About
Us

Yohei Sasakawa is Chair of The Nippon Foundation, Japan’s largest charitable foundation. After 20 years in the business sector, Sasakawa joined the foundation in 1981, became President from 1989 and Chair since 2005. Mr Sasakawa’s leadership brings together entities from the political, governmental, academic, and private sectors in addressing a wide range of issues including health, education, food security and the ocean – the latter notably across ocean science, exploration, conservation, policy and maritime safety.

Mr. Mitsuyuki Unno is the Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation, Ocean Affairs Department, leading the various ocean related programs including Ocean Census, Seabed 2030 and others developing human capacity and new technologies in the maritime and ocean field. Mr. Unno works with various UN agencies, governments, academic institutions, businesses and civil society organisations around the world to address the complex global challenges facing our ocean today.

Oliver Steeds is the Director of Ocean Census and the Founder and Chief Executive of Nekton. Formerly he was a critically acclaimed broadcast journalist with ABC, NBC, Channel 4, Discovery Channel 4 and others. He is also co-founder of Encounter EDU including the Ocean’s Academy.

Alex is responsible for Ocean Census’ financial and operational management. After starting her career in practice she soon developed a taste for business and commerce and now has over thirty five years of finance experience spanning a wide variety of commercial organisations and industries, including advertising, publishing, retail, design, architecture, capital delivery within the UK water industry, and construction engineering. Since 2018 Alex has been looking after the financial and operational management of Nekton.

Emmy and Royal Television Society multiple award winning producer, Sandy MacIntyre, leads Ocean Census media, public and policy engagement, broadcast and social media partnerships and also rolls up his sleeves and leads coverage aboard our expeditions. A veteran frontline editor and reporter, his experience in the news business spans four decades. Prior to Ocean Census, Sandy was Vice President of Global Video for The Associated Press, the world’s largest news agency, and non-executive director of a number of media technology and content providers.

Alex is a marine ecologist focused on marine biodiversity and human impacts, notably in the deep sea and on tropical coral reefs. He has led and participated in countless field expeditions including to the Atlantic, Indian and Southern Oceans and to the Caribbean. Alex also advises governments, intergovernmental, NGOs and the media in publicising human impacts, especially those from deep-sea fishing and climate change, and on the development of policy solutions to such problems. Alex is the author of ‘The Deep: The Hidden Wonders of Our Ocean and How We Can Protect Them’.

Aimée is a freelance Communications and Events specialist focused on developing new programmes and non-profit initiatives for clients including Greater London Authority, Bloomberg Associates and London Film School, after starting her career in Major Events at EventScotland. She previously worked on the award-winning transformation of  The Film and TV Charity, including their Royal Film Performance and a £6m Covid-19 Emergency Response fundraise. She is a member of the PRCA and the Creative Industries Federation.

Tara is responsible for the day to day finance and administration. She assists the Head of Finance and Central Operations with all financial matters. She has over twenty years of finance experience in various organisations and industries including construction and education. Tara is a qualified Open Water Diver and is interested in developing her ability to explore and help protect our ocean. She enjoys a variety of extracurricular activities to include dance and music.

Kira Coley leads the strategic implementation of external communications, social media, outreach and events. Previously Head of Communications at Seabed 2030, Kira has worked as Senior Editor for a leading ocean science publication, lecturer in science communication at the University of Portsmouth, and strategic advisor for ocean initiatives including the United Nations Ocean Decade. In 2022, she was shortlisted for ABSW Editor of the Year and nominated for the Inspirational Women of Portsmouth award.

Verity Nye is a marine ecologist who has joined field expeditions in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean. Notably, Verity undertook a pioneering mission in a deep-diving submersible to volcanic vents situated at a staggering depth of 2.3 km in the Caribbean. Verity’s expertise has informed the UN International Seabed Authority, and she boasts a rich background in marine management within England.

With a background in population genetics, and an interest in marine vertebrates, focused in particular on deep-water sharks, Daniel has led scientific teams around the world, from the Americas and South-east Asia to Antarctica. He is also a Visiting Researcher at the University of Exeter and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Joe supports the delivery of our fieldwork, conducted in partnership with a range of organisations worldwide. Previously a Project Manager with expertise in biodiversity monitoring and behavioural ecology, employing telemetry and acoustics, Joe has experience in data collection from remote areas across the globe, from the polar regions to the tropics.