon’s field expertise as a marine ecologist and environmental scientist is supported by a Master of Science in Environmental Practice.

Simon Evans is an experienced project manager of sustainability strategy programmes for multinational companies. As the Sustainability Director of Ecobooth, Simon helps drive a new use for ocean waste plastic, through repurposing the material to create high quality event and exhibition stands using innovative technologies. Ecobooth ensue that ocean waste is put to use, and not incinerated or sent to landfill. Ecobooth are working to turn the wasteful events industry into a positive one, manufacturing with circularity in mind to create positive events from ocean waste.

Simon works with businesses, NGOs, governments, industry bodies and consumers to deliver advice to the executive level of brands in a variety of sectors including those just beginning their sustainability journey and those who wish to lead the way. Simon has 10+ years’ experience in the designing, implementation and strategic communication of sustainability strategy for brands who want to maximise positive environmental and social impact.

Doctor Tessa Hempson is a Senior Marine Scientist and Operations Manager for Oceans Without Borders, a project partnership between &Beyond and Africa Foundation dedicated to marine conservation and community development in East Africa. She is also an Adjunct Researcher at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University in Australia, where she completed her PhD, and continues to work with many of the world’s leading marine scientists on the most pressing issues facing our oceans.

Recognising the importance of working at multiple scales and the need for effective inter-sectoral partnerships, Oceans Without Borders offers a unique platform for bringing together diverse stakeholders to address the complex inter-related challenges facing coral reefs. At a local scale, Dr Hempson’s work in East Africa focuses on the inseparable links between coastal communities and the marine resources on which they depend. At a global scale she endeavours to raise awareness around marine conservation issues, highlighting that many of the threats facing our oceans are driven by consumer and political choices in the developed world, and that each of us can take positive steps in our daily lives to secure a bright future for coral reefs and oceans on which we ultimately all depend.

Tom joined the British Army and over a six year career lead soldiers in multiple combat tours of Afghanistan and overcame complex leadership and logistical challenges. He now applies those skills to his role as Director of Operations at Cookson Adventures, where he’s overseen multi-yacht expeditions to the remote fjords of Patagonia and arguably the most complex private Antarctic expeditions of modern times. He has been at the forefront of pushing the company’s boundaries and has engaged with local authorities to gain access to some of the least visited locations on earth for their guests.