I was born into a legacy of exploration and ocean advocacy—but my work has evolved far beyond the boundaries of that inheritance.
The ocean shaped me before I could walk. I learned to dive in an ocean of impossible abundance with my grandfather, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, at seven. Over my lifetime, I’ve watched marine ecosystems change dramatically—reefs bleaching, fisheries under strain, and coastlines increasingly polluted.
But I’ve also learned something that changes everything: recovery is possible when we build the systems to make it real.
I’m Co-Founder & President of Oceans 2050, working with Chief Scientist Carlos Duarte to translate ocean science into practical restoration pathways that cities, governments, and investors can implement. In 2024, I founded the Blue Cities Alliance to help cities make ocean and waterway health measurable, publicly visible, and credible—currently piloting the model in Athens.
I also serve as a Senior Advisor to Oceana—the world’s largest NGO dedicated exclusively to ocean conservation— on strategies spanning fisheries, marine protection, and media campaigns to rebuild ocean abundance.
My work helps leaders whose decisions shape coasts move from protection alone to restoration at scale—through clear goals, credible measurement, and partnerships built to last.
Focus areas: Ocean restoration · Coastal resilience · Fisheries & marine protection · Blue economy strategy · Cross-sector partnerships · Technology and Innovation
From Protection to Restoration
For years, my work followed the path I inherited: exploration, storytelling, advocacy. I spent decades in the field—crossing coastlines, rivers, reefs, and fishing grounds—listening to scientists, fishers, community leaders, and policymakers describe the same reality in different words: the ocean is changing faster than our institutions can respond.
We've gotten better at naming the problems. We've been slower at building the machinery to solve them.
At some point, my work had to shift gears.
Protection remains essential, but in too many places it's not enough on its own to drive recovery. The question isn't whether we care—it's whether we can build the systems that make recovery achievable at scale: clear targets, credible measurement, enforceable rules, aligned incentives, and delivery partnerships that survive beyond a single election cycle or news moment.
Today, I work across sectors because restoration at scale requires it—governments, NGOs, companies, and investors aligned around outcomes that are measurable, credible, and durable.
If you’re working on decisions that shape coasts and ocean health, I’m open to speaking and advisory engagements.
Select Credentials
Oceans 2050, Co-Founder & President
2018-present
Blue Cities Alliance, Founder
2024-present
Oceana, Senior Advisor
2012-present
National Geographic Emerging Explorer
2008
Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum
2012
Honorary Doctorate, Georgetown University
2016