Underwater Portrait Photography
Speaker:
Xie Fei [China] Professional Underwater Photographer
Underwater Portrait Photography
Speaker:
Xie Fei [China] Professional Underwater Photographer
Clement Lee
Malaysia
Member of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame
Conservation Speaker (2015)
Clement Lee started his diving career in 1983 and was one of the pioneers who introduced PADI professional certification in Sabah, Malaysia. He retired in 2012 and was appointed as the Malaysia Diving Advisor the following year. He served for two years before being reappointed as the Malaysia Dive Ambassador, which he still is today. In 2016, Clement, who was one of the first Malaysian PADI Course Directors in 1991, was appointed by PADI as PADI Dive AmbassaDiver
Richard Meng
China
Photography Speaker (2015)
Member of Chinese Photographers Association; member of Chinese Art Photography Society; member of China International Marine Photography Association; Director of Beijing Photographic Art Association. Olympus and Sony (China) Certified Underwater Photographer. Invited as the general advisor and judge for “China Underwater Photography Competition” for many times; invited as the judge of “Underwater Photo Challenge UWPC” for many times.
He graduated from Peking University and has studied in Japan and the United States. He has worked for world-class advertising companies for many years and serves world-renowned brands. He has been engaged in diving and underwater photography activities for nearly 20 years, and has traveled all over the world and won many awards in international underwater photography competitions. His works have been included in the “Chinese Yearbook of Photography Art 2012”, “Ultimate Beauty – China National Geographic Books” and other albums. He is the author of “The Elves of the Sea” (Published by Electronic Industry Press, 2015), and won the First Prize for Excellent Science Works of the Chinese Science Writers Association.
In 2015, he was selected as one of the “102 most enlightening underwater photographers worth knowing in the world” by the famous diving magazine “ScubaDiver”.
Edward Lai
Hong Kong
Photography Speaker (2015)
Edward was the chairman of the Hong Kong Mould and Die Council from 1993 until 2003. Edward started diving in 1997. He is passionate about the underwater world and marine conservation. He founded Nauticam with the mission of providing the most ergonomic and robust underwater imaging equipment. He personally tested the different ranges of camera housing.
Cipto Adi Gunawan
Indonesia
Photography Speaker (2015)
Cipto Aji Gunawan was the first Indonesian PADI Course Director and is now the Board of Director of SSI Indonesia. His career range from diving professional, pro UW Photographer to Marine Ecotourism Consultant for the Indonesia Ministry of Tourism. He shot for BBC, CCTV 9 and CNN, just to name a few, wrote two of the Indonesian goverenment’s Scuba Diving regulations, produced the most complete Indonesia Dive Guide book and certified SSI Professionals.
Thomas Dederichs
Germany
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Thomas Dederichs is the President of OMS, and CEO and founder of BtS EUROPA AG. He has over 10 years’ experience as a TDI Inspiration instructor and TDI advanced Trimix instructor trainer. He is also qualified as a GUE Fundamentals instructor, GUE cave II diver, as well as PADI OWSI.
Lynn Wu
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2016)
Lynn Wu discovered her passion for the underwater world during a trip to Palau. She likes taking macro images, and her work has been featured in various international publications. She has won several awards, including the Compact Camera Photo of the Year for Deepblu ADEX Voice of the Ocean 2016.
Scott Tuason
PHILIPPINES
Photography Speaker (2016)
Scott was first handed his underwater camera at the age of 16. Decades later, his passion for photography has brought him on amazing journeys. From throwing himself into a feeding frenzy to dangling off a line in open water at night, his photography has been recognised by the Palme D’or at Antibes festival for his book Anilao, which he co-authored in 2000. His latest books, Blackwater and Open Blue, have won awards and are sold out worldwide.
Yoshi Hirata
Japan
Photography Speaker (2016)
A marine biologist and accomplished underwater photographer, Yoshi Hirata began his passion for diving when he was researching the rich marine resources of Sipadan and Mabul back in 1993 as a marine consultant. During the course of his work, he expressed his love for the sea by featuring thousands of amazing photos of Mabul in various magazine titles. He is also the author of three books namely Oraga-Umi, With My Expression of Love for the Sea, and Art of the Sea.
Todd Essick
USA
Photography Speaker (2016)
Todd is an award-winning underwater fine art photographer and photojournalist. He has appeared on several television programmes in Germany, including Germany’s Next Top Model with Heidi Klum. Todd has a diving career spanning over 30 years, and has been named one of the top 10 underwater photographers in the world.
Chen Yuping
China
Underwater Photographer
Photography Speaker (2016)
YUPING CHEN was a speaker of ADEX BEIJING in 2015,2016,2017 and 2018. Before becoming a diver and underwater photographer, Yuping Chen has worked for years as an attorney and senior partner at a large law firm in Beijing. She was a very typical “office lady” back then. In 2012, She started to learn underwater photography. Through her lens, a lot of unique moments were successfully captured and photographed. As a female underwater photographer, she is very good at photographing some ordinary marine creatures, and captures their unique charm. From the perspective of woman’s sensibility, she shows the delicate vitality of the sea and the beauty of nature.
Jim Chen
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2016)
Jim Chen loves extreme sports and underwater photography combines both adventure and art creation perfectly. In 2007, he was certified as an open water diver and in 2008, his underwater photography journey began. He also received exclusive interviews from British Daily Mail. Apple Daily. TVBS and other media.
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Tobias Friedrich
Germany
Photography Speaker (2017)
Tobias Friedrich is based in Germany, and started taking pictures with a DSLR underwater camera in 2007. As a child, Tobias loved to watch the adventures of the Calypso with Jacques-Yves Cousteau, marvelling at the beauty of the world below the ocean’s surface. He still finds diving to be a somewhat overwhelming experience, given the contrast between the chaos of terrestial life, and the calm of the big blue below. He is passionate about taking on new challenges and is always up for new, creative ways to take underwater pictures.
Vladimir Mladenovic
Russia
Photography Speaker (2017)
Vladimir Mladenovic is a professional underwater photographer and videographer and also a general manager of Subal underwater camera housings company. He specialises in Split photography and is set to showcase his collection of underwater splits in his new book, SPLIT SESSION.
Jim Chen
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2017)
Jim Chen loves extreme sports and underwater photography combines both adventure and art creation perfectly. In 2007, he was certified as an open water diver and in 2008, his underwater photography journey began. He also received exclusive interviews from British Daily Mail. Apple Daily. TVBS and other media.
Jonathan Lin
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2017)
Jonathan Lin took to scuba divng in 1996 and has over 2000 dives under his belt. But before picking up underwater photography in 2011 with his first compact camera and a borrowed housing, topside, Jonathan had always been taking photographs of little insects. This was where his love for macro photography began, and even after many years of diving and many encounters with large, majestic pelagics, he realised that his passion for the art of shooting tiny critters in the deep was an unwavering one. From macro photography to super macro photography, Jonathan wants to show you the wonderful world of nearly-microscopic beauty fascinating marine creatures which cannot be seen with the naked, untrained eye.
Kidd Fu
China
Photography Speaker (2017)
As an avid explorer, Fu Dingyan, otherwise known as Kidd, is always on the look out for the next adventure. He loves outdoor extreme sports, and with his unique and energetic approach to the world, he embraces life in an inspiring way. Kidd is a best-selling author and a co founder of Beijing Star Sea Culture Communication Co., Ltd. He is a member of the British Royal Photographic Society, a Nikon NPS photographer, and the Vice President of Chongqing Youth Photographers Association. As a professional photographer, Kidd is fascinated with astronomical stars, the great maritime times and the island culture.
Peter Stone
USA
Guest Speaker (2017)
Peter Stone, seafarer, boat captain, merchant engineer, avid scuba diver, global traveler (90+ countries), world renowned author, inspirational speaker, television personality, business coach, consultant, successful international business person, and Founder, CEO, Designer & Manufacturer of FIVE profitable sterling silver and gold jewelry brands. Peter’s Passion has always been the Sea! That Passion lives and grows still today ~DiveSilver: Peter’s vast, diverse and stunning sterling silver and gold jewelry lines, created exclusively for Dive, Nautical, Sea Life and Water Sport enthusiasts worldwide. Beautiful, Intricate and Stylish Profit Generating Jewelry – that Sells!
Sandy You
China
Photography Speaker (2017)
Sandy You is known as “Third Bro – San Di” in Greater China. She is the founder of 57 Diving club, who is also the key presentative in the Greater China for world’s major brands of underwater photographic equipment, namely, Austria Seacam and Switzerland Kandle etc. Being a passionate and seasoned photographer herself, Sandy recorded the beauty of the deeper blue to share with more divers. Sandy is known in the industry as someone with good professional reputation for enriching clients with different types of underwater photography workshops.
Zhang Fan
China
Photography Speaker (2017)
Zhang Fan, Underwater photographer, born in 1985, grew up in China’s hainan, since the childhood like diving, bubbles across the world. Graduated from central academy of fine arts, is now a member of hainan photographers’ association, Canon ten best photographer, the China national geographic special underwater photographer. For each big newspaper writing, his works have been included in the number of “extreme beauty” and so on this photo album, is the author of the deep sea exploration, (up, down), once editor “animal diversity”, “chordate” and so on, and many times had an interview with radio and television programs about underwater photography. Has for the first time invited by the Chinese academy of sciences institute of aquatic creatures underwater images captured the Yangtze finless porpoise. He hope that through their own lenses can let more people know and love this blue planet of the underwater world.
Andrew C. Couch
Hong Kong
Guest Speaker (2017)
Born in Hong Kong, Andrew learnt to dive at the age of 10 and studied as an Oceanographer, gaining a Bachelor in Ocean Science. In addition to his studies, Andrew enhanced his passion for diving by completing the HSE Professional SCUBA Divers certification. Now, Andrew is a full-time Instructor in Hong Kong and one of the managing partners of Mandarin Divers, Hong Kong.
Ann Liu
China
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Ann liu is an AIDA free diving coach. In 2010, she became a mermaid coach with over 200 students who have graduated from her classes. Ann aims to help mermaid lovers achieve their dreams. She has designed and produced numerous mermaid tails, including the world’s first luminous underwater mermaid tail.
Calsun Wang
China
Music Festival Speaker (2017)
Calsun Wang is a K.Art Art Center Junior Artist. A direct protégé under the famous art educators – Wu Xiaoyan President of Xiaoyan Academy and Zhang Jinjun, he has strong artistic talent in the fine arts. His works have been exhibited in Paris, China, and he went to Poland to play Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto” with the Polish orchestra in 2015.
DJ Ashley Cai
Hong Kong
Music Festival Speaker (2017)
Ashley is not only a PADI scuba diving and PADI free diving instructor, but also a professional DJ. She and her partners founded DKH CLUB in Hong Kong, which has become one of the largest community for “Hong Kong Drifters”. Being a woman of many talents, she also participates in many other activities such as surfing, rock climbing, and pole dancing.
DJ Jojo Li
China
Music Festival Speaker (2017)
Jojo is currently one of Hong Kong’s most popular female DJ, also known as DJ Barbie. Previously a model, she ventured into a career as a singer and is currently the team captain of the dance group Mascara.
Eric Goh
Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2017)
Eric is an entrepreneur and a photographer. His underwater images have graced numerous international magazines and even a features in a themed hotel room featuring all the top artists in the country. His work has been commissioned by major tourism campaigns and features prominently on graphic walls in city walkways and national billboards.
Joyce Ng
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Joyce’s diving journey started in 2011, and now she is a PADI dive master and Hong Kong’s first real mermaid. Passionate for underwater photography, Joyce garnered awards for international underwater photo contests and have been published in various magazines. She hopes that her photos will let evertone see the beauty of the ocean and motivate them to realize that we need to protect it. Joyce has taken her ideas of conservation and human connection to another level. She has also put her camera down, and swims into other photographers’ frames as an underwater model and mermaid as she endeavors to make the ocean-human connection more tangible.
Kaiser Waldon
China
Music Festival Speaker (2017)
Kaiser Waldon has established himself as one of Australia’s biggest up-and-coming talents with flawless productions climbing their way to the top of the ARIA charts. His differing solo style is a smooth brand of bassline driven sound that covers the field somewhere between house and techno. Kaiser’s debut ep ‘Nobody Else’ released in late April peaked at no.38 in the Aria Club Charts, and got him noticed from the likes of Claptone who supported his track ‘Jharon Shones’ a tribute to Sharon Jones in their clap cast #99. Kaiser currently resides in Bali locked down in the studio and also running his Sunday weekly event at Jenja called escape.
Kala Sharpless
China
Guest Speaker (2017)
An athlete, adventurer and water baby, Kala and her charismatic personality has taken here all over the planet. Following her family’s footsteps in sports and adventure, she has climbed, skied, canoed and travelled the world, over mountains and beneath the oceans. With experience behind and in front of the camera as a model and talent in a number of photography and film shoots, Kala is a natural communicator whose aim is to explore the world and share her zest for life with others.
Kay Burn Lim
Australia
Photography Speaker (2017)
Australian underwater cinematographer and award winning photographer Kay Burn Lim has been creating underwater images since 2007. He currently owns and runs Iconic Images which offers professional videography services. Previous projects includes work on nature documentaries aired on channels such as Smithsonian Earth, National Geographic, BBC Canada, StarhubTV and Love Nature . When not on assignment, he still leads groups on expeditions to exotic dive locations and occasionally judges underwater photography competitions.
Potti Lau
China
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Potti Lau took 6 days to dive down to 38m on his first free dive. He fell in love with freediving from then on and went further to do competitive freediving, breaking the National China’s freediving record 8 times. He also does underwater photo and video production and has over 30 million fans on the Meipai Short Movie app.
Li Jin Guang
China
Water Sport Speaker (2017)
One of the pioneers of Chinese Kite Surfing, Li Jin Guang at the age of 30 is currently one of the top Chinese kite surfers. Sponsored by BEST International Asia, he came into contact with kite surfing in 2006, when Kite Surfing was still in its development stage. In 2014, Jin Guang was signed by REnextop, when he set the Asian Kite Surfing Men High Jump Record at 16.2m!
Li Qing Hua
China
Guest Speaker (2017)
Li Qing Hua is a national artist, master tutor of Art College of Jinan University and director of Guangdong International Cultural Exchange Center. He devoted himself to the research and creation of flower and bird painting, his works have distinct personality and strong national culture.
Lion Shi En
China
Guest Speaker (2017)
She is a psychological consultant, hypnotherapist and crisis interventionist. During the period of clinical psychology master degree study, she became both scuba instructor and freediver instructor. As it is found that diving can have a positive effect on people’s psychological activities, she decided to do research in the cross-field of diving and psychology. In 2017, she created The Deep Therapy Studio to study how to get emotional healing through diving. Now she has created a training system to relaxing people by underwater meditation.
Monica Guo
China
Water Sport Speaker (2017)
Shujuan Guo, also known as Monica or Aubergine in Chinese by her friends, was born in Guilin Yangshuo and is currently living in Sanya. Before becoming a Chinese female longboard surfing champion, Monica was once a former white-collar worker in a real estate company. She is now a member of the national surfing team. Monica believes that surfing makes her a better and braver person.
Paupau Zhou Fang
China
Photography Speaker (2017)
Zhou Fang (PAUPAU) obtained her Ph.D. in management from United States. She is one of the first batch of graduates from Banff China majoring in outdoor documentary director course. Zhou Fang is also a Diving Instructor with International Diving Instructor Association (NAUI); Executive Director of China Diving Photography Professional Committee; Vice President and Secretary General of China Taiping’s Film and Television Branch. She is a Shark Conservation Ambassador for “Dive the World”, and also it’s underwater documentary founder and director. Zhou Fang also directed documentary film “Underwater China”.
Raphael Marti
France
Music Speaker (2017)
Born in 1986, Marseille, France. Raff has always been interested in Electronic Music rhythm, and fascinated by the endless possibilities of harmonies. Raised by the underground Berlin minimalist and the French Techno scene, Raff is deeply touched by the beauty of melodies within the power of techno, and sounds that impacts your thoughts and gestures around music. He is currently a resident DJ at the two most notorious clubs of the country, the real underground club KOH and the famous JENJA, and is one of the Top DJs in Bali.
Ruoxu Liu
China
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Mermaid Course Director Ruoxu Liu is a AIDA and PADI freediving instructor. She discovered her love for freediving in 2015. Driven by the passion, she quickly become the first Chinese female instructor in Hong Kong. She aims to spread the culture of mermaids to a higher level.
Oli Christen
Switzerland
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Oli Christen is known in the world of freediving as the author of the current AIDA Education materials and is a versatile speaker and freedive evangelist. He has been awarded 2015 by PADI for his outstanding contribution as a member of the PADI Freediver Advisory Group.
Sun Ping
China
Photography Speaker (2017)
Sun Ping’s portfolio includes celebrities such as Chen Weiting, Chen Xiao, Lily Yu and Zhang Xinyu, and have even shot for fashion magazines “BAZAAR” and “VOGUE”. She ventured into underwater creative photography to spread her love of the ocean.
Stuart Sharpless
Hong Kong
Guest Speaker (2017)
Explorer, Adventure athlete, Film maker, Entrepreneur. Spanning the globe with expeditions for Adults and students a like. Experiential based educator with the experience to take you somewhere new.
Wang Ao Lin
China
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Wang Ao Lin is a freediving athlete. In 2015, he founded “Jie Ta Freediving School”. Ao Lin is also the president of China’s AIDA International Freediving Association. He represented his country in the AIDA Individual Apnea Depth World Championship in the same year and set National records in 3 different categories.
Wang Xiao Qi
China
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Wang Xiaoqi is one of the founders of Wuhan free diving club. She is also a PADI scuba diving and AIDA freediving coach. She is currently focused on the study of mermaid courses and the new version of the Mermaid Course technology which will be integrated into the professional flower tourism technology.
郑茹月
China
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
At 16 years of age, Zheng Ru Yue won the Chinese Diving Championship and retired in 2008 to become a Diving Team Coach in Guangdong. She has over 8 years of experience as a coach, with 3 of her students eventually representing the World Diving Championships and 6 of them reaching national levels. She became a mermaid coach in 2016, creating specific mermaid training courses. She is currently the director of MissVsea Studio Mermaid Project and hopes to inspire and expand the mermaid network.
Jill Heinerth
Canada
Tekdiving Speaker (2018)
One of the world’s most accomplished and celebrated cave divers and underwater explorers, Jill Heinerth is a Pioneering technical diver and Award-winning filmmaker whose has been privileged to travel deep into the most exquisite and untouched corners of the earth on a life-long journey of discovery and adventure.
A role model whose achievements, writings and images have encouraged thousands to step out of their comfort zone, Jill Heinerth’s many accolades and Awards include induction into The Explorer’s Club of New York and the inaugural class of the Women Diver’s Hall of Fame; and being awarded the inaugural, Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, who later made her their First Explorer-in-Residence.
Jean-Claude Monachon
Switzerland
Tekdiving Speaker (2018)
Jean-Claude Monachon from Switzerland started diving at the age of 14. While starting in a cold and dark lake in Switzerland, he was diving without any certification until he discovered the Maldives in 1986. He then moved to the Maldives and stayed for several years working as a diving instructor and dive center manager. The Maldives can be considered as a second home for him.
Sharks are definitely one of his passion and he has travelled several places in the World for it.
Monachon’s passion is also related to scuba diving education and is always open to new water related adventures. Working for more than 22 years for PADI Europe as a Training Manager and then CEO, he also was the multilingual and multicultural member of the Worldwide Group. International business development is one of his main achievement due to his “Swiss” approach. He speaks 5 languages and is able to understand the different cultural variances.
In 2014, he then joined SSI (Scuba Schools International) Worldwide as a Vice-President. The passion, the vision and the state-of-the-art program developments but also the quality of the training convinced JC that it was there that he would fit best. Where people and quality matters!
As an avid triathlete, runner and certified personal trainer, JC is also one of the driving force of the newly launched SSI Lifeguard program. The bio would not be complete if we would not talk about his dedication to the underwater environment and he has been involved in several programs to make the World a better place.
Edmund Yiu
China
Tekdiving Speaker (2017)
Born in Hong Kong, Edmund has over 17 years of recreational and technical diving experience with more than 3,000 logged dives conducted throughout various locations around the world. Edmund has achieved numerous Instructor / Instructor Trainer ratings from several dive training agencies and is currently certified as a RAID Open Circuit (OC) Instructor Trainer, RAID Deco 50 OC/CCR Instructor, RAID Sidemount Instructor, PADI Master Instructor, Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer, PADI Tec Trimix Instructor, PADI Tec Sidemount Instructor, PADI Tec CCR Instructor, and IANTD Normoxic Trimix Technical Instructor.
Andrew Lau
Hong Kong
Photography Speaker (2018)
Andrew Lau is a PADI dive instructor and he has been diving for over 10 years. Being an amateur underwater photographer with his passion about ocean, he earned awards from various international underwater photo contests. He wanted to enhance connection between ocean and human in his photos by shooting models underwater, which granted him winner of Voice of the Ocean – Fashion photo of the year f or 3 consecutive years (2016 – 2018).
Cipto Adi Gunawan
Indonesia
Tekdiving Speaker (2018)
Cipto Aji Gunawan was the first Indonesian PADI Course Director and is now the Board of Director of SSI Indonesia. His career range from diving professional, pro UW Photographer to Marine Ecotourism Consultant for the Indonesia Ministry of Tourism. He shot for BBC, CCTV 9 and CNN, just to name a few, wrote two of the Indonesian goverenment’s Scuba Diving regulations, produced the most complete Indonesia Dive Guide book and certified SSI Professionals.
Amos Nachoum
USA
Photography Speaker (2018)
From freediving with blue whales to scuba diving in the Okavango Delta with crocodiles, Amos Nachoum has explored every body of water from the North Pole to Antarctica. Amos’ vision is to raise awareness about our oceans’ giants in their habitats.
Ellen Cuylaerts
Belgium
ADEX SINGAPORE VOO JUDGE 2019
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Ellen Cuylaerts relocated from Belgium to the Cayman Islands in 2009. She studied history in Antwerp and Leuven and got her Master’s in Modern History and Education. She started diving and underwater photography in 2011. Rather than using images to document encounters, she tries to capture the emotions she experiences and hopes to touch hearts and get more people to care about our oceans.
Ellen Cuylaerts
Belgium
ADEX SINGAPORE VOO JUDGE 2019
Photography Speaker (2015)
Ellen Cuylaerts relocated from Belgium to the Cayman Islands in 2009. She studied history in Antwerp and Leuven and got her Master’s in Modern History and Education. She started diving and underwater photography in 2011. Rather than using images to document encounters, she tries to capture the emotions she experiences and hopes to touch hearts and get more people to care about our oceans.
Michael Thomas
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Michael Thomas learnt to dive at the age of 14 on the island of Gozo, Malta thirty-five years ago. On returning to the UK he managed to Join Alton BSAC and became for a short time the youngest Dive Leader in the country. By 1993 he had started on the then-fledgling technical diving route. Became a member of the Cave Diving Group in the UK and in 1994 attended one of the first advanced Nitrox courses in the UK at Fort Bovisand In Devon.
Trimix diving followed in 1996 and several years of mid-channel wreck diving found him on several virgin wrecks. At the same time, multiple caving and cave diving expeditions and exploration happened from the UK to France and onto the Bahamas.
Michael started work within the dive industry in 1995 with Uwatec the Swiss dive computer company and was involved with the launch and training on the Drager Atlantis Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreather. Becoming a TDI instructor in 1996 training with Rob Palmer. He taught some of the first TDI SCR courses in the UK, Malta and Palau.
In 2000 Michael’s primary focus turned to cave exploration and cave diving with a few good wreck dives for good measure. Exploration in the Calaven de la Suobio in the Herault region of France found over 2km of the virgin cave and Palaeolithic human remains in the first diving section of the cave. Exploration in Greece found us diving into the unknown cave with a dive base at nearly 500m below the entrance of Peleta cave in the Peloponnese.
More Rebreather diving continued when he made the switch to CCR using a Classic Kiss, no courses were available at that time and the diver just got a box of parts that you built into a CCR and started teaching yourself. After ten years of diving a KISS, he made the transition in 2012 with a course this time to an AP inspiration. He continues to dive, explore and teach on these units today.
Michael is also an associate member of the Cave Rescue team in the UK and unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it has been involved in several large rescue operations in the UK. Plus training exercises both in Uk and in Greece. He is also a Fellow of the Royal geographic society.
In 2016 he set up his own technical diving training company and teaches mostly underground.
Daren Marshall
Canada
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Daren became a diver in the ’90s on vacation in Thailand. He returned to the UK and juggled business enterprise leadership with becoming a weekend part-time instructor. His passion for everything underwater eventually won out, and he exited his businesses in 2004 to focus on diving, leaving the UK for warmer waters.
An unfortunate childhood personal obsession with technology has fuelled his career as a technical rebreather instructor & industry professional.
Now with leading computer designer Shearwater Research, he currently lives in Thailand, where the adventure began, in his fantasy job combining electronics, diving, & business.
Paul Strike
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Fourth Element began in 1999 with a conversation over a post-dive beer in Sharm -El-Sheikh, Egypt. With a mission to provide the most innovative garments to the dive community, Jim Standing and Paul Strike set out to design high quality clothing with a simple, diving orientated style. Over the span of 20 years, Fourth Element dedicates in improving divers’ thermal protection and apparel. In recent years, the company has undergone a shift to develop products with a greater focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, beginning with the OceanPositive swimwear line, progressing to wetsuits made from plant based materials. The company actively supports conservation projects around the world, dedicated to sustainability and the preservation of the environment.
Jim Standing
United Kingdom
Fourth Element
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Jim Standing is the co-founder of fourth element, and along with Paul Strike, has spent the past 20 years building a company and brand dedicated to improving divers’ thermal protection and apparel. In recent years, the company has undergone a shift to develop products with a greater focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, beginning with the OceanPositive swimwear line, progressing to wetsuits made from plant based materials. The company actively supports conservation projects around the world, dedicated to sustainability and the preservation of the environment.
Jared Hires
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Jared has practically been diving his whole life. Starting with breathing off his father’s long hose, he had his own custom Transpac and double AL 13’s at age 7. Jared has continued to grow in his diving career. He was at one point the youngest certified rebreather diver at age 15 and has been cave diving for about as long. He is a technical, CCR, and cavern instructor through TDI/SDI.
Jared has been privileged to dive all around the world. Some places he has been include caves in Russia and Mexico, the fjords in Norway, and the Red Sea in Israel.
He has grown up in the company and has worked in many different areas including production, service and sales. After going off to college at the University of Florida, Jared came back to the company (though he never really left) to take over the marketing department as well acting in the capacity of general manager.
When not diving in the local north Florida caves or traveling, he enjoys riding motorcycles, being on the river, and of course University of Florida football.
Will Goodman
Indonesia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Will Goodman developed a passion for diving when he learnt to dive in Cornwall in the UK. He
was quickly hooked by the abundance of shipwrecks along the south coast and developed an
interest in technical diving. By 2005 he became a TDI Advanced Trimix technical diving
instructor and CCR diver. Will has been based on the Gili Islands in Indonesia for 15 years
managing Blue Marlin Dive Tech and spent 6 seasons as trip director of a Komodo liveaboard.
He currently has over 6000 logged dives, 4500 of which are technical dives and 3000 of those
are on CCR. In 2005, 2008 and 2010, he set the Guinness World Records for the longest open
saltwater scuba dive. The longest being just over 48 hours. Will has been actively teaching CCR
since 2009 and In 2011 he began teaching the JJ-CCR. Since then he has accumulated over
2000 hours on the unit in a variety of demanding conditions and environments. In 2013 he
became an Instructor Trainer for TDI at all levels. In 2014 after 2 years of research and training,
Will and his team set the world record for the deepest dive on an unmodified CCR taking his JJ
to 290m without incident.
Dr Richard Harris
Australia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Dr Richard “Harry” Harris has worked in anaesthesia, diving and aeromedical medicine. His
passion for cave diving goes back to the 1980s and has taken him to the corners of the globe in
search of new adventures. Harry and his colleagues have explored caves to 245m depth, and
shipwrecks to over 150m in dives lasting over 16 hours. He is an enthusiastic UW photographer
and videographer who is now also building a career in documentary films. Harry has a
professional and voluntary interest in search and rescue operations, establishing the first sump
rescue training course in Australasia. By building relationships with emergency services locally
he has been preparing for such an event. The 2018 Thailand cave rescue was an opportunity to
put this training to work.
John Kendall
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
John Kendall is one of only three GUE technical instructors and the only GUE cave instructor
based in the UK. John travels the world teaching a range of GUE recreational, technical and
cave classes.
John first became involved with GUE in 2003 after taking part in one of the very first GUE
courses to be run in the UK. Putting his GUE training into practice as an active member of the
DIR-UK exploration team, John joined the ranks of the GUE elite by becoming a GUE
Fundamentals instructor in 2006 and since then he progressed to teach almost all GUE classes
across the Technical, Cave and CCR curricula.
John has been involved in writing and developing classes for GUE, He was the lead author on
the Gas Blender and Photogrammetry classes, and was part of the writing team behind the
2021 release of the GUE Fundamentals of Better Diving book. He sits on the GUE Training
Council. John teaches classes around the world, as well as arranging experience trips for
anyone interested in GUE diving. As an Instructor Trainer for GUE, John is tasked with
developing and teaching instructor candidates how to be effective and successful GUE
instructors. He is pioneering the use of online resources for instructor development, as well as
helping create streamlined routes for experienced recreational instructors to learn about GUE.
As well as being a passionate advocate of GUE, John is also an active dive explorer in his own
right. When he’s not teaching, John can be found exploring some of the world’s most exciting
dive destinations – from the phreatic cave systems of France, Florida and Mexico to flooded
mines in Finland and the deep wrecks that lie off the coast of the UK, Malta and Sweden. John
loves nothing more than sharing his adventures with others – particularly non-divers – especially
through the use of 3D photogrammetry. Since first learning to dive in 1993, John has travelled
around the world diving and teaching. As an active technical and cave diver, he has been
involved in a number of high profile diving projects – from support diving with the WKPP on their
record-breaking cave traverse to archaeological diving in the Mediterranean, Baltic Sea and the
English Channel. He is also a Fellow of The Explorers Club of New York.
Cristina Zenato
Bahamas
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
A professional diver since 1994, Cristina is an ocean and cave explorer, shark behaviorist, photographer, speaker, writer and conservationist.
A member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, and The Explorers Club, she is a firm believer in the power of education and spends her time teaching below and above the water. She has conducted the exploration and surveys of numerous new cave systems and is the first person to ever connect an entrance on land with an open ocean blue hole.
She is the founder of the nonprofit People of the Water, organized to widen the distribution of training, education, research related to ocean and environmental issues.
Brian Kakuk
USA / Bahamas
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Brian is a former U.S. Navy Diver with over 30 years of professional diving experience. His work has taken him beneath nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, to jumping from helicopters into 10- foot seas to recover million-dollar weapon systems, to record penetrations of underwater cave systems around the world. His research diving work with various governmental and scientific institutions has revealed new species of cave adapted marine life, as well as the discovery of fossils that are now repainting the picture of the Bahamas past environment.
His expertise in diving safety has been used widely in the feature film industry as a Diving Safety Officer and underwater stuntman. With more than 3000 exploration cave dives, Brian is considered one of the leading authorities on the underwater/underground environments of the Bahamas and is a veteran of multiple high-profile underwater cave expeditions in the Bahamas, Mexico, Belize, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Australia, Christmas Island, Sardinia Italy, Kefalonia, Greece, Budapest, Hungary and the U.S.
Though a seasoned underwater explorer, photographer, author, cave diving instructor and conservationist, Brian’s primary efforts are in the pursuit of the protection of underwater caves in the Bahamas, with a current focus on the Crystal Caves of Abaco Island and the massive fracture caves of Andros Island. Brian is working hand in hand with the Bahamian Government and local NGOs to preserve the world’s most highly decorated and scientifically significant underwater cave systems.
On the side, Brian assists several equipment manufacturers with the development of new side mounted cave diving equipment and closed-circuit breathing apparatus.
Brian is an Advanced Cave and Technical Instructor Trainer for and serves on the International Advisory Board of the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD). He is a Cave Diving Instructor for the U.S. National Speleological Society – Cave Diving Section and Diving Consultant for the National Museum of the Bahamas (Antiquities Monuments and Museums Corporation) and is a Fellow of the Explorer’s Club of New York.
Evgeny Poluhin
Russia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Evgeny Poluhin is a former officer of the combat divers of the Russian Navy and is currently a Course Director of NDL, IANTD Rebreather instructor, a cave diver and one of the main organizer of the ice diving competition. He also is the co-founder of the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center.
Sergey Gorpinyuk
Russia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Sergey Gorpinyuk started caving in 1983, dived into dive training in 2000 and officially started his professional diving career in 2003. Throughout the years, he had had the pleasure of being under the tutelage of Tom Mount, Lamar Hires, Jim Wyatt, Pascal Bernabe, Steve Bogaerts, Patrick Widmann, Maxim Kuznetsov, Artur Zaloga, Sergey Volnukhin and many others. With over more than 6,000 dives logged and 2,500 of them are technical dives, Sergey had gone the deepest with a maximum depth of 152 metres and was also a holder of two national dive record holder. With more than 38 years of diving experience, Sergey has been training and creating technical courses such as Support Diver and Ice Cave Diver and he is currently an IANTD and CMAS Instructor Trainer Trainer for Advanced Nitrox, Instructor Trainer for Trimix, Technical Cave, eCCR Inspiration, Trimix Gas Blender, Technical Wreck, Freediver and Certified Equipment Maintenance Technician for Aqualung, Apeks, Atomic, Dive-Rite, Oceanic, Poseidon, Scubapro, Sherwood, Subgear. Sergey is an equipment development and production for SmartDive and he conducts in both Russian and English.
Josh Thornton
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Josh Thornton, co-organizer of TEKDiveUSA, has been diving for 23 years and teaching for 17
of those. Josh took his OC Full Cave Course in 2004 and has been completely obsessed with
cave diving ever since. He has been involved in several ongoing cave exploration projects in
Utah and is currently the project leader for the Main Drain diving project. His weapon of choice
is a CCR whenever practical. Given the choice, he prefers to be deep inside a cave enjoying the
silence of his rebreather.
Josh is passionate about all things underwater and loves to share his passion with others at
home or abroad. As a CCR Adv Mixed Gas IT and CCR Cave Instructor for TDI and IANTD, he
spends plenty of time guiding students through new adventures. He also teaches FII Freediving
courses around the world. Josh is the training director at Dive Addicts, a world-renowned diving
facility and training centre.
Along with his sister, brother and father, Josh launched the manufacturing and distribution
company, SubGravity, in 2014. SubGravity emerged out of a desire to safely explore and
experience the underwater world in some of the most extreme and demanding environments
imaginable.
Josh is living the dream in Draper, UT with his wife of 10 years and his 2 sons and daughter.
Gerald Nowak
Germany
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Gerald Nowak was born in 1964 in the five-lake country southwest of Munich. At the age of 12,
he had contact with a photo camera for the first time. At that time borrowed from his parents, he
already got 16 his first own SLR camera. 1981 he began to dive at the age of 17 in the Bavarian
waters. 1989 after a stay in tropical waters it became his right hobby. Shortly afterwards he
brought both together and from the passion a hobby. So it became his present profession.
Among other things, he has worked continuously for the German and international diving press
for many years and is a regular photographer of the magazines TAUCHEN, UNTERWASSER,
SILENT WORLD and DIVEMASTER. As a photographer, Gerald is always on the quest for
news and has won prizes in several national and international photography competitions. In the
90s he was an Indonesian champion at a competition in Kalimantan.
Since 1994 he works full time as an underwater and travel photographer regularly for various
travel and special interest magazines as well as internet portals and travel book publishers. The
comprehensive image archive of CR-PHOTO.de covers the whole world, concentrating on
images all around the medium of water. Gerald Nowak has been working together with Mares
since the mid-1990s.
1997 he got to know his today`s wife Sibylle Gerlinger. Since that time they are working as
travel journalists together. Sibylle is writing the stories and Gerald is shooting the pictures.
Sometimes it`s the other way around…… Both are able to swap their work.
Gerald is a diving instructor trainer with the diving association CMAS Germany (FST) and
instructor with SSI, photo instructor in several associations, Trimix and Rebreather diver, as well
as passionate ice, wreck and cave diver. Whether tropical, temperate or cool waters, anything
that promises exciting reports or great pictures has caught his interest. His special commitment
is to endangered shark species. His favourite marine animals are the graceful hunters of the
seas: thresher shark and blue shark, but also the sublime tiger shark. For the protection of the
sea and the animals he is active in several animal protection organizations and supports them
with information and photo material, which he collects on his worldwide travels. For several
years he has also been working as a photo tour guide for the Austrian dive travel specialist
Waterworld.at Tauchreisen, which brings him to destinations such as Antarctica, Greenland,
Russia and many more destinations worldwide. Ice diving has now become one of his great
passions. In February/March/April is planned to stay there for almost two months (Lake Baikal
and the White Sea)
Tom St George
UK/Mexico
Photography Speaker (2021)
Tom discovered his passion for scuba diving over 20 years ago after emigrating from the UK to
New Zealand. A decade later, the wanderlust struck again but with renewed force, motivating him
to quit his office job and travel the world. When he settled on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán
Peninsula it was in cenotes that his dual obsessions of scuba diving and photography came
together. He is best known for his award-winning images of the cenotes and underwater caves
which have been published in magazines worldwide. He works full time as a professional
photographer as well as teaching underwater photography through private coaching and group
workshops.
Arief Yudo Wibowo
Indonesia
Guest Speaker (2021)
Born and raised in Jakarta Indonesia. His passion for the beauty of the underwater world attracted him to become an underwater photographer that won International and nationwide UW Photography competitions later on that made him invited to be a judge in such an event. As an entrepreneur, he also dared to be the publisher of Scuba Diver Australasia Indonesia Edition since 2014. His interest in the diving industry caught him to be a founder of the Indonesia Diving Business Forum back in 2016 and PADI Instructor in 2018. He is the author and photographer for four coffee table books and articles. In seeking the answer to the phenomenon in the diving industry since 2018 he pursues his research for his Ph.D. in strategic management. Recently in last November he become elected to chair Indonesia Recreational Diving Business Association.
Bo Mancao
Philippines
Photography Speaker (2021)
Combining a deep appreciation for scuba, imagery and sustainable tourism, Bo Mancao has become an icon in the Southeast Asian dive industry – take one glimpse at his work, experience, genuine hospitality and island charm, and it’s clear why he is one of the one of the dive industry’s top travel influencers.
A multi award-winning underwater photographer and cinematographer, Bo has represented the Philippines in numerous international shootouts, and his images have been used by the Philippines Department of Tourism to promote diving and dive travel. “I want to communicate visual stories about our oceans,” says Bo. And he has, filming for award-winning ocean documentaries, international lifestyle programs and short films focusing on conservation.
Louise Hardman
Australia
Plastic Collective CEO/Co-Founder
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Louise Hardman is an Environmental Science/Chemistry teacher who started Plastic Collective in 2016 to provide waste plastic solutions for remote and islands communities through education, technology and empowerment. Her goal is to provide Resource Recovery micro-enterprises for the 4,000 inhabited islands throughout Asia-Pacific region where waste plastic pollution is prolific.
Walid Boudhiaf
Tunisia
Freediving Speaker (2020)
Walid Boudhiaf is a freediving World Record holder in the discipline of variable weight (VWT) with a depth of – 150 meters.
His quest for new performances has led him to shift the limits of the human body and to explore different training and breathing techniques, as well as developing advanced tools for the mind, such as stress management and deep relaxation.
An endless journey that allowed him to discover new cultures and remote destinations.
Felicity Eku
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Felicity believes sustainability and style come hand in hand, and we don’t have to compromise one another. She believes the two components catalyse creativity, curiosity and endless possibilities. Already handy with sewing machines, she does clothing amendments or alteration herself and sometimes sews entirely new clothing from secondhand garments. Felicity likes to experiments with unrecyclable materials such as poster banner and fabric scraps for her upcycled movement. If she’s is not designing and developing websites, she will be occupied with travelling, writing and cooking vegetarian meals.
Jo Luping
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Siung Film Productions is a Social Enterprise in Sabah, dedicated in developing Sabah’s local creative talent and preserving our culture through the creation of digital cultural media. Siung Films is passionate about the environment and as such, we develop edutainment programmes focused on the environment, children’s welfare and community development. Jo Luping founded the company in 2013 with Aaron Cowan. She has worked in international Film & Television companies for more than twenty years, is on the FINAS Creative Industry Development Committee, is the Vice-President of Ripple, a waste management organization and President of SPADA, a Film/TV Association. She is an indigenous East Malaysian and New Zealander.
Zazila Roslan
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Good day, my name is Zazila Roslan, I grow up where the beautiful nature is around me. As I grow and in adult life, I notice certain forest that used to go for an adventure now is completely destroyed, so here iam pledges that plastic should be recycle to be replaced as a wood. To create the circular economics.
Brian Ho Joo Chuan
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Young accounts major turned business entrepreneur cum environmental enthusiast, Brian Ho, 26, can vouch for this when he started his business, Eco Packaging, in Sabah a year ago. His passion for the environment started with his internship at an environmentally friendly company in Australia.
He promotes solutions such as home-compostable sugarcane lunch box, compostable corn starch bags, edible rice straws, and wooden cutlery to name a few as an alternative to replace disposable plastic products. He has a vision to build a better future and healthier environment for the next generation by moving towards zero-single use plastics in Malaysia.
Tulip Zaimi Noorazyze Binte Abdul Rahim
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Tulip an ex hotelier is a management consultant on ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. In 2000 she was instrumental in setting up the Environmental Management System in Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa. Passionate about the environment and CSR she became a member of Environmental action committee to look at environmental pollution in the state. She joined Rotary club of Kota kinabalu Pearl in 2015 and organised the planting of 13,000 trees in 2018. She also set up Project REAL in 16 rural schools to enhance English proficiency at the same time encourage environmental initiatives.
Tressie Yap Chui Kie
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
I am a practicing architect for 23 years. I have been organising advocacies & initiatives to minimize environmental pollution by upcycling waste materials & empowering many different underprivileged communities to use different skills to convert their daily household wastes and make beautiful and useful merchandisable goods to earn their livelihood.
Dr. Jidon Janaun
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Jidon obtained his PhD from the University of British Columbia, Canada in Chemical and Biological Engineering in 2012. Dr. Jidon has produced 7 patented innovations, to which six of the patents have been commercialized namely LAMB Dryer, UMS Eco-Solar Dryer, UMS Eco-Solar House, Residual Oil Extractor and UMS River Cleaning Machine. The inventions are currently being used commercially by the local communities and the industries. Dr. Jidon has won many research awards nationally and internationally. Currently, Dr. Jidon’s work involve in using plastic for adsorbing oil from wastewater, and also converting waste plastic into diesel fuel.
Nina Othman
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Nina was an Entreprenuer for 14 years before being introduced to the concept of Social Entreprenuership.
Currently based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia under her company Marvel Factory Sdn Bhd, she runs two Social Enterprises – Grow the Goose, Financial Empowerment Programs for Children to help them attain Financial Wisdom Entering Adulthood & – Borneo Cocoa, Empowering Small Cocoa Growers in Borneo with the Knowledge & Skills to create their own Cocoa-based products and earn better incomes through ethical & sustainable cocoa farming & production
Chung Ngin Zhun
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
After finishing my study in the Netherlands with a new found appreciation of what sustainability is. We decided that seaweed growing abundantly in Malaysia can be used to solve some of the world’s sustainability issues.
With this idea in mind Rhodomaxx was founded with the goal of solving the mineral cycle imbalance created by intensive agriculture and the plastics problem we created with our over reliance on fossil fuel. We hope that with our innovations of seaweed fertilizer and seaweed plastics. We will be one of the puzzle pieces in contributing to a greener and safer planet.
Immy Ooi
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Immy has been with the Nestle Group since 2006 and has held various positions over the years. She is currently heading the Corporate Communications portfolio since 2013, where her areas of responsibility include driving corporate communications, facilitating stake holder engagement and advocacy as well as corporate events. She is also passionate about plastic waste management and is currently leading the Company’s internal taskforce, the Green Gladiators, which comprises more than 150 cross-functional team members, in its journey to help tackle the plastic waste challenge and to achieve circularity.
Monica Chin
Malaysia
Ara Dinawan Research Education Conservation Centre Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Exposed to the ocean since young, Monica is an avid scuba diver diving for 19 years. After two years volunteering with Trash Hero Borneo, now she has set herself onto a bigger platform – Marine & Environmental Research, Education & Conservation Centre at Dinawan Island. As an influential Women Diver in North Borneo and conservationist, she wants to inspire more people raise awareness to protect the underwater world and educate the young generation.
Azliza Azmel
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Azliza joined Tesco Malaysia in 2002 as General Counsel and through the years, her remit was expanded to include Government Relations, Communications as well as Community. As Corporate Services Director, she has helped Tesco Malaysia expand its sustainability agenda through the “Little Helps Plan” by enriching the lives of school children in underserved schools as well reducing food waste and single use plastics in the business. Through her leadership, Tesco Malaysia was voted as the most sustainable retailer in Malaysia according to the Sustainable Retailers Scorecard 2019 by WWF Malaysia.
Cindy Shang
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Cindy Shang is Global Procurement Manager at Unilever. Based in Singapore, she leads Unilever’s transformative sourcing efforts for post- consumer plastics globally in order to achieve Unilever’s 2025 sustainability commitments. Cindy is an experienced procurement talent with broad expertise in sustainable sourcing, including palm oil and packaging.
Tahirah Mohamed
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Tahirah Mohamed is the Interim Plastics Manager of WWF-Malaysia. She is presently leading WWF’s plastic initiative engagements for the Malaysian Plastic Pact (MPP), a multi-stakeholder platform for public and private stakeholders in the plastics value chain aimed at fostering actions and goals to shape a circular plastic economy; the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme and the regional Plastics ACTion (PACT) for Malaysia. Tahirah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Sustainability Development Management
Professor Tan Sri Dr. Zakri Abdul Hamid
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Pro. Zakri Abdul Hamid is currently the Chairman of Atri Advisory and spearheading the Wyss Foundation and National Geographic’s Campaign for Nature 30×30 initiative in the ASEAN region. He was also appointed the Pro-Chancellor of Multimedia University of Malaysia, Chairman for the Business Council for Sustainable Development Malaysia, as well as the Chairman of INGSA Science Advice Network for the ASEAN Region. Previously he held the post of Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and also former Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies, United Nations University. He is the founding Chair of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and former member of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr Sivapalan Kathiravale
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Sivapalan Kathiravale has over 25 years of experience in the waste management and currently heads the Centre of Excellence for Waste Management in Malaysia under the partronage of CENVIRO and Khazanah Nasional.
Sofea Farida Mohd Shukri
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Sofea Farida is a final year student of business in the University of Nottingham Malaysia. She founded EcoGarage with four other friends as a platform for people with different skills to come together and provide solutions to environmental issues. She believes that everyone is capable to contribute to environmental uplifting with their own skills and talent. She is currently working on implementing a micro-recycling center for University of Notthingham Malaysia.
Chen Hui Ling
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Hui Ling is an environmental enthusiast and is currently doing her PhD in the University of Nottingham Malaysia. Her research focus is microplastics in river ecosystems and their implications towards ecological and human health. Her previous research dealt with household waste management as well as the plastic waste problem in Malaysia. She hopes to be part of the change in creating a green and sustainable future for Malaysia and other developing countries.
Melissa Tan
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Melissa Tan is a passionate eco-warrior who advocates for Sustainable Living and #zerowaste habits for everyone. She forms part of the Green Guerilla; a green collective that celebrates and shares sustainable ways of living. She worked with Greenpeace for the Rainbow Warrior Ship’s Southeast Asia tour and is a longstanding volunteer with PAWS Animal Welfare Society. She writes about zero waste living and other areas of sustainability on her website, heymelissatan.com
Joanne Green
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Joanne Green has been influencing governments, large companies and glonal institutions on poverty and environmental challenges for 20 years. She played a leading role in adding a new Millenium Development Goal on sanitation, persuading the UK government to significantly increase aid to water, sanitation and waste management, securing a review of the World Bank’s Doing Business Report and influencing a major multinational to reduce and take responsibilty for its plastic waste. She has been an advisor to the UK government, Head of Policy for Cafod, and now co-leads Tearfund’s waste and plastic policy work. She co-authored Tearfund’s ‘The Burning Question’ report as well as ‘No Time to Waste’, which was launched by Sir David Attenborough in 2019.
The RT Hon Lord Zac Goldsmith
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2020)
The Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park is the Minister for Pacific and the Environment at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). He was first appointed as a Minister of State in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and Defra on 13 February 2020.
Ismail Nnafie
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Ismail Nnafie is the Innovation and Sustainability Specialist at UNICEF Malaysia, where he is leading the innovation, climate and environment portfolios. He has been with UNICEF for more than 8 years, and with UNICEF Malaysia for 2.5years now where he has been leading innovation and the development of a new climate and environment programme. Issmail is very passionate about climate and environmental protextion and the role children and young people can play as agents of change.
Dr Rashed Mustafa Sarwar
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr Rashed Mustafa Sarwar has about 25 years of diverse work in Central Asia and Caucasus, Europe and Southeast Asia, with UNICEF and other UN agencies in politically transitional and developing countries, in countries transitioning rapidly to middle and upper-income status as well as in extreme humanitarian and post-conflict situations. Before taking his posting in Malaysia, Dr Sarwar has served as the UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Belarus in 2015-2020 and UNICEF Deputy Representative in Aerbaijan in 2009-2015.
Dr Ihsan Ismail
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Ihsan Ismail is currently the Head of the National STEM Centre, Educational Planning and Research Division (EPRD), MOE Malaysia. He started his career as a teacher in 1995 at SMK Merotai Besar, Tawau, Sabah. He joined EPRD in 2001 as an assistant director. Among his tasks at EPRD were the Programme Manager for PISA and the Head of Evaluation Unit. He was given the task to lead STEM Education Initiative at MOE in 2016 and eventually heading the National STEM Centre since the establishment of the Centre in 2018.
Jamalulail Abu Bakar
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Mr. Jamalulail is the Undersecretary for the Environmental Management Division of the Ministry of Water & Environment. He was appointed and Administration and Diplomatic Officer in 1996 and posted in the Ministry of Agriculture. Since then he has been working with various ministries and agencies such as the Public Service Department (JPA), Ministry of Higher Education, National Public Service Institute (INTAN), and the Ministry of Education (MOE). He has vast experience in international cooperation in agriculture and higher education promotion and marketing. He joined the Ministry of Water and Environment in April 2020.
Iain Sallis
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Iain is the Campus Principal of Tneby Schools Setia Eco Park (SEP) on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. As Principal, Iain oversees 4 schools including International and Private Malaysian National School both at primary and secondary level. Iain is fully committed to Eco initiatives and is proud that Tenby SEP is the only one of 15 certified Green Flag Schools in Malaysia, WWF’s highest accolade. Iain, who leads the Eco Committee of 50 students and parents across campus, together with a highly committed team is supporting the school’s new Green Flag application for 2021.
Monique Alwine Sumampouw
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Ms. Monique has more than sixteen years of professional experience in Environmental planning development and marine Coastal resources management projects. Ms. Monique is taken a leadership leading Marine Program WWF Malaysia as Head of Marine since 2019, before that, she managing the People and Marine Biodiversity Marine Program supporting decision makers, local community, community based organization, universities and other NGO on protecting and preserve the Marine coastal biodiversity, including the marine protection area management and marine spatial planning. She has served WWF Malaysia for almost 10 years.
Adam Broadbent
United Kingdom
Zublu CEO
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Adam Broadbent is the co-founder of ZuBlu, a travel platform helping scuba divers and marine enthusiasts discover and book their next underwater adventure in Asia. With its unique search tool, over 150+ eco-friendly resorts and liveaboards to choose from, and a commitment to conserving the marine environment, ZuBlu helps you explore the blue and dive green.
Mary Sayre
USA
Ocean Artist
Ocean Artist Speaker (2020)
Artist Mary Sayre is known for her sea life and waterscape paintings. Her love of the ocean is illustrated in oils on canvas and acrylics on marble. Her innovative art form utilizes the veins of the crystalline in the marble creating an elegant yet organic canvas. Her works are exhibited and collected internationally. Scuba diver, sailor, avid traveler and passionate artist, Mary recently traveled to Indonesia serving as “Artist of the Exhibition” with the Ocean Geographic Elysium – Heart OF The Triangle Expedition.
Cristian Dimitrius
Brazil
Photography Speaker (2020)
Cristian Dimitrius is an Emmy Award winning cinematographer, photographer and presenter specialising in wildlife and natural history films. Cristian’s cinematography and camera techniques are helping to revolutionise the way people perceive wildlife. In addition to several film credits, Cristian has shot for the world’s top television networks.
Amos Nachoum
USA
Photography Speaker (2020)
From freediving with blue whales to scuba diving in the Okavango Delta with crocodiles, Amos Nachoum has explored every body of water from the North Pole to Antarctica. Amos’ vision is to raise awareness about our oceans’ giants in their habitats.
David Rogers
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
David is Head of International Resource Management, WRAP Global. David heads up our international work on sustainable products and resource-efficient business models, working with partners around the world to drive up recycling, re-use and waste prevention in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr. Nicholas Hardman-Mountford
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Nick Hardman-Mountford is Head of Oceans and Natural Resources at the Commonwealth Secretariat where he leads the Commonwealth Blue Charter Initiative and a technical advisory team working on ocean governance and sustainable natural resource development projects in Commonwealth countries. Prior to joining the Commonwealth, Dr Hardman-Mountford was principal scientist at Australia’s national research agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). His research on ocean observations and modelling has taken him to the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans and has found application in addressing a diverse range of societal drivers such as sustainable blue economies, carbon storage, food security, energy and climate change. Dr Hardman-Mountford has published over 100 research papers, book chapters, articles and technical reports. He is adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia.
Birgit Hermann
Timor Leste
Guest Speaker (2020)
Social changemaker, ocean enthusiast and philanthropic adventurer with a passion to empower people to improve their quality of life. As the primary country representative of Blue Ventures in Timor-Leste, Birgit provides vision, strategy and leadership for BV’s growing marine conservation, fisheries management, alternative livelihood and eco-tourism programmes in Timor-Leste that aim to empower coastal communities to manage their marine ecosystem effectively, enriching local livelihoods and sustaining healthy marine environments for generations to come.
Terrence Lim
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
As the Executive Director, Terence was responsible for the establishment of SFB Malaysian Sdn Bhd in July 2019 with the goal of stopping fish bombing. In collaboration with SFB USA, Sabah Parks and other partners. Fish bombing is controlled through deployment of acoustic arrays that provide rapid law enforcement notification with precise blast location information. Terence has been a member of the Stop Fish Bombing International Board of Directors since its inception in 2015.
Terence was one of Scubazoo’s (SZ) Operations Directors and he has been involved with SZ managing multiple TV shoots including UK’s Survivor series in Pulau Tiga, US’ Survivor series in Thailand and Conquest of the Skies, 3D with Sir David Attenborough since its inception in 1997.
Having been General Manager of SDC Lodges, Sipadan Dive Centre S/B, Bukit Melapi Proboscis Lodge and Pulau Tiga Resort, Operations Manager at Gayana Eco Resort and Bunga Raya and Spa Resort, Operations Officer on Sipadan Princess luxury yacht Terence has been heavily involved with Sabah’s marine tourism industry all his working life. Also a Level 3 Scuba Intructor with the National Dive League + been scuba diving around Sabah’s incredible coral reefs for more than 30 years Terence is acutely aware of the prevalence of fish bombing in Sabah waters.
As Chairperson for the Semporna Resort Operator Association (2016- 2018) and a committee member for the Kinabatangan Tourist Association together with his unique experience Terence is perfectly placed to advise and co-ordinate the overall implementation of SFB in Sabah’s waters closely with the Government and all other key parties.
Stephen Harris
New Zealand
Guest Speaker (2020)
Stephen Harris is a New Zealand diplomat, former journalist and founder of the marine stewardship platform Maui’s Ark. Until the work was disrupted by Covid-19, Stephen led the international engagement of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) as its Special Representative, working with the 54 member countries to build collaboration to combat marine plastics pollution and its land-based causes.In 2019 he was one of ten expert panellists contributing to the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor’s Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, which wrote the blueprint for the Government’s new policy to combat plastics pollution. Until beginning this secondment in 2018 Stephen served for seven years as Director-General for South and South East Asia at New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which he joined in 2001 after a 20-year career in journalism working for daily news organisations in New Zealand, Germany, the US and Hong Kong. Stephen is a keen sailor and diver.
Rohan Perkins
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2020)
A keen scuba Diver and involved in several marine conservation projects in the UK, Rohan moved to SE Asia in 2003 after graduating University with a degree in Geological science and planetary sciences, gaining his PADI Instructor certificate and begginning a journey into diving and Marine Conservation throughout SE Asia.
In Sabah, Borneo, Rohan managed Scuba Junkies Mabul resort and along with Ric, set up their environmental wing, gaining vital experience, certifications in marine conservation and teaching others on the practices, methods and programs that Scuba Junkie run today.
Rohan is the Director of Scuba Junkie Indonesia, setting up resorts in some of Indonesias best dive locations, overseeing each with the same customer and conservation driven ethos for which over the years Scuba Junkie has become well know..
Ric Owen
Scotland
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Ric Owen is the CEO and co-Founder of Scuba Junkie, who gained a BSc in Marine Biology in his native Scotland. His love for the marine environment was instilled at an early age, and resulted in his adventure of exploring the world’s oceans. His sense of responsibility towards protecting the marine ecosystems led him to establish Scuba Junkie as a dive operator with a strong environmental and conservation ethos at the core, with resorts in some of the world’s most unique dive locations. Ric is also a co-Founder of Scuba Junkie S.E.A.S, the dedicated marine conservation NGO, and after spending almost half his life in Malaysia now calls it home.
Luke Gaydon
United Kingdom
Guest Speaker (2020)
A child of the 70s, Luke was taught to conserve at an early age, always turning lights off, and putting on extra clothing if he felt cold. Unfortunately as an adult of the 21st Century, Luke spent several years flying all over the world for work, thereby racking up a huge carbon footprint. Luke co-founded Terra Neutra in 2019 to help people reduce their carbon footprint. Married with two young children, Luke flies a lot less these days. Luke spent 20 years working in broadcast & digital technology with stints at Channel 4, Sony Pictures Television, Brightcove & Accedo.
Kara Majerus
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Kara is a Co-founder and the MD at SORCE, working on marine ecosystem restoration and species protection in Lombok Indonesia, within and around the GITA NADA MPA. Projects include elements of scientific research, active conservation through restoration and habitat connectivity, and community outreach and engagement, including providing data and advice to the government for effective long-term management and protection. SORCE is working to build a marine park management network in Lombok, connecting marine ecosystem stakeholders at all levels with government departments, and facilitating the conversation around the development and implementation of productive and effective protection legislation.
Jude Junius
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Commercial diver, Divemaster, Underwater videographer, Tattooist, Event manager. Manage to get involved in underwater clean ups, net removals and sourcing diver man power for underwater works.
Imogen Waters
United Kingdom
Guest Speaker (2020)
Imogen Waters joins Blu Hope as a Project Development Consultant working on ReWild. Imogen has an MA in Environment and Development from King’s College London and a BA in English Literature from University of Exeter, where she specialised in Environmental Humanities.
Imogen recently led a research project for Seeding Our Future, exploring carbon footprint minimisation. Previously, she worked with The Schumacher Institute conducting a comparative evaluation of food systems under Covid-19. Imogen is currently working for Knight Frank LLP, exploring how to drive the integration of ESG considerations into corporate real estate investments.
Datuk Pang Yuk Ming
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Born and attended Primary school in Tawau. Attended secondary school in Singapore and graduated from the University of Arizona with Bachelor of Science. Has been active in numerous NGOs inclusive of Junior Chamber International which preaches ‘Services to Humanity is the Best Work of Life’. Started own businessman after graduation in 1998 until 2008 when I was elected as Merotai’s to the Sabah State Assembly from 2008-2018. Served five years (2013-2018) as the Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment which included services as the Deputy Chairman of SABAH Environment Action Committee and the Chairman of Sabah Anti Fish Bombing Committee.
Benoit Goossens
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Benoît is the Director of the Danau Girang Field Centre in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, a research and training facility co-managed by Sabah Wildlife Department and Cardiff University, where he leads projects on biodiversity responses to habitat fragmentation and degradation. Benoit is also a Professor at Cardiff University and a member of the IUCN SSC’s Asian Wild Cattle, Crocodile, Asian Elephant and Primate Specialist Groups.
Maya Karin
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Maya Karin Roelcke (born 29 October 1979) is a Malaysian and Germans film actress, television host, and singer. Now one of the leading and established actresses in Malaysia’s local film industry, she garnered wide recognition from the critics and public for her award-winning and memorable performances in movies such as Potinak Harum Sundal Malam, Anak Halal, Ombak Rindu and Munafik 2. Her movies have grossed over RM85m so far. Beside acting Maya Karin is quite active being activist for the environment, she was the ambassador River of Life in Malaysia and also Voice of Wilds by Forest Research Institute Malaysia. She often supports and does a lot of campaigns regarding environmental issues in Malaysia and South East Asia.
Sylvia Earle
USA
Guest Speaker (2020)
Elysium Arctic presents Dr Sylvia Earle, one of the most influential figures in the industry. Referred to as a “living legend” by the United States Library of Congress, and a first “hero for the planet” by Time Magazine, Sylvia is an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer with extensive experience as a field research scientist and government official.
Jo Ruxton
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Jo is a passionate campaigner for the oceans, her career in conservation began in the 80’s when she started the first marine programme for WWF Hong Kong, where she lived for 14 years. Disappointed in the lack of conservation messages in the BBC films she worked on, she decided to leave to work independently and when she started to hear about the problem of plastic waste in the oceans, she knew she had to tell the story as it was. She began to raise the funds needed to make the documentary, A Plastic Ocean. Jo co-founded the Plastic Oceans Foundation as a registered UK carity neary 11 years ago to help the fundraising process and to continue the legacy of the film with evidence-based education programmes for schools, business and public awareness.
Jamie Piyada
Thailand
Conservation Speaker (2020)
An ocean addict with a heart set to protect the underwater world. The winner of Miss Scuba International 2012, Jamie has been dedicating her life to educate and advocate for the protection of the ocean and its inhabitants. Since 2014, Jamie has been working with the Manta Trust. She now leads a manta rays conservation project in her home country, which involves researching and educating people from all over the world about manta rays and marine conservation.
Paul Rose
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2020)
A man at the front line of exploration and one of the world’s most experienced science expedition leaders. Former Vice President of the Royal Geographical Soceity, Paul is Expedition Leader for the National Geographic Pristine Seas Expeditions. The Royal Geographical Society has awarded Paul the Ness Award and the Founders Gold Medal. He is Ambasssador for the UN Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Paul was the Base Commander of the Rothera Research Station, Antartica, for the British Antarctic Survey for ten years and was awarded HM The Queen’s Polar Medal. A mountain in Antartica is named after him.
Elaine Clara Mah
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Elaine is a communicator for the Sabah Landscapes Programme focusing on terrestrial conservation which includes the protection of forests as well as the conservation of iconic Bornean species such as the Bornean orangutan and the Bornean elephant.
Dr Maklarin Lakim
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Maklarin bin Lakim graduated from University Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1990. He started his working career in 1991, as a Research Assistant at Danum Valley Conservation Area (DVCA), Lahad Datu, Sabah. He joined Sabah Parks in June 1992 as a Park Manager, based in Sandakan. Subsequently, he was appointed as a Research Officer, based at Kinabalu Park in 1994. Being a researcher, he pursued and obtained his MSc in Biodiversity Management from University Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1998, and receivied his PhD in Primate Ecology from University Malaysia Sabah in 2008. He is currently the Director of Sabah Parks, since January 2020.
Nicholas Fong
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Herminatalia, or fondly known as Mimin, joined WWF-Malaysia back in 2013 as a programme assistant to the Green Marine Tourism project in Semporna. She is currently working with coastal communities on community-based natural resource management that includes women empowerment and livelihood improvement projects.
David Thomas
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
David (Dave) Thomas was appointed the Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia in August 2018. Prior to his appointment Dave worked as the Tech Overhaul Programme Director in the Knowledge and Technology Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). He joined the FCO in 1996 and has served at posts in Lagos, Pretoria, Washington DC and Madrid. Dave has expertise in safety, security and justice and climate change issues in Project and Programme Management.
Nicholas Fong
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Nicholas joined WWF-Malaysia back in 2010 as a policy officer; spending a significant amount of time moving between a few different portfolios such as forest legality, freshwater and landscape manager. He currently oversees the spatial planning work for Sabah Landscapes Programme.
Shariff Mohamad
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Shariff joined WWF-Malaysia back in 2006 as a research officer; spending a significant amount of time conducting camera-trapping in the forests of Belum-Temengor. He currently oversees the anti-poaching and research components of the programme.
Fredinand LobinSiu
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Fredinand joined WWF-Malaysia back in 2005 as a Forest Restoration Programme Assistant for WWF-Malaysia’s Kinabatangan Corridor of Life Project; Managing orangutan habitat restoration work in Bukit Piton from 2012 until 2019. He currently oversees land health and agroforestry work under Sabah Landscapes Programme.
TP Lim
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
TP is a qualifies barrister from Lincoln’s Inn (UK) and presently Managing Director of Infinitus Entertainment Malaysia, one of Malaysia’s most successful film production companies. TP is the founding President of Roots & Shoots Malaysia which was formed in 2015 when Dr Jane Goodall first visited Malaysia on TP’s invitation.
Shah Redza Hussein
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Shah Redza Hussein is an Economist by training and a conservationist by passion. He has been involved in nature conservation and environmental protection for over 20 years. He left the corporate sector to join WWF Malaysia and later appointed as the Execuitve Director of the Malaysian Nature Society. Shah had been involved in various state, national and regional technical committee on nature and environmental protection. He is currently the Director of the Perak State Parks Corporation with the mandate to head and manage Protected Areas in the State of Perak which includes the conservation and enforcement of the Royal Belum State Park, the conservation islands of the Pulau Sembilan State, Perak, Kinta Nature Park and manages the Kinta Valley National Geopark.
Dr Glyn Davies
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Glyn Davies started his career with WWF Malaysia in Sabah, in 1979, and continued as a leader with 40 years experience in international conservation and development. He has worked for the British government, and other agencies in: Sierra Leone, Kenya, Cameroon, the European Commission, UK and USA, and returned to Sabah in 2018 to support development and delivery of the WWF Sabah Landscapes Programme. Glyn carried out his PhD in Sepilok (Sabah), and is author/co-author of five books and over 20 scientific papers. He is an Honorary Professor at DICE, University of Kent, and currently serves as Co-chair of the RSPO Jurisdictional Working Group.
Andrew Bowes
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Andrew Bowes is a British Diplomat, currently leading Environment and Climate Change work at the British High Commission in Malaysia. As well as roles in London, he has served in Mozambique, Timor-Leste, Portugal, Angola and Kenya.
Kon Onn Sein
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
In 2000 Mr Kon was appointed managing director of the Foundation for Community Studies and Development. His work focused on poverty alleviation and community development programmes, in particular among the Orang Asli and the urban poor. Since 2015, the work has focused on developing a shared prosperity community enterprise in natural farming and empowering the Orang Asli to restore their environment.
Peter Ong
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Peter graduated from the University of Bristol (LLB) and went on to complete his Masters in Law (LLM) from the London School of Economics. However, his creative calling led him to 18 years of a stage career performing on all major stages across the region in concerts, operas and muscial theatre. He is also one of the founding members of PAN Productions, one of Malaysia’s most successful theatre ompanies. Peter is also an avid nature lover and one of the founding members of Roots & Shoots Malaysia. His passion for nature and photography led to his first solo photographic exhibition ‘Project Monyet’ in 2019 featuring 14 species out of Malaysia’s 25 primate species.
Dr Chen Pelf Nyok
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Chen is a freshwater turtle and conservationist. Her research interests are the biology and ecology of the critically endangered river terrapins, found only in Southern Thailand, Cambodia and Peninsular Malaysia. In 2011 Pelf co-founded the Turtle COnservation Society of Malaysia (TCS), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to freshwater turtle conservation in Malaysia. Pelf conducts numerous programmes withs chool students as well as nature trips for members of the public. She currently leads the community-based terrapin conservation project in Kemaman, and was very recently awarded the Commonwealth Points of Light from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the turtle conservation efforts.
Mariani Ramli
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
The “mother of gibbons” herself, Bam has dedicated the last 7 years to the gibbons, from husbandry and enclosure building to writing scientific proposal and so much more. Bam’s love for the gibbons knows no bounds, she has sacrificed everything and faced so many challenges to make this project a reality. Today, Bam and her team care for 15 White-handed Gibbons at the centre at rural Pahang. It is her hope that one day, thesegibbons get to return to their true home, the forest of Malaysia.
Dr Jane Goodall
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London. At the young age of 26, she followed her passion for animals and Africa to Gombe, Tanzania, where she began her landmark study of chimpanzees in the wild immersing herself in their habitat as a neighbour rather than a distant observer. Her discovery in 1960 that chimpanzees make and use tools rocked the scientific world and redefined the relationship between humans and animals. In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to advance her work around the world and for generations to come. In 1991, she founded Roots & Shotts, a global programme that empowers young people in nearly 60 countries and since its inception in 1991 has greatly impacted youth in over 100 countries to act as the informed leaders that the world so urgently needs.
Anthony Sebastian
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Sebastian has spent 29 years in the conservation and development field, working across 27 countries in Asia, Oceania and the Middle-East. He specialises in strategic planning for development and sustainability programmes, and for organisations facing landscape resource management challenges. He has spent the last 10 years on forest issues in Asia, particularly in developing approaches for restoring ecosystem functioning in critical landscapes. He is past National President of the Malaysian Nature Society, and past Chairman of the International Board of the Forest Stewardship Council.
Dr hari Ramalu Ragavan
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr Hari Ramalu Ragavan studied environmental management in Sweden and UK. He served the United Nations Development Programme, Malaysia Country Office as Programme Manager for 15 years, where he was responsible to formulate, implement, monitor and evaluate programmes and projects under the Energy and Environment Cluster. He is now the Pricipal Consultant at AKAR Asia Consulting, providing advisory services to UN agencies and other international development agencies on climate change, an ecosystems and biodiversity management in Asia Pacific. He is also a Council Member of Environmental Management and Research Association of Malaysia (ENSEARCH) and Board Member of Asia Pacific Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP).
Dr Ejria Saleh
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
She is a senior lecture at Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia. Her research interest is focusing on the coastal oceanography, climate change and coastal community. She is also a member of the World Seagrass Association Small and Malaysia Nature Society. Currently, she is Deputy Director of Borneo Marine Research Institute and directly involved with the Goal 4, Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTT-CFF) Malaysia, as member of the CTI Regional Technical Working Group for Climate Change Adaptation Measures Achieved (CTI-CCA). She has actively participated in the various Scientific Marine Expeditions within Sulu-Sulawasi Seas. SHe is also a project leader of more than 10 funded research projects related to coastal oceanography and climate change adaptation.
Dr Amy Then
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Amy Then joined Universiti Malaya in 2014 as a senior lecturer upon completion of her doctoral studies in Virginia Institute of Marine Science, USA. Although her background is in marine fisheries and mangroves, her recent research projects had been highly interdisciplinary in nature. Her mangrove work includes food web studies, mangrove restoration, socio-ecological dimensions of mangrove-based fisheries, ecosystem service assessments and mangrove-related policy initiatives. She also applies multiple approaches in assessment of local elasmobranch fisheries, marine megafauna bycatch, and impacts of marine park gazettement on fishery and local community livelihoods.
Melvin Gummal
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Melvin Gumal heads the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Division in Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC). He joined SFC in October this year, after nearly 18 years as the head of Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia. He was the 2014 Whitley Award winner for “Conservation in Great Ape Habitats” and for their continued funding from 2017-2020. At SFC, he manages teams that carry out conservation ranging from large mammals to small insects as well as to marine life. He is an Adjunct Professor to Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus. He has a Masters and PhD from the University of Cambridge.
HE Ken O’Flaherty
United Kingdom
Guest Speaker (2020)
Ken O’Flaherty is the COP26 Regional Ambassador for the Asia-Pacific region. He is working closely with governments, business and civil society across the region to boost climate action ahead of the COP26 Leader’s Summit which will take place in Glasgow in November 2021. Ken has recently returned from a posting as Minister in Rome, and has experience in a number of Foreign Office Departments. He has previously served in the British embassy in Tokyo and Paris as well as the former UK Representation to the European Union. Ken has worked on a wide range of issues from climate change and energy to economic, EU cooperation, security, counter-terrorism and migration issues.
Julian Theseira
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Julian is currently Project Manager of the Malaysian Local Conference of Youth 2020 (#MYLCOY2020). He works for an international consulting firm, and prior to that gained professional experiences with international organisations in Geneva, Switzerland. He has written multiple diplomatic reports for the Sovereign Order of Malta, and worked on policy research projects in Switzerland and Malaysia. He has also conducted prized-winning academic historical research, and presented it at academic conferences in Beijing, Berlin, London and Sheffield. Julian has a Master’s in International History from the Graduate Institute Geneva and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with High Honours from Wesleyan University.
Julian Hyde
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Julian is British, but has been living overseas since 1992. A scientist by training, with a degree in biochemistry, his career has covered management, technical and environmental consulting, including six years in Russia. He moved to KL in 1998 to head up an environmental consulting company, before moving to Tioman Island to pursue his dream of running his own dive centre, which he did for six years. It was during that time that he became interested in Reef Check, which he helped to set up in 2007. Reef Check now has a national coral reef survey programme and field offices in three sites.
Dr Kalanithi Nesaretnam
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Dr Kalanithi Nesaretnam is deputy chairperson of Climate Governance Malaysia. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Reading, UK. She has a comprehensive knowledge of the palm oil sector having been involved in research and market development. She is familiar with international markets having worked and travelled extensively in Europe, Australia and Asia. She held the position of Director, Product Development and Advisory Services at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board and subsequently as Minister in the Embassy of Malaysia and Mission to the European Union. She is also Director of FGV Holdings Berhad.
Harry Jonas
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
Based in Sabah, Malaysia, Harry is an international lawyer and co-founder at Future Law. Locally, he coordinates Forever Sabah’s work on marine conservation (sharks and rays). Internationally, he co-chairs the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Specialist Group on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures, which is promoting recognition and support for areas of ecological value outside of protected areas. His publications include: The Right to Responsibility, The Living Convention and Conservation Standards. He is an Ashoka Fellow and a Legal Research Fellow at the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law.
Dr Henry Chan
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Henry Chan is the Conservation Director for WWF-Malaysia. Leading the mission to “build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature,” his responsibilities cover Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak as well as marine programmes spanning the whole country. The conservation programmes span Wildlife, Forest and Protected Areas, Freshwater, as well as Policy and Climate Change, Education for Sustainable Development, Community Engagement and Education, Sustainable Production and Consumption, and Sustainable FInancing. He joined WWF-Malaysia in 2012 as Head of Conservation Sarawak. Over April 2015 to 2017, Henry was seconded to be the Heart of Borneo Leader for WWF-Malaysia and WWF-Indonesia.
David Ingram
Singapore
Guest Speaker (2020)
David joined Unilever in 1989 and has worked across all supply chain operations during his 30-year career, including roles in procurement, manufacturing, logistics and planning. Dave was appointed Chief Procurement Office in April 2019, based in Singapore, and also became head of Unilever Asia (UAPL). He is responsible for the procurement of all Unilever goods and services globally. Dave is also tasked with delivering ambitious sustainabe sourcing strategies as part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan. Dave has two children and enjoys golf and global adventure motorbiking.
Cheryl Rita Kaur
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Cheryl completed her MSc in Marine Science, Policy and Law (with Merit) from the University of Southampton UK, BSc (Hons.) in Marine Biology from University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), and a Diploma in Multilateral Environmental Agreements from the University of Eastern Finland. She is presently Head of Environment Section at the Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA) – a policy research institute set up by the Malaysian Government to look into matters relating to Malaysia’s interest at sea and to serve as a national focal point for research in the maritime sector. Her research interests are in the areas of ocean governance, natural resources, marine protected areas management, and marine pollution. She has an extensive standing at the regional and national levels on environmental policy matters.
Dr A. Aldrie Amir
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr A. Aldrie Amir, a mangrove ecologist by training, is a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He currently heads the Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability Research Centre at LESTARI-UKM. He has led and participated in various research projects related to mangrove ecology, management and conservation and published a substantial amount of publications, two of which have recently appeared in Science in 2018 and 2019. He is a Commission Member of the IUCN SSC Mangrove Specialist Group, and the coordinator of the Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network (MyMangrove).
Datin Sunita Rajakumar
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Datin Sunita Rajakumar is a professional independent director and a strong advocate of the importance of governance in general and risk management in particular. She founded Climate Governance Malaysia which is the country chapter of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Governance Initiative, is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia, promotes gender diversity on boards with the 30% Club, a member of the Global Advisory Board of Nottingham University’s School of Business and the Advisory Panel of the UN Global Compact Malaysia’s Sustainability Center of Excellence, and is a workstream lead for the CEO Action Network, an industry led initiative to increase sustainability and climate resilience. She is Chair of Caring Pharmacy and independent director of Bursa-listed Dutch Lady Milk Industries, MCIS Insurance (a member of the Sanlam group) and Zurich General Insurance, as well as trustee of 5 charitable foundations.
Dr Reza Azmi
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Azmi is the Founder and Director of Wild Asia, a Malaysian-based environmental and social enterprise focused on the conservation of natural areas and biodiversity. Wild Asia works primarily by engaging corporations and economic sectors that have a significant impact on our natural resources. Wild Asia’s primarily by engaging corporations and economic sectors that have a significant impact on our natural resources. Wild Asia’s programmes extend across the region and we work with a range of partners; Corporations, Governments and local Communities. A major focus of Wild Asia is to develop new and innovative strategies to work with businesses to promote better natural resource management and equitable benefits for local people.
Dato HJ. Zahari Bin Ibrahim
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Current position as Deputy Director-General Forestry (Policy and Planning) cum National Project Director for UNDP/GEF-GOM Project: Improving Connectivity in the Central Forest Spine Landscape (IC-CFS). Responsible on forest planning and economics, forest resource management, forest silviculture, forest biological conservation, forest eco-park and forest state park development, international forestry affairs as well as forest plantation and protection.
Frederick Kugan
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Mr Frederick Kugan is a forester by profession having graduated from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM) (1987) and from New Brunswick University, Canada (1991). He has been with the Sabah Forestry Department sine 1987 and had served in various positions over the years including, District Forest Officer, Head of Planning Division and Head of International Affairs & Assistance. His expertise resulting from years of experience, amongst others, include Forest Policy & Legislation Formulation and Development; Forest Sectoral Planning and International & Corporate Affairs.
Ric Owen
Scotland
Guest Speaker (2020)
Ric Owen is the CEO and co-Founder of Scuba Junkie, who gained a BSc in Marine Biology in his native Scotland. His love for the marine environment was instilled at an early age, and resulted in his adventure of exploring the world’s oceans. His sense of responsibility towards protecting the marine ecosystems led him to establish Scuba Junkie as a dive operator with a strong environmental and conservation ethos at the core, with resorts in some of the world’s most unique dive locations. Ric is also a co-Founder of Scuba Junkie S.E.A.S, the dedicated marine conservation NGO, and after spending almost half his life in Malaysia now calls it home.
Wowie Cai
China
Photography Speaker (2021)
Underwater Photography has a unique perspective and agile enthusiasm. Ever since he was young, he’d had an interest in exploration, which eventually led him to pursue Black Water photography. He has won numerous awards in various international photography competitions and has been publicized in many famous magazines. His works have been exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, USA, Natuur Museum in Netherlands and Venice, Italy. His Photographs have been reported by Chinese and International media channels.
His ability to blend color and light in underwater macro photography is always amazing, and has long specialized in Black Water Photography. It is one of the mediums where in the wonder of these sea creatures are emphasized, as the stars shine brighter in the pitch black skies, the dark seas also give his photo subjects this unique glow that can only be attained in black waters.
For him, being able to explore the depths of the ocean is one of the most wonderful experiences in life, and he hopes he can show you the unique beauty of it through his works.
Bruce Kanofe
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Born in Dearborn, Michigan – 27 March 1961
Graduated from Algonac Michigan in 1979
Four years U.S. Marine Corp as a Combat Engineer (1981-85)
Learned to dive while stationed in Okinawa Japan (1981)
Became full time scuba instructor in 1994 (PADI OWSI)
Become technical diver (ANDI) in 1995
Appointed NSS CDS Safety Director for Thailand
Appointed ANDI Instructor Training Director #15 on 22 Dec 2010
On Going Technical Diving Projects:
Location and exploration of appropriate training caves across the Asia region
Develop & promotion of fledgling cave diving communities in several countries
Expeditionary diving projects to explore remote cave systems in the Philippines jungle
Shipwreck exploration in the Philippines; searching for undiscovered ancient and WWII wrecks
Gordos Gojunco
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Diving since 2003 with around 5000+ dives, An SSI Instructor Trainer, FreeDiver, Swim Teacher, Lifeguard Trainer and an avid explorer of Caves and Wrecks. He spends most of his time diving, doing dive trips, exploration, technical and commercial works and sharing his passion to other people by teaching diving. Hoping to raise the level of service and professionalism in the diving industry, Gordz spends a lot of time in developing diving professionals. The only time you don’t see Gordz underwater is when he spends time taking care of his son Dax and wife Toni. All the remaining free time is sqeezed in to be able to volunteer as a firefighter and a rescue technician.
Karen S. Tiopes
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Regional Director / Presenter
Regional Director, Department of Tourism Region 8 (Eastern Visayas)
Marie Elaine S. Unichuan
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Regional Director / Presenter
Regional Director, DOT Region 10 (Northern Mindanao)
Vincentt Kneefel
Netherlands
Photography Speaker (2021)
Circular Economy Professional, Ocean Conservationist, Underwater Photographer
Thirach Rungruangkanokkul
Thailand
United Nations Sustainable Ocean Ambassador Executive Director
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Thirach is the Executive Director of Sustainable Ocean Ambasador (SOA– the multi-stakeholder partnerships for Ocean Sustainability since 2017 at United Nations Ocean Conference, Sustainable Ocean Ambassador was initiated by AFMA in collaboration with the United Nations. Agriculture and Food. He is also the former Chairperson of Responsible Consumption and Production Taskforce, Business Advisory Council to the United Nations ESCAP.and the founder and former director of Art for Ocean Society, other Social Enterprises and Civil Society Organizations
Dr. Tanasak Wahawisan
Thailand
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Chairperson, Agricultural and Food marketing Association for Asia and the Pacific (AFMA), Single-Use Plastic Upcycling to Energy for Small Food Producers
Dr. Suchana Apple Chavanich
Thailand
Marine Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Currently an associate professor at Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, Dr. Suchana Apple Chavanich has a broad base of ecological research interests that involve the study of nearshore species from tropical to polar regions. Her research focuses on conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems particularly on coral reefs and polar regions. She has received theExplorer Award by National Geographic Magazine, Thailand in 2018, the UNESCO- IOC/ WESTPAC Outstanding Scientist Award in 2014, and was selected as one of the 100 Most Inspiring People in Thailand in 2013.
José Ramos-Horta
East Timor
Guest Speaker (2021)
José Manuel Ramos-Horta GColIH GCL is an East Timorese politician who was the President of East Timor from 20 May 2007 to 20 May 2012. Previously, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2006 and Prime Minister from 2006 to 2007.
Priska Widyastuti
Indonesia
Guest Speaker (2021)
Oceanographer, UNSEEN Expeditions
Li Jiatong Sophi
China
Mermaid Speaker (2021)
MFI Mermaid Instructor (China)
Joyce Tan
China
Mermaid Speaker (2021)
Founder, Genesis Mermaid Academy (China)
Jocelyn Choi
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2021)
Keto Mermaid (Hong Kong)
Joanne Zheng
Taiwan
Guest Speaker (2021)
2019 Champion, Ms Taiwan Professional Swimmer
Howard Rosenstein
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Born and raised in the USA, Howard Rosenstein has been a professional in the diving industry for over 50 years. In 1970, Howard at the age of 23 opened his first diving center and school in Israel and is considered a pioneer in the field of Diving Tourism the Mediterranean, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and for his contributions in this area he has been inducted into the International SCUBA Diving Hall of Fame.
Apart from pioneering land based and live aboard diving tourism in the Red Sea and Seychelles, Aldabra Atoll, Howard was the innovator of the ProEar mask, Rosenstein which has helped save the diving career of sport divers and professionals alike Howard also founded Fantasea Line in 2002 with his son Nadav, leading the development of compact digital underwater photo systems.
Rosenstein is also active in nature conservation efforts, including protecting coral reefs. He is a true pioneer and deserving of recognition for his significant contributions to diving tourism, safety, conservation and photographic innovations.
Tiffany Norberg
Sweden
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Tiffany is one of the top Scandinavian female technical divers and explorers, specialising in cold water diving in the seas and freshwater lakes in Sweden. In 2016, she was invited to join the wreck exploration team, Badewanne, who explore the eastern Baltic, locating, identifying and documenting deeper wrecks in collaboration with heritage organisations. She has been diving for 17 years and teaches recreational and technical courses for Gradient Technical Diving, is part of the Baltic Circle Diving Project and is a Team Reel Diving member.
Edd Stockdale
Finland
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Edd Stockdale works as a full-time professional diver. He teaches technical courses around the globe, and is regularly involved in research expeditions. With more than 20 years’ experience in diving – having done around 4,500 dives – he is an instructor trainer with RAID and TDI, as well as a writer for training agency courses.
Mikko Paasi
Finland
Thai Cave Rescue
Koh Tao Divers CEO/Founder
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
For the last 18 years Mikko has been the owner of Koh Tao Divers, the first dive centre on Koh Tao, Thailand. He has expanded his diving business to Malta, Europe, working in both places seasonally as a CCR Technical diving instructor and organising technical diving expeditions. In the last 10 years, he has also been mapping World War II deep sea wrecks around the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysian waters. Mikko is currently a member of Suratthani rescue and was one of the key rescue divers in the Thai Cave Rescue operation.
Dave Yiu
Singapore
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Diving since 1989
Teaching since 1994
Built and operated 2 resorts in Malaysia over 20 years
Operated 2 liveaboard focusing on wrecks of South China Sea namely the War Graves like the HMS Repulse and PRince of Wales.
Currently focused on Tech diving and gas related equipment distribution, training and after sales for the Asian region.
Mohsen Nabil
Egypt
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
PADI Instructor
SkyDiver
Diventures Magazine, Owner & Founder
Mohammed Adel
Egypt
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Started scuba diving in 1995 in Alexandria, Egypt, and started to work as a dive professional since 2000 in the Egyptian Red Sea.
In 2008 completed the PADI Course Director
– Ranked from PADI as Silver course Director in 2008 and 2009.
– Ranked from PADI as golden course director in 2010 and 2012
– Ranked from PADI as platinum course director is 2013 to 2021
Waleed Mohamed
Egypt / Saudi Arabia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
PADI Course Director,
Leader of Shark Family Diving Community
Ahmed Fadel
Egypt
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
SDI TDI Middle East Operation Manager
Scuba Scene Liveaboard Manager
Author of Southern Red Sea Dive Guide
Dive Instructor & Tech Instructor for Advanced Trimix
Anees Adenwala
India
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
A veteran of the oceans – Anees Adenwala is one of India’s first few Scuba Diving instructors who was tasked with setting up a dive centre in the uncharted waters of the Lakshadweep Islands in 1996. Anees took to the paradisaical waters of the Lakshadweep like a parrot fish takes to a coral reef. After establishing two dive centres in Lakshadweep, Anees returned to Mumbai in 2003, to set up two passion projects. First, an Underwater Filming Company, to film sequences for Indian Cinema, Television and Documentaries, soon followed by Orca Dive Club, an end-to-end SCUBA diving service provider that undertakes everything from beginner pool- training courses for students, to exploratory live-aboard and resort based operations to exotic dive destinations worldwide. Orca Dive Club also makes the utmost efforts to promote responsible diving, by understanding all the safety issues concerned with it, as well as the awareness and protection of the environment, marine flora and fauna. ORCA aims to make Divers and Novices in this field responsible, safe and environmentally conscious; which is also a very important part of the SCUBA diving world. Anees’s second passion project, Underwater Film Services is exclusive in the market comprising of a highly trained and professional team with expertise in underwater stunts/action and filming. Prior to an underwater shoot, all actors are trained so that they are comfortable in the water. Anees has trained and worked with many Bollywood, Tollywood, Marathi Film and TV personalities. UFS has shot sequences for more than 200 productions for underwater sequences.The Ocean and Anees are synonymous to each other, divers who know him see his passion and are rest assured that their experience underwater will never go amiss.
Hussain Sendi Rasheed
Maldives
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Hussain Rasheed (known as Sendi Rasheed) was the first PADI Instructor Trainer in the Republic of Maldives and a key figure in developing diving tourism there. During his career, which is on-going, he has certified over 1,600 divers. He is active in developing regulations for the Maldive Islands and also works to assist marine environmental projects. His work came to international media attention when he created and organized an underwater Cabinet Meeting, chaired by the President of the Republic of Maldives, to bring world attention the threat of global warming. He is the former Dean of the Faculty of Marine Studies at Villa College (2006 – 2008), overseeing four departments: Marine Science, Watersports, Scuba Diving and Marine Medicine. He is affiliated as an Executive Director of all Villa Dive Centres under his company, Dive Oceanus, operating five PADI Dive Centers across four different atolls in the Maldives, and supervising 40 diving professionals. He is a founding member of the Divers Association Maldives (DAM).
Commander Skandan Warrier
India
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Commander Skandan Warrier, Master Scuba Diver, our founder and director, is an Indian Navy veteran, who has played a role in Naval support operations during the Kargil conflict and Operation Parakram. He brings his discipline, years of experience in aviation and surface operations, an attitude of uncompromising integrity and an endless love for the sea to Scuba Evolution India. A PGDBM in Finance, with a natural business acumen, he is our head of business development and growth. His passion, of course, is running a safe and fun dive resort and constantly training himself to become a better diver.
Rob Partridge
India
Technical Dive Instructor, First Aid Instructor Trainer
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
A qualified Master Instructor, Technical Dive Instructor and First Aid Instructor Trainer, Rob Partridge has various instructor ratings from many international dive agencies. Partridge established Temple Adventures in 2008 and the dive training centre has trained thousands of certified divers in the past decade. With his mechanical background and technical training, Rob has facilitated and assisted defence training all around India for the Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Police, and the Army. He currently resides in Pondicherry with his Maharashtrian wife and sons.
Evan Kovacs
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Kovacs has lead and participated in expeditions to survey and film wrecks, deep sea hydrothermal vents and underwater mountains. He owns Marine Imaging Technologies, a company that specialises in imaging the underwater world. Over the past 15 years, he has worked with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to help build and operate numerous imaging systems for broadcast television, museums, scientists and institutions worldwide. His underwater and topside work has been featured on sites like National Geographic, History Channel and Discovery Channel.
Sumer Verma
India
Photography Speaker (2021)
Beneath the secretively opaque surface of the sea, there is vibrant colour, exquisite form and fluid movement combined with a tranquil suspension of time and matter. This world has inspired and shaped Sumer’s life for nearly two decades now, and has become his profession, muse and medium. Sumer is one of India’s most experienced Scuba Diving Instructors and has brought hundreds of people into the ocean through diving. His underwater photography brings the ocean into the lives of many more.
His work has taken him across oceans, from the Lakshadweep Archipelago and the Andaman Islands to the Maldives, Indonesia and the Galapagos Islands. He uses a DSLR camera in a specially designed underwater housing along with submersible strobes. But what aids Sumer most is his deep understanding of the liquid medium and animal behavior in the ocean rather than his equipment. In a continually fluid environment with ever changing currents, light and flighty subjects, capturing each image is an elusive and challenging labour of love.
Sumer Verma’s very consciousness is entwined with the aquatic world and he moves seamlessly from assignments for National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveller and Greenpeace to underwater fashion editorials for Vogue to sequences for feature films. Sumer is also actively involved with ReefWatch Marine Conservation to educate young people and raise awareness about marine issues.
From the sea of inspiration, we bring you a selection of his work displaying the majestic sense of space underwater and the intricate design of the creatures that inhabit it. Here presented is Sumer’s Ode to the Sea.
Khaled El Gamal
Egypt
Freediving Speaker (2021)
AIDA Freediving Master Instructor
Egypt Current National Record Holder
Garmin Outdoor Ambassador
Zoona Naseem
Maldives
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
PADI Course Director Since 2017 / National Award Winner In Recreational Diving 2018 / Winner Of International Ocean Awards 2019. Zoona Naseem is the Maldives second and the first Maldivian woman to become a PADI Course Director. Winner of the Local Hero Award from Boat International plus National award winner for the recreational scuba diving category. She is the owner of Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Centre in Villingili Island. Having completed her Instructor Development Course at age 18, she has been diving and instructing for her whole adult life and is passionate about inspiring young people to dive. Through diving, she is an advocate for the ocean and loves to share the beauty of the underwater world with her students.
Ben Reymenants
Belgium
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Belgium Ben Reymenants is probably best know for his deep dives, his work in the diving medicine field and cave explorations. His career spans close to 3 decades under water and his exploits and teaching style makes him popular for technical courses. He owns a dive centre in Phuket Thailand where he runs technical instructor workshops and deep cave courses in the jungle. He is a fellow of the explorers club and he was part of the initial cave rescue team in the North of Thailand for which he was decorated.
Shafraz Naeem
Maldives
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Shafraz Naeem, known to everyone as Shaff, started his diving career in 1994. He is an ex-military dive instructor as well as PADI and SSI Instructor. He has extensive knowledge of diving all over the Maldives. He trained the Maldivian Coast Guard, Special Forces and Marines in diving. He has explored deep cave systems and exploring the deep reefs and caves in the Maldives. And In the past 14 years he has built a successful career in underwater photography and is an Award winning underwater photographer. His underwater photographs have been published in various international and local magazines.
Odessa Bugarin
Philippines
Mermaid Speaker (2015)
Mermaid Odessa manages Odessa Mermaid Academy in the Philippines. She is also a scuba diving and freediving instructor. She has recently set a national record for a static apnea competition under AIDA, organised by Freediving Planet Moalboal, holding her breath four minutes, 19 seconds.
Suzan Meldonian
USA
Photography Speaker (2015)
Suzan Meldonian is a photojournalist specializing in underwater and nature photography. Her mission is to show the wild and wonderful creatures rarely seen before. Her images have been seen in publications such as Ocean Geographic, Guy Harvey Magazine, Scuba Diving Magazine, Art & Culture, Scubashooters and Smithsonian.
Suzan has published two books, “Under the Bridge” and the “BHB Companion” photo ID books of the strange and unusual marine life found at the Blue Heron Bridge, in Florida. Still fascinated by the discovery of bizarre marine life, six years ago, she submerged into the mysterious world of Black Water Diving, fulfilling this explorer’s need to discover new creatures.
Black Water Diving has now sprung into action around the globe which is very exciting. It used to be an arena reserved only for scientists with special equipment and funded expeditions. This is uncharted territory! To capture alien creatures in the vertical migration, in situ, in 5 meters is incredible. It is yet, another layer of underwater photography. It’s especially exciting when a photo is sent back with I.D’s from top scientists from around the world; from MBARI, Harvard, Cornell, Smithsonian, and the NOAA. She has no doubt that this type of photography will bring these two worlds closer in understanding The Sea Around Us.
Susan is a member of the Ocean Artist’s Society and was recently nominated as a Sea Hero by Scuba Diving Magazine and Seiko for her awareness work with the Blue Heron Bridge, and also received the Photojournalist of the Year by Ocean Geographic.
She offers stock and artistic images at NiteFlight Photo Graphics: http://www.niteflightphoto.com
and has launched her new project, http://www.DiscovertheOceans.com seeking to unite the underwater world even further.
Mike Bartick
USA / Philippines
Photography Speaker (2015)
Mike is a widely published, award-winning photographer, writer and international public speaker with work appearing monthly in various publications, aquariums and museums.
Originally from Southern California, he has an insatiable love for finding unique marine life and telling their story through photo and video.
Mike is a widely published, award-winning photographer, writer and international public speaker with work appearing monthly in various publications, aquariums and museums.
He hosts photo clinics, workshops and seminars at Crystal Blue Resort, concentrating on the different aspects of Underwater Photography and the natural history of South-East Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
Michele Westmorland
USA
Photography Speaker (2015)
Michele is a freelance photographer with a variety of photographic skills. Westmorland Images, LLC operates from her home in Redmond, Washington. Michele has created a vast library of imagery from around the world. Although she produces commercial marketing images for resorts and the scuba diving industry, she is especially passionate about conservation and is proud to be a Senior Fellow of International League of Conservation Photographers. In November, 2016, she won the Fellow of the Year award from iLCP. Most recently in November of 2019, she received Lifetime Explorer Award – Sea of Change Foundation. Her underwater and cultural photography has gained international recognition. Michele understands the need to tell a visual story, whether it covers exotic locations or the wonders of the natural world.
She is also a Fellow National of the prestigious Explorers Club, a member of the Society of Woman Geographers, Wings WorldQuest, NANPA and was inducted into the Woman Divers Hall of Fame in 2011. In addition, Michele received the Fellowship Award from NANPA at the biennial summit in February, 2015. Much of her imagery has appeared in national and international publications. Michele has won several awards for her imagery including, Grand Prize in the Papua New Guinea Underwater category, the Environmental Photography Invitational, Photo District News, and many others. She is proud to be included in the book “Adventurous Dreams-Adventurous Lives” by Jason Schoonover. Her book “Ocean Duets” was published in 2006 and is focused on the beauty of the underwater world. As a speaker, Michele has given a variety of lectures on culture, the marine environment and photography workshops. Locations she is most proud to share her stories include: Keynote Speaker for NANPA, BLUE Ocean Film Festival, Explorers Club Sea Stories, Pingyao International Photography Festival in China and Museum of Fine Art in St. Petersburg, Florida. Michele is especially proud of a documentary film released in 2017, Headhunt Revisited: With Brush, Canvas and Camera. The film has appeared in various film festival and proud that it won “Best Foreign Documentary” at LA Femme International Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Michael Aw
Australia
Photography Speaker (2015)
Michael AW is a wildlife photographer, explorer and a conservationist. He has authored 35 books about the ocean. His accolades include more than 66 international photographic awards and being named as one of the world’s most influential nature photographers by Outdoor Photography magazine. His essays and pictures have been published in BBC Wildlife, GEO, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Nature, Ocean Geographic, Asian Geographic, Nature Focus, Times, and Discovery to name but a few. In 2018, he was awarded the Award of Excellence by Our World Underwater in Chicago.
Mathieu Meur
Mauritius
Photography Speaker (2015)
An underwater photography veteran of over 25 years, Mathieu authored the first PADI-approved digital underwater photography specialty course in the world in 2001. He contributes regular columns on photography techniques in dive and photography publications and co-authored An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography with Michael Aw in 2004 – the first book entirely dedicated to the techniques associated with shooting digital underwater. He has published two interactive e-books on underwater digital photography: Complete Digital Underwater Photography (2013) and Everything on Underwater Photography (2014).
Laurent Ballesta
France
Photography Speaker (2015)
Laurent studied marine biology, which culminated in a Master’s degree. He discovered a species of fish hitherto unknown in the Western Mediterranean. Combining his passion for underwater photography with his work as a biologist, Laurent has won numerous awards, and has been featured in international publications.
Indra Swari W
Indonesia
Photography Speaker (2015)
Through her photography, Indra hopes to share not just the beauty of the underwater world, but to reflect the natural behavior of marine creatures and raise awareness of how fragile the environment can be. Her passion for wildlife was ignited at an early age by Sir David Attenborough, whom she finally got to meet in person when she won the underwater category of the BBC/Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Chen Yuping
China
Underwater Photographer
Photography Speaker (2015)
YUPING CHEN was a speaker of ADEX BEIJING in 2015,2016,2017 and 2018. Before becoming a diver and underwater photographer, Yuping Chen has worked for years as an attorney and senior partner at a large law firm in Beijing. She was a very typical “office lady” back then. In 2012, She started to learn underwater photography. Through her lens, a lot of unique moments were successfully captured and photographed. As a female underwater photographer, she is very good at photographing some ordinary marine creatures, and captures their unique charm. From the perspective of woman’s sensibility, she shows the delicate vitality of the sea and the beauty of nature.
Bo Mancao
Philippines
Photography Speaker (2015)
Combining a deep appreciation for scuba, imagery and sustainable tourism, Bo Mancao has become an icon in the Southeast Asian dive industry – take one glimpse at his work, experience, genuine hospitality and island charm, and it’s clear why he is one of the one of the dive industry’s top travel influencers.
A multi award-winning underwater photographer and cinematographer, Bo has represented the Philippines in numerous international shootouts, and his images have been used by the Philippines Department of Tourism to promote diving and dive travel. “I want to communicate visual stories about our oceans,” says Bo. And he has, filming for award-winning ocean documentaries, international lifestyle programs and short films focusing on conservation.
Bart Lukasik
Poland
Photography Speaker (2015)
Bart Lukasik is a professional underwater videographer and dive expedition guide, who has worked on projects on the East coast of Southern Africa. Bart’s work has been published worldwide by respected natural history content providers.
Amos Nachoum
USA
Photography Speaker (2015)
From freediving with blue whales to scuba diving in the Okavango Delta with crocodiles, Amos Nachoum has explored every body of water from the North Pole to Antarctica. Amos’ vision is to raise awareness about our oceans’ giants in their habitats.
Amanda Cotton
USA
Photography Speaker (2015)
Award winning Underwater Photographer and Expedition Leader Amanda Cotton melds the human element with the beauty hidden within our oceans in an effort to educate and empower others to become personally involved in the fight to maintain our precious, yet highly fragile aquatic ecosystems.
Gianluca Genoni
Milan
Freediving Speaker (2015)
Gianluca Genoni’s success in the pool as a competitive swimmer paved the way for his discovery of apnea. His first world record, for variable ballast freediving, was in 1996 in Siracusa (Sicily), with a depth of 106 metres. Genoni has since dedicated more than 20 years to deep freediving, attaining 18 world records in the discipline.
Flavia Eberhard
Brazil
Professional Model, Freediving Champion
Freediving Speaker (2015)
Flavia Eberhard is an international fashion model, South American freediving champion,
TV presenter, conservationist, Yoga Teacher and owner of “Freedive Mexico” School.
Scouted by FORD Models from the age of 17 she participated in numerous campaigns, magazines, catwalk shows, commercials and hosted her own TV show APNEA about freediving around the world.
Passionate with the sea since her childhood, Flavia joined various water sports, but it was below the surface that she found her real passion for freediving. Able to hold her breath for 6 minutes and dive to 74 meters in one breath, she achieved 9 records for Brazil including a South American title. Sharing her time between the flashlights and her love for the sea, Flavia wishes to connect fashion modelling to the awareness of the beauty and fragility of our oceans. In this talk, she will talk about her path and share underwater modelling tips with you aiming to bring an edge to your shoots.
Ai Futaki
Japan
Freediving Speaker (2015)
In 2011, Ai Futaki set two Guinness World Records for “The Longest Distance Swam in a Cave with One Breath” both with and without fins, in Chikin- Ha, Mexico. It was the first such attempt by a female in this category anywhere in the world.
Simon Pridmore
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2015)
Over the last 25 years, Simon Pridmore has pioneered mixed-gas deep diving in Asia and been involved in technical diver training, exploration and equipment manufacturing. Today, he writes books for divers, most recently “Scuba Exceptional – Become the Best Diver You Can Be” and “Dining with Divers – A Taste for Adventure”.
Paul Toomer
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2015)
A working instructor trainer and expedition diver with a wealth of diving experience and an inexhaustible arsenal of yarns, my next guest in the ADEX Pixel Virtual Expo series of, “Conversations with …” presentations – broadcast live via Zoom on Thursday 13th August – is, Paul Toomer, the President of, RAID, the newest and most innovative of the international diver training organisations.
Discovering, in technical diving, his true passion, Paul has dived wrecks and caves all around the world, safely planned and executed dives to depths deeper than 100-metres, and been a valued member of numerous wreck and archaeological expeditions.
A ‘fireside chat’ that promises equal measures of info-tainment tempered with good advice, this will be a session well worth watching.
Michael Menduno
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2015)
An award-winning reporter and technologist, Michael has written about diving and diving technology for 30 years. He coined the term “technical diving.” His magazine aquaCORPS: The Journal for Technical Diving (1990-1996) helped usher tech diving into mainstream sports diving. He produced the first Tek, EUROTek and ASIATek conferences, and organized Rebreather Forums 1.0 and 2.0. He received the OZTEK Media Excellence Award in 2011, the EUROTek Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the TEKDive USA Media Award in 2018.
Gideon Liew
Singapore
Tekdive Speaker (2015)
Gideon Liew has been diving since 1984. He began his experience in awe of the diverse environments to be found in Southeast Asia, from pristine reefs to mysterious wrecks. In 1994, he began pursuing a career in the diving industry, working with different operators, developing experience guiding and teaching from liveaboards and land-based centres. His desire to dive beyond the limits of recreational diving led him to seek further education, to explore new environments, especially deep wrecks in the South China Sea.
Dharshana Jayawardena
Sri Lanka
Tekdiving Speaker (2015)
Dharshana Jayawardena is a pioneering solo underwater explorer in Sri Lanka. He is the author of Ghosts of the Deep – Diving the shipwrecks of Sri Lanka and has identified the origins of several mystery wrecks in Sri Lanka and discovered its first underwater cave system.
Casey McKinlay
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2015)
As an avid and passionate underwater explorer since 1989, Casey McKinlay has been part of numerous expeditions to explore and document some of the planet’s most remote and challenging landscapes, including flooded cave systems, virgin ocean reefs and historic shipwrecks.
Ben Reymenants
Belgium
Tekdiving Speaker (2015)
Belgium Ben Reymenants is probably best know for his deep dives, his work in the diving medicine field and cave explorations. His career spans close to 3 decades under water and his exploits and teaching style makes him popular for technical courses. He owns a dive centre in Phuket Thailand where he runs technical instructor workshops and deep cave courses in the jungle. He is a fellow of the explorers club and he was part of the initial cave rescue team in the North of Thailand for which he was decorated.
Alex Santos
Philippines
Tekdiving Speaker (2015)
Alex is a commercial and technical diver. He and his PHILTECH team work in harsh and peculiar environments. Their unusual profiles allow him to study predispositions to DCS and develop in-water recompression methods for rapid treatment.
Alex also does deep recovery work for valuable objects and victims of drowning. His experience in body recovery has been called upon many times during disasters at sea, and he has trained recovery teams from the Philippines and from overseas.
Cave diving however is his true passion. He is a member of the Filipino Cave Divers, individuals who apply their diverse academic backgrounds in the study and preservation of underwater caves.
Louis Ng
Singapore
VIP Guest Speaker (2015)
Louis is a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC and Chairman of the Nee Soon Town Council. He is also the Founder and Chief Executive of ACRES. He has been a Grassroots Leader since 2008 and was presented with the Advocate of the Year award in the inaugural Singapore Advocacy Awards 2014. In 2011, Louis received the inaugural Yahoo! Singapore 9 award. In 2002, Louis received the HSBC/ NYAA (National Youth Achievement Award) Youth Environmental Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of environmental protection and nature conservation in Singapore.
Judi Lowe
Australia
Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2015)
Judi Lowe is a marine science PhD candidate at Southern Cross University, New South Wales, Australia, with an unusual background. Using her experience as a diver, accountant and international lawyer, Judi’s research takes a fresh approach, solving practical, real-world problems in the conservation of coral reefs, fish and the marine megafauna we love to dive with.
Cristina Zenato
Bahamas
Tekdiving Speaker (2015)
A professional diver since 1994, Cristina is an ocean and cave explorer, shark behaviorist, photographer, speaker, writer and conservationist.
A member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, and The Explorers Club, she is a firm believer in the power of education and spends her time teaching below and above the water. She has conducted the exploration and surveys of numerous new cave systems and is the first person to ever connect an entrance on land with an open ocean blue hole.
She is the founder of the nonprofit People of the Water, organized to widen the distribution of training, education, research related to ocean and environmental issues.
Odessa Bugarin
Philippines
Mermaid Speaker (2016)
Mermaid Odessa manages Odessa Mermaid Academy in the Philippines. She is also a scuba diving and freediving instructor. She has recently set a national record for a static apnea competition under AIDA, organised by Freediving Planet Moalboal, holding her breath four minutes, 19 seconds.
Joyce Ng
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2016)
Joyce Ng is a PADI Divemaster and Hong Kong’s first mermaid. With a passion for underwater photography, Joyce has won awards in several international photography contests, and has been published in various magazines. As an underwater model, she aims to create an ocean-human connection.
Jonathan Chong
Singapore
Freediving Speaker (2016)
A competitive freediver, Jonathan currently holds all the Singapore national records in freediving and is a master freediver instructor. Jonathan also formed the Apnea Association of Singapore, an organisation focusing and supporting the growth of Freediving in Singapore. Armed with a background in multiple competitive sports, a Master’s in Psychology and the Singapore Freediving Academy, Jonathan’s goal is to help develop freedivers and the sport in Singapore.To Jonathan, freediving is more than just a sport, it is a gateway to understanding oneself and overcoming inner barriers.
Michelle Ooi
Singapore
Freediving Speaker (2016)
Michelle started freediving in 2011 and has never looked back since. An ex competitive swimmer, triathlete, underwater rugby player, rock climber and certified rescue scuba diver, she feels that freediving is the only sport to have had such a profound effect on her personality and lifestyle. Although she enjoys the challenge of training and competition, Michelle’s favourite part of freediving is spending time in the water connecting with other ocean inhabitants, which gave rise to her interest in marine conservation. She enjoys teaching and helping other people discover the joys of freediving.
Chris Kim
Canada
Co-Founder, Molchanovs
Freediving Speaker (2016)
Chris Kim – Molchanovs Co-Founder and Former CEO, Zen Freediving Co-Founder. After a career in technology at such companies as Facebook, Google and Yahoo!, Chris discovered a passion for freediving. He left the corporate world and works to share his love of freediving, co-founding Zen Freediving (a leading freediving school in Singapore), as well as Molchanovs (a producer of record shattering freediving gear and the fastest growing freediving education system in the world).
William Tan
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2016)
William Tan has been fascinated with the creatures of the sea since his childhood. He travels extensively throughout the Pacific region, judging underwater photo competitions, and photographing marine life for tourism organisations, scientific research groups, dive magazines, camera manufacturers and resorts.
Rico Besserdich
Germany
Photography Speaker (2016)
Besserdich is a professional photographer, artist and visual philosopher specialising in “Aquatic Imaging”, the art of utilising water as the key element of expression in imagery. In 2018, he celebrates his 40th anniversary of being involved in photographic arts. His mission to raise awareness for the importance of water earned him recognition by the Nobel Organisation, the United Nations, the Swedish Parliament, among others. His images have been published in magazines and books all around the world. Rico is also a member of the Ocean Artists Society. He wrote two books about underwater photography and was a lecturer for artistic underwater photography at the SAAR Academy of Fine Arts, Germany.
Richard Meng
China
Photography Speaker (2016)
Member of Chinese Photographers Association; member of Chinese Art Photography Society; member of China International Marine Photography Association; Director of Beijing Photographic Art Association. Olympus and Sony (China) Certified Underwater Photographer. Invited as the general advisor and judge for “China Underwater Photography Competition” for many times; invited as the judge of “Underwater Photo Challenge UWPC” for many times.
He graduated from Peking University and has studied in Japan and the United States. He has worked for world-class advertising companies for many years and serves world-renowned brands. He has been engaged in diving and underwater photography activities for nearly 20 years, and has traveled all over the world and won many awards in international underwater photography competitions. His works have been included in the “Chinese Yearbook of Photography Art 2012”, “Ultimate Beauty – China National Geographic Books” and other albums. He is the author of “The Elves of the Sea” (Published by Electronic Industry Press, 2015), and won the First Prize for Excellent Science Works of the Chinese Science Writers Association.
In 2015, he was selected as one of the “102 most enlightening underwater photographers worth knowing in the world” by the famous diving magazine “ScubaDiver”.
Glenn Yong
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2016)
Glenn is a Singapore-based professional photographer specializing in commercial and underwater photography. He has shot for various scuba diving resorts and destinations in Asia, gaining him recognition and accreditation from international professional photography associations.
Laurent Ballesta
France
Photography Speaker (2016)
Laurent studied marine biology, which culminated in a Master’s degree. He discovered a species of fish hitherto unknown in the Western Mediterranean. Combining his passion for underwater photography with his work as a biologist, Laurent has won numerous awards, and has been featured in international publications.
Alex Mustard
United Kingdom
Photography Speaker (2016)
Alex Mustard is an underwater photographer and marine biologist. He took his first underwater photos when just 9 years old. Alex has a Ph.D. in marine ecology and worked a marine scientist until 2004, when underwater photography became his career.
He has been winning international photography awards since his teens and his work is particularly well known from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, where it has featured in 14 different portfolio books of winning photographs over the last 20 years. In 2013, he was named overall winner of the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year and is still the only underwater winner of that title. His book Reefs Revealed (2007) won the International Prize for Best Book of the Year at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures. He is a founder and chair of UPY: the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.
He is especially known for sharing his knowledge, his best-selling book Underwater Photography Masterclass (2016) was reprinted just two weeks after being released. He runs highly popular underwater photography workshops all over the world. During lockdown he has recorded more than 200 episodes of Wetpixel Live, an educational YouTube on underwater photography with Adam Hanlon.
He has written over 500 illustrated articles for magazines around the world on underwater photography, marine life and scuba diving, and photographed over 200 underwater covershots. He has contributed to more than 50 books, including those that accompany landmark documentary series, such as David Attenborough’s Life On Earth, Blue Planet and Our Planet.
In 2007, Nissan built a concept car version of the NV200 specifically designed around his needs as an underwater photographer, although he does not get to used it as it is now displayed in the Nissan museum in Tokyo! Alex is an Ambassador for Mares and Fourth Element.
He has been an Editor at Wetpixel.com since 2006, and a committee member of the British Society of Underwater Photographers since 2002. In 2016, he received the ADEX Award for his ‘Extraordinary Contribution to Underwater Photography” and in 2020 he was awarded the Golden Trident from the International Academy of Underwater Sciences.
In 2018, he received national recognition, receiving the title of MBE from Queen Elizabeth II for ‘services to underwater photography’.
Michael Aw
Australia
Photography Speaker (2016)
Michael AW is a wildlife photographer, explorer and a conservationist. He has authored 35 books about the ocean. His accolades include more than 66 international photographic awards and being named as one of the world’s most influential nature photographers by Outdoor Photography magazine. His essays and pictures have been published in BBC Wildlife, GEO, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Nature, Ocean Geographic, Asian Geographic, Nature Focus, Times, and Discovery to name but a few. In 2018, he was awarded the Award of Excellence by Our World Underwater in Chicago.
Matthew Smith
Australia
Photography Speaker (2016)
I have always had an attraction to the water and the tricks it plays on light for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are of my brother and I snorkelling on family holidays to France and the Mediterranean Sea. I can clearly remember my first experience of watching shafts of sunlight weave and dance down into the deep blue, carved by the rippling ocean surface.
I bought my first film SLR camera in my teens to try and capture what I loved to see and I used it to shoot the coastlines of my home country of the United Kingdom. It wasn’t long before my curiosity and appetite for shooting the ocean meant I would have to get in and shoot underwater, so I saved and bought a waterproof housing for my camera so I could explore further.
As my photography skills grew I needed to travel more to get the images I imagined, so trips abroad to far off countries followed. Now residing in NSW Australia after emigrating from the UK in 2007 I have the worlds biggest playground at my feet, the Pacific Ocean….. And I have truly fallen in love with it.
For me one of the most wondrous parts of any dive is the moment that the water engulfs my mask as my head slips below the surface. I think it’s the suspense of the unknown of what lies beneath, the transitional part of moving from one element to the next that feels so magical and the thought of what alien creatures I might encounter.
I really enjoy and also feel it’s very important to show people the treasures we have in our oceans, how fragile they are and the importance of protecting them. I like to use my skills as an underwater photographer to try to amaze and educate.
Matty’s work has been exhibited all around the world from the London Natural History Museum in the UK to the Australian Museum in Sydney. He speaks publicly about his style and approach and is staff photographer for Ocean Geographic Magazine and a Nikon Australia and Aquatica Digital brand ambassador.
Matty Smith’s portfolio “A Parallel Universe: Windows Beneath the Waves” is a selection of his favourite and most successful images taken half over and half under the water. This collection has won him several highly acclaimed international awards from the BBC & National Geographic among many others and worldwide recognition of his unique signature style.
Matty’s work has been used and published by The BBC’s Blue Planet 2 Documentary, National Geographic, Ocean Geographic, BBC Wildlife Magazine, GEO, The Washington Post, The Australian and The Guardian amongst many others, as well as featured in TV appearances on The Discovery Channel, Channel 9 (Australia) and Channel 7 (Australia).
Tobias Friedrich
Germany
Photography Speaker (2020)
Tobias Friedrich lives in Germany and started taking pictures with a DSLR underwater in the year 2007. Since then his images have been published in prestigious scuba diving magazines and newspapers around the world. Several underwater photographic competitions, have honoured his work, resulting in over 50 awards with nearly 30 1st places. Lately he has been named “Underwater Photographer of the Year 2018” in the prestigious UPY London competition and “German Photographer of the Year 2019” in Germany. All waters, from zero to 30° Celsius, are attractive for him, at least there is something to photograph. He is SEACAM equipment for his Canon EOS 1DX Mark II and 5D Mark II DSLR. He is leading expeditions and workshops around the world, where everybody can join.
Roger Munns
United Kingdom / Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2020)
Roger is currently working as a Director of Photography on a landmark series about the world’s Oceans for Netflix. He was a principal cameraman on the BBC’s Blue Planet II series, Director of Photography on Apple’s Under the Sea Screensavers, and a sequence cameraman on David Attenborough’s Seven Worlds, One Planet. He is a British Emmy™ and BAFTA award-winning underwater cameraman, based in Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia.
Specialising in Natural history documentary film-making, Roger logged over 600hrs underwater as a principal cameraman on the Blue Planet II series. He filmed ten different stories for four episodes – One Ocean, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean and Our Blue Planet. You can read more about that on Roger’s Blue Planet II blog.
An underwater cameraman since 2001 Roger has experience working in diverse locations and habitats from the Antarctic to the tropics, open ocean to coral reefs. While enjoying the challenge of filming megafauna, such as manta rays and blue whales, his specialty is crafting complex, character-led stories. Notable sequences include ‘Percy the Tuskfish’ smashing clams on an anvil for Blue Planet II, the first filming of the humpback whale heat-run in Tonga for One Life and a story about human interactions with the largest fish in the sea – Whale Sharks, for Seven Worlds, One Planet
Roger is an excellent freediver and has logged over 600hrs on various rebreathers including his rEvo closed circuit rebreather. He owns and operates an 8K Red DSMC2 Helium and a 5K Red Gemini cinema camera housed in a Gates Deep Weapon underwater housing and has worked extensively with lighting and grip underwater.
Michele Hall
USA
Photography Speaker (2020)
Howard and Michele Hall are wildlife filmmakers who specialize in marine wildlife films. Working as a team, they have produced and directed many television films including films for PBS and National Geographic. Their television work has resulted in seven Emmy Awards.
The Halls are perhaps best known for producing and directing underwater IMAX films, including Into the Deep, Island of the Sharks, Deep Sea 3D and Under the Sea 3D. Their IMAX films have earned over $240 million in box office receipts.
They have also lent their expertise to other IMAX productions, including Coral Reef Adventure, Journey to the South Pacific and Humpback Whales.
They’re currently in production on two films: another Giant Screen IMAX film, and a feature-length documentary.
Michele is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame. They have been inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, and were named as honorees of the 2016 Hans Hass Award. Both are recipients of the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences’ NOGI Award.
Howard Hall
USA
Photography Speaker (2020)
Howard and Michele Hall are wildlife filmmakers who specialize in marine wildlife films. Working as a team, they have produced and directed many television films including films for PBS and National Geographic. Their television work has resulted in seven Emmy Awards.
The Halls are perhaps best known for producing and directing underwater IMAX films, including Into the Deep, Island of the Sharks, Deep Sea 3D and Under the Sea 3D. Their IMAX films have earned over $240 million in box office receipts.
They have also lent their expertise to other IMAX productions, including Coral Reef Adventure, Journey to the South Pacific and Humpback Whales.
They’re currently in production on two films: another Giant Screen IMAX film, and a feature-length documentary.
Michele is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame. They have been inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, and were named as honorees of the 2016 Hans Hass Award. Both are recipients of the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences’ NOGI Award.
Paul Rose
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2020)
A man at the front line of exploration and one of the world’s most experienced science expedition leaders. Former Vice President of the Royal Geographical Soceity, Paul is Expedition Leader for the National Geographic Pristine Seas Expeditions. The Royal Geographical Society has awarded Paul the Ness Award and the Founders Gold Medal. He is Ambasssador for the UN Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Paul was the Base Commander of the Rothera Research Station, Antartica, for the British Antarctic Survey for ten years and was awarded HM The Queen’s Polar Medal. A mountain in Antartica is named after him
Jim Standing
United Kingdom
Fourth Element
Tekdiving Speaker (2020)
Jim Standing is the co-founder of fourth element, and along with Paul Strike, has spent the past 20 years building a company and brand dedicated to improving divers’ thermal protection and apparel. In recent years, the company has undergone a shift to develop products with a greater focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, beginning with the OceanPositive swimwear line, progressing to wetsuits made from plant based materials. The company actively supports conservation projects around the world, dedicated to sustainability and the preservation of the environment.
Gareth Lock
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2020)
Gareth has been involved in high-risk work since he left school in 1989. He spent 25 years in the RAF in a variety of front-line operational, research and development and systems engineering roles which has given him a unique perspective. In 2005 he started his dive training with GUE and is now an advanced trimix diver (Tech 2) and JJ-CCR Normoxic trimix diver. In 2016 he formed The Human Diver with goal of bringing his operational, human factors and systems thinking to diving safety. Since then he has trained more than 350 people face-to-face around the globe, taught nearly 2000 people via online programmes, sold more than 4000 copies of his book Under Pressure: Diving Deeper with Human Factors, and produced ‘If Only…’ a documentary about a fatal dive told through the lens of Human Factors and a Just Culture. His goal, bring human factors practice and knowledge into the diving community to improve safety, performance and enjoyment.
Bret Gilliam
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2020)
Gilliam has founded and sold six companies since 1971, comprising if V.I. Divers Ltd, Ocean Quest International, AMF Yachting Group, G2 Publishing Inc, Divesafe Insurance and International Training Inc. As Vice President and CEO, he was instrumental in taking UWATEC Public in a sale for 44 million Dollars to JWA in 1997 and sold his publishing company ISCUBA Times and Deep Tech to Petersen/E-Map in 1999. His entrepreneurial success in the diving industry have made him a multi-millionaire. The aggregate value of his companies when sold was in excess of $80 million.
Swietenia Puspa Lestari
Indonesia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Swietenia Puspa Lestari is the founder and executive director of Divers Clean Action (DCA), a youth-led organization based in Indonesia that focuses on marine debris cleanup. Currently, DCA works with more than 1,500 volunteers across Southeast Asia. Beyond cleanup efforts, DCA has also launched environmental programs with diving institutions and conducted various training and campaigns with the coastal community. For her work, Lestari was named as one of BBC’s 100 inspiring and influential women last year. In 2017, Lestari represented Indonesia at the United Nations Climate Change to speak about youth involvement in marine issues.
Shaahina Ali
Maldives
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Shaahina Ali is the first female Maldivian to work professionally in the diving industry of Maldives. She has more than 30 years of Diving experience. With passion and experience as a background she has set up the Dive Centre, worked intensely with the government in bringing and formalizing Recreational Diving Standards in the Maldives. Her passion and continuous work to educate the locals to understand the Ocean has contributed immensely for the recent government program “Faru Koe” – to make each school child to see the reef atleast once before end of 2018.
She has also travelled throughout the Maldives and is among the few that have visited all the inhabited islands. Today she heads Parley For The Oceans in the Maldives and is the executive that is leading a national program to implement the Parley AIR strategy and to make Maldives the showcase for combatting Ocean Plastics.
Sam Shu Qin
Singapore
Co-Founder, Our Singapore Reefs
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Sam is an avid diver, coral scientist and educator. With the main intention to raise awareness about marine debris, She co-founded Our Singapore Reefs to connect like-minded marine enthusiasts through diving and educational outreach programmes. With her training in science communication, she hopes to increase public knowledge, inspire marine stewardship and promote discussions in marine science and conservation through various public engagement activities.
Rili Djohani
Indonesia
Coral Triangle Centre Executive Director
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Rili has worked for over 25 years to improve the management and financial sustainability of marine protected areas and to reduce unsustainable fishing practices in Southeast Asia. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Coral Triangle Center (CTC), a learning centre of excellence on coastal and marine resources management based in Bali. Rili is one of the lead convenors of the six-nation Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) Task Force on Sustainable Marine Tourism.
Mogesh Sababathy
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Mogesh is a co-founder of ‘Project Ocean Hope’, a youth-led group that aims to raise the visibility of ocean issues and environmental conservation through campaigns and youth leadership training. The group has also run educational community projects to reduce littering and unsustainable fishing practices, and an ocean literacy webinar series on waste management, reaching over 10,000 individuals across 15 countries. He is an impassioned ocean activist committed to go beyond awareness and develop positive behaviors around ocean protection as well as to raise visibility of ocean issues among Malaysian youths.
Louise Hardman
Australia
Plastic Collective CEO/Co-Founder
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Louise Hardman is an Environmental Science/Chemistry teacher who started Plastic Collective in 2016 to provide waste plastic solutions for remote and islands communities through education, technology and empowerment. Her goal is to provide Resource Recovery micro-enterprises for the 4,000 inhabited islands throughout Asia-Pacific region where waste plastic pollution is prolific.
Dr. Lionel Ng
Singapore
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr Lionel Ng is broadly interested in coral reefs and marine conservation. His current research focuses on mariculture, the ecology of urbanized marine environments, as well as the development of strategies to enhance coral reef restoration outcomes.
Dr Nicholas Hardman-Mountford
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Nick Hardman-Mountford is Head of Oceans and Natural Resources at the
Commonwealth Secretariat where he leads the Commonwealth Blue Charter Initiative and a
technical advisory team working on ocean governance and sustainable natural resource
development projects in Commonwealth countries. Prior to joining the Commonwealth, Dr
Hardman-Mountford was principal scientist at Australia’s national research agency, the
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). His research on
ocean observations and modelling has taken him to the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and
Southern Oceans and has found application in addressing a diverse range of societal drivers
such as sustainable blue economies, carbon storage, food security, energy and climate
change. Dr Hardman-Mountford has published over 100 research papers, book chapters,
articles and technical reports. He is adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia.
Chloe Harvey
United Kingdom
Director, Reef World Foundation
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Chloe Harvey is a professional diver and marine biologist who has supported businesses from all segments of the diving industry on environmental considerations since 2008. As manager of the UK Charity Reef-World and in partnership with the UN Environment, she has developed the Green Fins initiative for sustainable diving. Through this, she provides over 500 business owners and national authorities with the tools and support needed to drive a sustainable industry across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Palau, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Jean-Claude Monachon
Switzerland
Guest Speaker (2020)
Jean-Claude Monachon, most commonly called JC, Swiss who considers himself as man of the world, started his diving professional career in 1986 in the Maldives.
1986 was the moment where he decided to follow his passion and leave the 9-5 job that was not fulfilling him. Yes, diving gave him the chance to travel the world, meet different cultures and enjoy some of the most fantastic places in the world above and under the surface.
JC is a visionary and always search for the best alternative to support the Training Centers and the Pros with programs that sometimes make the community smile, like the SSI Mermaid program who positioned the SSI brand on the top in China for example.
He considers himself as a field person, you can’t understand the market demand if you are not close to your customers, therefore he has always privileged the human and personal contact. So 60% of his time (before Covid) was dedicated to travel, meet and greet professionals of the industry.
In 2020, the World changed, then his best statement is that there is always an opportunity and that “Imperfection is better than Inaction”. Under his guidance, he created the SSI Digital University to bring all the knowledge on how to leverage social medias for the business. First he learns daily new skills so that he can bring them across to other people, then as a team person, he motivated the staff and the SSI Service Centers to apply what is applied in marketing today.
And here you go, thousands of professionals could enjoy a strong support while meeting him and his team virtually during the past 18 months. Over 300 virtual seminars where held in 25 languages.
Now, JC is keen to restart traveling and coming back to his ADEX friends
Clement Lee
Malaysia
Member of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame
Guest Speaker (2020)
Clement Lee started his diving career in 1983 and was one of the pioneers who introduced PADI professional certification in Sabah, Malaysia. He retired in 2012 and was appointed as the Malaysia Diving Advisor the following year. He served for two years before being reappointed as the Malaysia Dive Ambassador, which he still is today. In 2016, Clement, who was one of the first Malaysian PADI Course Directors in 1991, was appointed by PADI as PADI Dive AmbassaDiver
Bruce Dudley
Canada
Globe Series Senior Vice President
Guest Speaker (2020)
Bruce is a senior consultant with Delphi’s Sustainability Services where his primary responsibilities involve providing high-level strategic advice to public and private institutions on various facets of sustainability and carbon management. Bruce is also Senior Vice President for Accelerating Sustainability Events Management Inc., which operates the GLOBE™ Series of Conferences. His primary role is to design the strategy for the Innovation Expo and B2B activities while providing engagement and moderating support for the events.
Dr. Jidon Janaun
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dr. Jidon obtained his PhD from the University of British Columbia, Canada in Chemical and Biological Engineering in 2012. Dr. Jidon has produced 7 patented innovations, to which six of the patents have been commercialized namely LAMB Dryer, UMS Eco-Solar Dryer, UMS Eco-Solar House, Residual Oil Extractor and UMS River Cleaning Machine. The inventions are currently being used commercially by the local communities and the industries. Dr. Jidon has won many research awards nationally and internationally. Currently, Dr. Jidon’s work involve in using plastic for adsorbing oil from wastewater, and also converting waste plastic into diesel fuel.
Mary Sayre
USA
Ocean Artist
Ocean Artist Speaker (2020)
Artist Mary Sayre is known for her sea life and waterscape paintings. Her love of the ocean is illustrated in oils on canvas and acrylics on marble. Her innovative art form utilizes the veins of the crystalline in the marble creating an elegant yet organic canvas. Her works are exhibited and collected internationally. Scuba diver, sailor, avid traveler and passionate artist, Mary recently traveled to Indonesia serving as “Artist of the Exhibition” with the Ocean Geographic Elysium – Heart OF The Triangle Expedition.
Dieter Rudolph
USA
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Dieter Rudolph is the Director for the Earth Island Institute project “Stop Fish Bombing SFB USA”. He has extensive experience working with Ocean focused NGOs, as President and CEO to address the impact of climate change. In the commercial sector he was responsible for business development and contract management in support of Army, Navy and Department of Energy customers. As U.S. Program Director for the Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation Program (AMEC) he supported the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Security. This $32M international program developed and demonstrated nonproliferation technologies focused on radiological and environmental issues in Russia in cooperation with the Ministries of Defense for Norway, United Kingdom, Russia and the United States. During his Navy Career, Captain Rudolph served as Deputy Oceanographer of the Navy and as Commanding Officer of three Naval Oceanographic Commands. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal and two awards of the Legion of Merit.
David Mcguire
USA
Conservation Speaker (2020)
David McGuire is the Founder and Director of the shark and marine conservation non profit Shark Stewards. A marine biologist, David is an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco where he teaches marine policy, a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences where he conducts shark research studies in the San Francisco Bay and in SE Asia. Shark Stewards introduced the California shark fin trade ban and has lead several states and international movements limiting overfishing of sharks and the shark fin trade. Shark Stewards protects critical marine habitat, working with NOAA in US National Marine Sanctuaries and establishing California Marine Protected Areas, where he is Co-chair of the Golden gate MPA collaborative.
David is also a documentarian and written having written two books and several articles on sharks and ocean adventure, and produced documentaries on shark conservation including Shark Stewards of the Reef, and the Emmy Award winning Reefs to Rainforests. He is an ocean expeditioner and a National Geographic Explorer.
David McCann
IRELAND / MALAYSIA
Sabah Shark Protection Association
Conservation Speaker (2020)
The Conservation Manager for Scuba Junkie SEAS on Mabul Island, Sabah, Malaysia, David hails from Ireland where he gained his BSc Marine Biology and MSc Environmental Management & Conservation Biology at Queen’s University Belfast. He spent more than a decade working in conservation in Ireland, New Zealand and Malaysia. A former divemaster for Scuba Junkie, he has over 7,000 dives logged in SE Asia, including thousands as a guide at Pulau Sipadan. His current work includes raising awareness of marine conservation issues, as well as developing and implementing solutions.
Clark Dunson
USA
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Clark started his career at NASA as a payload engineer, working on mission designs and hardware testing for the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs. He then moved into leadership positions on commercial spacecraft programs such as Sirius, Globalstar, and others. In 2003 he began producing remote sensing detectors for weather, earthquakes, and gunshot/fish bomb detection. In 2005 he was awarded the “Spot Beam Award” by the California Space Authority, and in 2013, the “Champions of Change” award by the White House. He is founding member on the Board of Directors for stopfishbombing.org.
Aaron Gekoski
United Kingdom / Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Gekoski is an environmental photojournalist, presenter and filmmaker. Based in Borneo, he presents wildlife and conservation shows on ScubazooTV, including Borneo/Indonesia/ Timor Leste from Below, Borneo Jungle Diaries and Borneo Wildlife Warriors. His images and articles have appeared in numerous international publications. This year, he was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year (photojournalist category), a competition organised by the Natural History Museum in London.
Hazel Oakley
United Kingdom
Tropical Research And Conservation Centre (TRACC) Managing Director
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Hazel Oakley is the Managing Director of Tracc, the Tropical Research And Conservation Centre. Based on Pulau PomPom, Sabah, Malaysia, Tracc works principally on reef restoration, rebuilding the ecosystem shattered by bomb fishing. They also advocate widely for shark and turtle conservation, sustainable fisheries and alternative livelihoods. Hazel says “All waste leads to the sea. The diving community is united in its commitment to clean seas and that must extend to making low waste choices a way of life.”
Stephen Harris
New Zealand
Guest Speaker (2020)
Stephen Harris is a New Zealand diplomat, former journalist and founder of the marine stewardship platform Maui’s Ark. Until the work was disrupted by Covid-19, Stephen led the international engagement of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) as its Special Representative, working with the 54 member countries to build collaboration to combat marine plastics pollution and its land-based causes.In 2019 he was one of ten expert panellists contributing to the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor’s Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, which wrote the blueprint for the Government’s new policy to combat plastics pollution. Until beginning this secondment in 2018 Stephen served for seven years as Director-General for South and South East Asia at New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which he joined in 2001 after a 20-year career in journalism working for daily news organisations in New Zealand, Germany, the US and Hong Kong. Stephen is a keen sailor and diver.
HE Charles Hay MVO
United Kingdom / Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
His Excellency Charles Hay MVO started as the British High Commissioner to Malaysia in March 2019 in succession to Vicki Treadell CMG MVO. Prior to Malaysia, Mr Hay was the British Ambassador to South Korea from 2015 to 2018. During his time in the British diplomatic services, he has been posted to the Czech Republic, Spain and the UK Representation to the EU in Brussels. Charles was also the Director of Consular Services in London, responsible for assisting British nationals and in crisis management worldwide. Before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1993, he was a Captain in the British Army.
Fergus Vaux
United Kingdom
Guest Speaker (2020)
Fergus Vaux, Project Development Consultant, has recently joined Blu Hope to help drive the new plastics app, ReWild. Fergus has a First Class degree in Product Design. At university his dissertation focused on the UK’s recycling infrastructure, identifying the benefits and drawbacks of bioplastics, and suggesting innovations to tackle the plastic problem. He previously worked at Muller Dairy, where he gained an in-depth knowledge of FMCG plastic packaging materials. He is currently Operations Manager at a sustainability oriented start-up.
David Monnier
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2020)
David Monnier has spent 13 years around the world, working for international NGOs, both for emergencies and development programmes. All over those years David has never been satisfied with the solution provided to people suffering from disasters. In 2017 with Anthony Cailleau, the other Co-founder of Fonto De Vivo, he decided to develop an alternative solution: the ORISA®. With the support of the main French INGOs a low cost, effective and simple household water filter was born. Designed for disaster response it happened to also be an ideal tool for clinics and schools.
Amy Dangin
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2020)
Amy Dangin is a radio announcer, TV show host, acting and voice talent, better known for her role as ‘Aunty Patrin’ in KK12FM videos. Environmentally sustainable habits is one of the topics she talks about extensively, be it on radio or on her social media platforms. When she’s not busy working on creative ideas to spread thought-provoking messages or mothering, you can find her separating waste, filling up eco-bricks, or repurposing stuff with her children, hoping to play their part in taking better care of the planet, and helping to be vessels of the message that it’s doable.
William Tan
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2021)
William Tan has been fascinated with the creatures of the sea since his childhood. He travels extensively throughout the Pacific region, judging underwater photo competitions, and photographing marine life for tourism organisations, scientific research groups, dive magazines, camera manufacturers and resorts.
Suzan Meldonian
USA
Photography Speaker (2021)
Suzan Meldonian is a photojournalist specializing in underwater and nature photography. Her mission is to show the wild and wonderful creatures rarely seen before. Her images have been seen in publications such as Ocean Geographic, Guy Harvey Magazine, Scuba Diving Magazine, Art & Culture, Scubashooters and Smithsonian.
Suzan has published two books, “Under the Bridge” and the “BHB Companion” photo ID books of the strange and unusual marine life found at the Blue Heron Bridge, in Florida. Still fascinated by the discovery of bizarre marine life, six years ago, she submerged into the mysterious world of Black Water Diving, fulfilling this explorer’s need to discover new creatures.
Black Water Diving has now sprung into action around the globe which is very exciting. It used to be an arena reserved only for scientists with special equipment and funded expeditions. This is uncharted territory! To capture alien creatures in the vertical migration, in situ, in 5 meters is incredible. It is yet, another layer of underwater photography. It’s especially exciting when a photo is sent back with I.D’s from top scientists from around the world; from MBARI, Harvard, Cornell, Smithsonian, and the NOAA. She has no doubt that this type of photography will bring these two worlds closer in understanding The Sea Around Us.
Susan is a member of the Ocean Artist’s Society and was recently nominated as a Sea Hero by Scuba Diving Magazine and Seiko for her awareness work with the Blue Heron Bridge, and also received the Photojournalist of the Year by Ocean Geographic.
She offers stock and artistic images at NiteFlight Photo Graphics: http://www.niteflightphoto.com
and has launched her new project, http://www.DiscovertheOceans.com seeking to unite the underwater world even further.
Scott Tuason
PHILIPPINES
Photography Speaker (2021)
Scott was first handed his underwater camera at the age of 16. Decades later, his passion for photography has brought him on amazing journeys. From throwing himself into a feeding frenzy to dangling off a line in open water at night, his photography has been recognised by the Palme D’or at Antibes festival for his book Anilao, which he co-authored in 2000. His latest books, Blackwater and Open Blue, have won awards and are sold out worldwide.
Steven Surina
France
Conservation Speaker (2021)
The objective of Shark Education is to train divers to interact with sharks while diving, in the form of a seminar where we teach, in a theoretical way, the factors that influence a meeting and how to interpret shark behavior. The knowledge and experience gained helps to adopt the correct behavior / approach in subsequent shark encounters. “No longer see a shark, but dive with it”.
Realizing that it is possible to interact with sharks, participants discover a new image of them. The psychological affection of having lived a privileged moment of extreme intensity with a shark encourages and leads divers to plead not only for the cause, but also to make them informed ambassadors able to pass on the torch.
Robert Suntay
Philippines
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Founder and president of the SEA-VIP Institute, a foundation that works to protect the marine biodiversity resources in the Verde Island Passage. Photographer and Cinematographer
Gregg Yan
Philippines
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Gregg Yan is a Master SCUBA Diver and Reef Check Eco-Diver. He is the Executive Director of
Best Alternatives, a nonprofit organization which promotes conservation and sustainable
aquaculture. Formerly helming communications for WWF and Oceana in the Philippines, his
stories and photographs have been featured in books, journals, magazines, newspapers and
museums all over the world. He was awarded by Reader’s Digest Asia as one of the most
trusted people in the Philippines in 2013 and was recognized by Asia Pacific Business Insider
as the top advocacy communicator for the Asia Pacific Region in 2016. He believes that
making natural systems useful – in a sustainable manner – is the most realistic conservation
approach for developing countries.
Dr AA Yaptinchay
Philippines
Conservation Speaker (2021)
“I have been involved in marine conservation management for most of my professional life, with the Philippine government’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the NGO World Wide Fund for Nature – Philippines, and recently an NGO that I founded called Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP). Working with these institutions has opened my eyes to an array of environmental and wildlife conservation issues in the country. I have taken particular interest in large marine vertebrates and marine turtles – I worked in the Turtle Islands, the biggest rookery for green turtles in South-East Asia. I have also been involved in dugong conservation, work on cetaceans, and shark conservation through a study on the whale shark fishery back in 1996.
There is very little research being conducted on shark species in the Philippines. The fact that there are probably more than 200 chondrichthyan species in Philippine waters, and that they are mostly without protection, makes it imperative that a programme for the conservation of this taxonomic group be developed. Over the past few years MWWP, with the Save Sharks Network, has worked on and supported the development of the National Plan of Action: Sharks (2018), a Philippine Roadmap 2020 for shark and ray conservation (2017) and a Philippine Shark Conservation Bill (2018). Species that need special attention, particularly those that are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, need to be prioritised. The white-spotted wedgefish, classified as Vulnerable, is one of these species. Better data need to be made available if we are to conserve the Philippines’ chondrichthyans.
Ariana Agustines
Philippines
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Ariana is an elasmobranch (sharks and rays) researcher for LAMAVE, primarily focusing on the ecology, foraging behavior and movements of whale sharks and mobula rays. She has worked with the local communities and governments of the Philippines to shed light on the importance of sharks, the threats they face locally and ways to mitigate such threats. Prior to her work with LAMAVE, Ariana worked at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida on potential antibiotic resistance properties of elasmobranch mucus. She is an avid scuba diver and enjoys exploring new cultures and outdoor adventures. She hopes to inspire people to take action to care for our planet through her personal and professional experiences.
Presentation topic:
Recent studies and assessments of global shark populations have estimated 33% are threatened with extinction. Of the roughly 200+ sharks found in Philippine waters, twelve (12) are nationally protected. We will look at what the conservation measures are for sharks in the Philippines and the current research being done to address critical conservation questions. Sharks are integral in our marine ecosystems and their need for protection should be a priority.
Adam Broadbent
United Kingdom
Zublu CEO
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Adam Broadbent is the co-founder of ZuBlu, a travel platform helping scuba divers and marine enthusiasts discover and book their next underwater adventure in Asia. With its unique search tool, over 150+ eco-friendly resorts and liveaboards to choose from, and a commitment to conserving the marine environment, ZuBlu helps you explore the blue and dive green.
Shahlimar H. Tamano
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Shahlimar Hofer Tamano heads the Department of Tourism Central Visayas Regional Office,
which covers the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor. As Regional
Director (RD), he works with the local government units and regional offices of other
national government agencies and tourism stakeholders within the region to implement the
policies & programs of the Department. He puts emphasis on ensuring the safety and
security of our tourists in the region by working closely with the law enforcement agencies,
and also focuses in growing the tourist market for Central Visayas, as well as diversifying the
tourism products and ease of movement within the provinces and in the region.
RD Tamano is a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International. He was previously elected as
a member of the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Makati which oversees policy and
management of the Club and is a representative to the Makati City Council for the
Protection of Children. He is now a member of the Rotary Club of Manila since 2017.
Commissioned in 2013, he is an Army Reserve Officer, with a rank of Major in the Philippine
Army of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
A member (blackbelt) of Philippine Judo Association, RD Tamano competed in the 2012,
2013 and 2014 Hong Kong International Judo Tournaments. In 2014, he bagged a Bronze
Medal in the 2014 Philippine National Games.
Dr Michael Macrohon
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Course Director
NAUIDAN First Aid Instructor Trainer
Technical Instructor Examiner
NAUI PHIL Representative
Andy Auer
Austria
Guest Speaker (2021)
Diver since 1996, Instructor since 2000, PADI CD, Examiner, Technical and Rebreather Diver, 8 years with PADI working mainly in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India and Sri Lanka , since May 2020 assigned to the Philippines.
Roni Ben-Aharon
Israel
Atlantis Resorts
Guest Speaker (2021)
The Philippines archipelago, in the heart of the coral triangle, offers diverse divers the chance to immerse in incredibly diverse diving. From Whale Sharks to Pygmy Squid, pristine reefs and dramatic drop offs, critter diving and Japanese WWII wrecks, between over 7000 islands, we have it all!
Join to learn where we dive with various sharks, frog fish and more among the Philippines dive destinations.
Escaping the corporate world to chase sand grains around the world, Roni has guided divers, and held marketing and management roles in various aquatic nations of Caribbean, Central America, SE Asia and the Pacific.
Roni leads Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboard Philippines partnerships in Asia and Europe, and resides in Visayas, Philippines.
HE Roland Galharague
France / Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2021)
Roland Galharague was born on March 13th, 1961. An alumnus of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, he holds degrees in Russian and German studies. He also has an advanced degree in History from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris.
Roland Galharague joined the Foreign Service in 1990. He served as First secretary to the French Embassy in Washington, DC (1996-1999), as Head of the Press Section of the French Embassy in London (2002-2005), as Deputy Chief of Mission in Pretoria (2005-2008), as Ambassador to Hungary (2012-15), and lately as Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2017-2020). At headquarters, he was among other positions, Deputy Director of Policy Planning (1999-2002), Director for Continental Europe (2008-2010), Deputy Director General for Political and Security Affairs (2010-2012), and Special adviser for Strategy to the Director General (2015-2017). He has the rank of Minister Plenipotentiary.
Roland Galharague speaks English, Russian and German. Roland Galharague is married to Yasmine Gouédard.
Awards
Roland Galharague is a Knight in the National Order of Merit and in the National Legion of Honour.”
Simon Christopher
Malaysia / United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Simon is a Sabah/Malaysia-based zoologist deeply committed to communicating the critical importance of biodiversity to as many people as possible worldwide. Having founded Scubazoo.tv and TimorBlue after more than two and half decades with more than 180 documentary programmes from BBC Natural History blockbusters such as Blue Planet II, LIFE, Human Planet – Oceans and Big Blue – Live, to hit reality shows like Survivor, Amazing Race and Man vs Wild, IMAX films like Sacred Planet and Conquest of the Skies, 3D – plus seven large format coffee-table book publications under his belt, Simon is excited to be launching BLU HOPE alongside UNESCO Ocean Decade.
Max Ammer
Netherlands
Founder of Papua Diving
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Born in the Netherlands and raised in Nigeria, Max first visited Indonesia when he was 29 and not long after made Raja Ampat his permanent residence. Now as the Director of PT Papua Diving – Sorido Bay Resort and Kri Eco Resort, and Director of Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (RARCC), Max has been introducing and upholding conservation and community-related projects in Raja Ampat since Papua Diving was founded in 1993. In his legacy, there is also Kayak4Conservation, Frontier Aviation, Batanta Education Center and many families supported, besides healthier reefs, preserved culture and natural environment.
Shafraz Naeem
Maldives
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Shafraz Naeem, known to everyone as Shaff, started his diving career in 1994. He is an ex-military dive instructor as well as PADI and SSI Instructor. He has extensive knowledge of diving all over the Maldives. He trained the Maldivian Coast Guard, Special Forces and Marines in diving. He has explored deep cave systems and exploring the deep reefs and caves in the Maldives. And In the past 14 years he has built a successful career in underwater photography and is an Award winning underwater photographer. His underwater photographs have been published in various international and local magazines.
Marthen Welly
Indonesia
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Marthen is CTC’s Marine Conservation Advisor and focuses on three key areas: government relations at the regional level, national and provincial levels; MPA policy, regulations and outreach. He also has a technical role at the Center for Marine Conservation with two key components: training and outreach with dive and boat operators, and promoting and implementing sustainable marine tourism activities in MPAs. Marthen was the Field Learning Sites Manager since 2011, managing all learning site activities. This includes all Nusa Penida MPA management support and on-site training activities, as well as the design, development and management planning support to the emerging Banda Islands MPA network and potential Atauro learning site development in Timor Leste.
David Street
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
David is a British engineer and the MD of Dive Systems Ltd. He started diving in 1985 when he was living and working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and switched to rebreathers in 2008. He is a PADI and SSI Instructor, and the Dive Systems ITT.
Since 2009 David has lived and worked in Madagascar with the marine conservation NGO Blue Ventures, as well as Italy and Malta while developing his technical deep diving skills.
Not entirely happy with traditional technical CCR bailout options, he then set about designing and building his own experimental bailout rebreather.
Undeterred by the inevitable ‘close calls’ along the way, the R&D and test diving in Malta became a journey of faith, commitment, and determination which finally produced the seminal Proteus P2, a compact, modular, multi-purpose mCCR.
Today we will find David relocated to Cologne as his passion continues the development of a wider range of modular backmount, sidemount, chestmount and bailout rebreathers. David’s other companies, Reb-Tek, Reb-Tek Medical and a new joint-venture in India, are servicing recreational, technical, commercial, military, and medical markets while also continuing the development of other innovative bespoke life support solutions for use above and below the surface.
Beatrice Rivoira
Italy
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Beatrice is an Italian vocational diver with a Master Degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography. With 20 years of diving experience, she has worked around the world as a CCR & OC instructor and participated in biological and archaeological underwater projects.
From 2013 she has joined “Zero Emissions” with which she continues to teach and educate, as well as training herself in different environments. She co-authored the book “Biodiving”, translated and contributed to several other diving texts. Her hope is to inspire more and more young people to protect and discover the natural beauties of our underwater world.
Alex Santos
Philippines
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Alex is a commercial and technical diver. He and his PHILTECH team work in harsh and peculiar environments. Their unusual profiles allow him to study predispositions to DCS and develop in-water recompression methods for rapid treatment.
Alex also does deep recovery work for valuable objects and victims of drowning. His experience in body recovery has been called upon many times during disasters at sea, and he has trained recovery teams from the Philippines and from overseas.
Cave diving however is his true passion. He is a member of the Filipino Cave Divers, individuals who apply their diverse academic backgrounds in the study and preservation of underwater caves.
Al Hornsby
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Al Hornsby is a well-known dive professional, diving and wildlife photographer, author and environmentalist. With four books to his credit, Al also is regular contributor to international dive magazines. Along with his photography and writing, Al is a longtime executive (currently Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs) for PADI; former Editor/Publisher of Skin Diver Magazine; and a founder of the Project AWARE environmental organization.
Bo Mancao
Philippines
Photography Speaker (2021)
Combining a deep appreciation for scuba, imagery and sustainable tourism, Bo Mancao has become an icon in the Southeast Asian dive industry – take one glimpse at his work, experience, genuine hospitality and island charm, and it’s clear why he is one of the one of the dive industry’s top travel influencers.
A multi award-winning underwater photographer and cinematographer, Bo has represented the Philippines in numerous international shootouts, and his images have been used by the Philippines Department of Tourism to promote diving and dive travel. “I want to communicate visual stories about our oceans,” says Bo. And he has, filming for award-winning ocean documentaries, international lifestyle programs and short films focusing on conservation.
Ace Wu
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2021)
Ace Wu is a 40-yearold photographer from Taiwan currently residing in Ho Chi Minh City. He loves underwater photography, specializes in wide angle underwater photography and casting his subjects against inky black backgrounds for dramatic effect.
Paul Rose
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
A man at the front line of exploration and one of the world’s most experienced science expedition leaders. Former Vice President of the Royal Geographical Soceity, Paul is Expedition Leader for the National Geographic Pristine Seas Expeditions. The Royal Geographical Society has awarded Paul the Ness Award and the Founders Gold Medal. He is Ambasssador for the UN Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Paul was the Base Commander of the Rothera Research Station, Antartica, for the British Antarctic Survey for ten years and was awarded HM The Queen’s Polar Medal. A mountain in Antartica is named after him
Marc Crane
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Hailing from the sunny south coast of England, Marc learned to dive while on work experience from school, after immediately getting addicted he joined the local scuba club. Turning Pro in 1996, Marc has spent more than 2 decades diving and teaching globally, with a primary focus on all things rebreather since 2005. He is an SSI XR International Training Director as well as TDI IT, he teaches throughout Asia from his home in Bali. Marc has been involved in a variety of deep reef and cave expeditions in Indonesia and has been with Unseen Expeditions since their inception.
Alexis Chappuis
France
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Alexis Chappuis is a French marine biologist, National Geographic Explorer, technical scientific diver and amateur photographer. He has conducted various marine ecological studies worldwide during his career, logging hours on and under the sea. After spending more than 4 years living and working in Indonesia for an environmental consulting company, he recently co-founded the French-based non-profit organisation UNSEEN (“Underwater Scientific Exploration for Education”). He uses close-circuit rebreathers for the exploration and study of poorly-known underwater ecosystems, particularly Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs).
Terrence Lim
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2021)
As the Executive Director, Terence was responsible for the establishment of SFB Malaysian Sdn Bhd in July 2019 with the goal of stopping fish bombing. In collaboration with SFB USA, Sabah Parks and other partners. Fish bombing is controlled through deployment of acoustic arrays that provide rapid law enforcement notification with precise blast location information. Terence has been a member of the Stop Fish Bombing International Board of Directors since its inception in 2015.
Terence was one of Scubazoo’s (SZ) Operations Directors and he has been involved with SZ managing multiple TV shoots including UK’s Survivor series in Pulau Tiga, US’ Survivor series in Thailand and Conquest of the Skies, 3D with Sir David Attenborough since its inception in 1997.
Having been General Manager of SDC Lodges, Sipadan Dive Centre S/B, Bukit Melapi Proboscis Lodge and Pulau Tiga Resort, Operations Manager at Gayana Eco Resort and Bunga Raya and Spa Resort, Operations Officer on Sipadan Princess luxury yacht Terence has been heavily involved with Sabah’s marine tourism industry all his working life. Also a Level 3 Scuba Intructor with the National Dive League + been scuba diving around Sabah’s incredible coral reefs for more than 30 years Terence is acutely aware of the prevalence of fish bombing in Sabah waters.
As Chairperson for the Semporna Resort Operator Association (2016- 2018) and a committee member for the Kinabatangan Tourist Association together with his unique experience Terence is perfectly placed to advise and co-ordinate the overall implementation of SFB in Sabah’s waters closely with the Government and all other key parties.
Pavarne Shantti
Singapore
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Pavarne Shantti is a research assistant at St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory, Tropical Marine Science Institute and NUS. Their research interest is in marine ecology and its role in ocean acidification mitigation. Their currently research is on the ecological function of seagrasses and its role in mitigating habitat loss due to ocean acidification. Outside of work, they also spend a lot of their time in nature spaces, both dry and wet, and their favourite questions are “what is that? and “how are you?”. Pavarne is also an activist that campaigns for equality not just for humans but for animals too.
Monica Chin
Malaysia
Ara Dinawan Research Education Conservation Centre Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Exposed to the ocean since young, Monica is an avid scuba diver diving for 19 years. After two years volunteering with Trash Hero Borneo, now she has set herself onto a bigger platform – Marine & Environmental Research, Education & Conservation Centre at Dinawan Island. As an influential Women Diver in North Borneo and conservationist, she wants to inspire more people raise awareness to protect the underwater world and educate the young generation.
Katerina Chong
Singapore
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Concerned about the issue of increasing trash load in the ocean, and its impact on marine life and the environment, volunteering to do cleanups is one way Keterina feels she can contribute to the cause.
Dr. Lionel Ng
Singapore
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Dr Lionel Ng is broadly interested in coral reefs and marine conservation. His current research focuses on mariculture, the ecology of urbanized marine environments, as well as the development of strategies to enhance coral reef restoration outcomes.
Dr. Jidon Janaun
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Dr. Jidon obtained his PhD from the University of British Columbia, Canada in Chemical and Biological Engineering in 2012. Dr. Jidon has produced 7 patented innovations, to which six of the patents have been commercialized namely LAMB Dryer, UMS Eco-Solar Dryer, UMS Eco-Solar House, Residual Oil Extractor and UMS River Cleaning Machine. The inventions are currently being used commercially by the local communities and the industries. Dr. Jidon has won many research awards nationally and internationally. Currently, Dr. Jidon’s work involve in using plastic for adsorbing oil from wastewater, and also converting waste plastic into diesel fuel.
Dr. Jamil Nais
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Dr Jamili Born in Ranau, Dr Jamili obtained his BSc (Honours) in Botany from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and PhD in Plant Ecology from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He joined Sabah Parks in 1988 where he started as the Parks Ecologist and was based at Kinabalu Park for 11 years.
Subsequently, he became the Assistant Director of Sabah Parks, heading its Research and Education Division prior to his appointment as Deputy Director. He was promoted to Director of Sabah Parks in 2014. Dr Jamili has been a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN’s) World Commission on Protected Areas since 1996.
Most notably, he is a member of the prestigious IUCN’s World Heritage Panel for the 2017-2020 term, being the only representative from Asia on this 12-member panel.
Marine Marcus
France
Ocean Artist Speaker (2021)
A mermaid at heart, Marine was born in Guadeloupe and grew up island hopping in the Caribbean. Her childhood was spent sailing and diving the most beautiful sites from Trinidad to the Virgin Islands.At 17, Marine left her island paradise to study in Europe where she majored in fashion design and graphic arts. She has since travelled and lived in more than 50 countries, sketching and capturing a world of cultural diversity. Working as an illustrator, graphic designer and retail Visual Merchandiser, her creative journey sees her travelling for projects all around the world. After 15 years in Asia and then Hawaii, her love of the ocean and nature has now brought her back to her first love, the islands, where she starts a new journey as a destination illustrator.
Clément Lesaffre
France
Ocean Artist Speaker (2021)
Clément Lesaffre is a freediver / videomaker / painter / photographer who is sensitive to roots, to individual and collective history, to the relationship that Man has with his terrestrial and aquatic environment, to transmission.
At the same time as his projections on natural and monumental supports, his work is expressed in various forms: fine art prints, original paintings, outdoor event of projection or even conferences. He is exhibited in international contemporary art fairs and in some Belgian and French galleries.
Since the summer of 2019, during an artist residency in Norway where he was able to meet plankton, his exploration of flora and fauna has joined forces with science. An objective is added to its approach: research and development of underwater projections of humans and different animal species in co-creation with the scientific field in order to explore our aquatic origins.
Stephen Harris
New Zealand
Guest Speaker (2021)
Stephen Harris is a New Zealand diplomat, former journalist and founder of the marine stewardship platform Maui’s Ark. Until the work was disrupted by Covid-19, Stephen led the international engagement of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) as its Special Representative, working with the 54 member countries to build collaboration to combat marine plastics pollution and its land-based causes.In 2019 he was one of ten expert panellists contributing to the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor’s Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, which wrote the blueprint for the Government’s new policy to combat plastics pollution. Until beginning this secondment in 2018 Stephen served for seven years as Director-General for South and South East Asia at New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which he joined in 2001 after a 20-year career in journalism working for daily news organisations in New Zealand, Germany, the US and Hong Kong. Stephen is a keen sailor and diver.
Prita Laura
Indonesia
Guest Speaker (2021)
Prita has a passion in communication, and almost this 20 years develop her skill and knowledge about communication. She started her journey in communication with made a radio drama about law campaign, then became a journalist & news anchor in Metro TV, and also being a lecturer, trainer and communication consultant, and until now become a communication expert in the Executive office of the President.
Jean-Claude Monachon
Switzerland
Guest Speaker (2021)
Jean-Claude Monachon, most commonly called JC, Swiss who considers himself as man of the world, started his diving professional career in 1986 in the Maldives.
1986 was the moment where he decided to follow his passion and leave the 9-5 job that was not fulfilling him. Yes, diving gave him the chance to travel the world, meet different cultures and enjoy some of the most fantastic places in the world above and under the surface.
JC is a visionary and always search for the best alternative to support the Training Centers and the Pros with programs that sometimes make the community smile, like the SSI Mermaid program who positioned the SSI brand on the top in China for example.
He considers himself as a field person, you can’t understand the market demand if you are not close to your customers, therefore he has always privileged the human and personal contact. So 60% of his time (before Covid) was dedicated to travel, meet and greet professionals of the industry.
In 2020, the World changed, then his best statement is that there is always an opportunity and that “Imperfection is better than Inaction”. Under his guidance, he created the SSI Digital University to bring all the knowledge on how to leverage social medias for the business. First he learns daily new skills so that he can bring them across to other people, then as a team person, he motivated the staff and the SSI Service Centers to apply what is applied in marketing today.
And here you go, thousands of professionals could enjoy a strong support while meeting him and his team virtually during the past 18 months. Over 300 virtual seminars where held in 25 languages.
Now, JC is keen to restart traveling and coming back to his ADEX friends
Denise McIntyre
Singapore
Guest Speaker (2021)
Denise McIntyre is a Laboratory Technician at Tropical Marine Science Institute. She works mostly with coral research. Contrary to her title, she doesn’t only do laboratory work. Her work often brings her out into the field where she dives to collect samples & transplant corals. Prior to working at TMSI, Denise was a full-time diving instructor for over 5 years. Having seen the beauty of coral reefs deteriorate at various locations, it was the passion for conserving and protecting the marine environment that eventually led her into research
David Thomas
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2021)
David (Dave) Thomas was appointed the Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia in August 2018. Prior to his appointment Dave worked as the Tech Overhaul Programme Director in the Knowledge and Technology Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). He joined the FCO in 1996 and has served at posts in Lagos, Pretoria, Washington DC and Madrid. Dave has expertise in safety, security and justice and climate change issues in Project and Programme Management.
Datuk Jafry Ariffin
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2021)
Serving as the State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment. He has served as the Member of Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Sukau since September 2020.
Cynthia Paters
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Cynthia has been working for Magic Resorts for almost 4 years and is the starting point of all the reservations.
In normal times, she travels all over the world to meet travel agents, new and repeater guests.
She is more than happy to tell you everything you’d like to know about traveling to the Philippines and the both resorts: Magic Island (Moalboal, Cebu) and Magic Oceans (Anda, Bohol).
Bjorn Abraham Bache
Norway
Guest Speaker (2021)
Mr. Bache has more than twenty-five years of experience from international business, serving in leading positions in companies like Unitor/Wilhelmsen, Mettler-Toledo, Jotun and Elkem. He is an experienced Leader building cross border relations and multinational teams. During his career, he has lived 13 years outside Norway. Mr. Bache holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Glasgow University.
Allison Manis
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Allison has been living the Philippines for 26 years. Originally, an Art Director/Graphic Designer in Toronto, Canada she moved to Manila and worked for the Canadian Embassy before settling in Puerto Galera. She’s been working for El Galleon/Asia Divers for more than twenty three years working as a PADI IDC Staff Scuba Instructor with more than 11,000 logged dives in the area. For the past ten years she is focused in sales and marketing for the company; attending dive shows and developing business relationships with dive clubs, and travel agents all over the world.
Allan A. Santos
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
When she turned 25, Vanessa Vergara made a bold move : she left promising career in public relations to pursue her passion — the ocean. These days, she travels around the world in the name of the sea, advocating sustainable ocean tourism and safe diving. She takes photographs and volunteers her time to for conservation as she aims to inspire people to save ocean before it is too late.
Vanessa Vergara
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
When she turned 25, Vanessa Vergara made a bold move : she left promising career in public relations to pursue her passion — the ocean. These days, she travels around the world in the name of the sea, advocating sustainable ocean tourism and safe diving. She takes photographs and volunteers her time to for conservation as she aims to inspire people to save ocean before it is too late.
Yvette C. Lee
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Yvette started diving when horse-collar type BCD’s were standard equipment. Born and raised in Manila, she moved to New York City with her family in the late 1970’s and spent the next 12 years working in the technical (darkroom) side of the photographic Industry.
It was during her stint as an inter-negative technician, when more than a hundred slides and positives from the very best photographers in NYC and the world passed through her hands and eyes every night, 5 days a week. It was this exposure to innumerable perfect images that she credits for having trained her eye to compose and use light effectively when shooting both above and underwater.
After one bitterly cold winter, she threw in the towel and decided to come back to the Philippines and picked up scuba diving once more. A friend lent her a Nikonos V sans flash on a trip to Sipadan in 1998 . In 1999, she won and placed in the first 2 international UW Photo contests she entered.
Making up for lost time, Yvette now dives/travels every few months in pursuit of the perfect image and is a regular contributor to several international and local magazines. Her pieces focus mainly on the environment, food and dive travel destinations. She regularly attends Scuba diving related trade shows on behalf of the companies she represents.
Her photos have been used in magazines, Philippine Airports and Philippine Dept of Tourism displays around the world.
During the week, she does marketing consultancy for Scuba Diving focused resorts & Safari Boats by harnessing her expertise as a web content provider (text and graphics) and tapping her extensive international network of dive industry professionals, media colleagues and agents.
She set up the company Discovery Fleet and Club Paradise Divers and was responsible for acquiring the ships, dive equipment and the hiring and management of the staff and overseeing the day to day operations in addition to her role as Director of Marketing and Media Affairs.
Her free time is devoted to marine conservation and the promotion of the Philippines as a world class dive destination.
Dood Santos
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Master of Science in Management graduate of the University of Asia and the Pacific. Certified PADI Divemaster diving in Anilao, Batangas for 16 years. Now working with his father, the owner and general manager of Buceo Anilao, as the Marketing Officer, traveling to International Dive Shows around the world.
Kris Mears
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Kris Mears has been living in the Philippines for 9 years and is the international sales manager for Scandi divers resort in Puerto Galera. He is originally from Wales in the UK and is a dive instructor, underwater videographer and published author.
Matt Reed
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Matt is an experienced technical diver and instructor trainer having studied with some of the world’s best, and has worked as a full time instructor since 1999 and a technical instructor since 2002 in some enviable locations including The Red Sea, Belize, Dominican Republic, Palau, Truk Lagoon, and of course the UK. Now based in the Philippines since 2003 Matt has made the country his full time home and enjoys living the island life on Malapascua with his wife Anna, and his 2 kids, as well as a lot of animals! Matt teaches all courses through Advanced Trimix including the TDI Helitrox class and rebreather classes on both the SF2 ECCR and Pelagian DCCCR. Matt also offers Instructor level courses all the way up to Advanced Trimix and Advanced Wreck. His courses are all built upon his wealth of real tech diving experience from around the world. Although if you’re just getting started then Matt will also be happy to chat with you about the intricacies of any level of diving. Specialising in trimix and overhead environment training Matt’s current diving sees him exploring virgin wrecks in the Malapascua area such as the Mogami Maru an unexplored Japanese ship from WW2, which is home to a number of treasures. Matt is also the only person to have taken part in all 19 dives to the nearby Pioneer Cebu wreck at 110m, which has an amazing Mercedes Benz car on the seabed!
Michael Pattersson
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Michael has been teaching technical diving for the past 30 years in Europe, Middle East, USA and South East Asia. He is a hypoxic OC/CCR Technical instructor, and Technical Instructor Trainer. His origins come from cold water diving in Scandina- via and he has spent the past 15 years in the Philippines teaching technical diving and running his own Dive Resort, Kasai Village Dive Resort.
Chester Lee
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Chester Lee has been working with Sea Explorers for the past 3 years . He has an extensive knowledge of the diving in the Philippines in general but is a specialist in the Visayas region where we promote 4 destinations; Alona, Dauin, Cabilao and Malapascua . His enthusiasm and professionalism will help you navigate to your favorite dive destination or island hoping .
Elmer Yoncgo JR
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor since 2014. Open Water scuba instructor at Poni Divers Brunei (2012-2014). Dive Manager at Dakak Aqua Sports Center- Dakak Resort (2014-Present)
Jessica Noelle C. Wong
Philippines
Guest Speaker (2021)
Jessica is the currently Managing Director of the Bicol Beyond Group of Companies to which Ticao Island Resort is part of. Ticao is the hidden gem and the next big thing in Philippine scuba diving that she will be taking about today. She is an Advanced Open Water Diver and has been in the business of dive and travel since 2006. Aside from her own dive business, she has also worked for companies like Worldwide Dive & Sail as Operations Manager, and with the NGO LAMAVE as a contributing author to research studies.
She is extremely active with the tourism scene in the Bicol region and is the go to person for anything related to travel in the region. She has a radiating passion to get the Bicol region known to the world for both diving and non- diving.
Jessica got into scuba diving because of her now husband, Rico, a dive instructor and the founder of the Manta Bowl that you will hear about later. She is the proud mother of two boys, Ulan who is ten and an Open Water Diver and Sinag who is five and loves the water.
Diving. Travel. Environment. Community. This is what Jessica weaves together in her strong advocacy for travel to be a reason to better life for the environment and the community. And this is something evident in the way Ticao Island Resort operates.
Connie Chan
Hong Kong
Guest Speaker (2021)
Owner of Mandarin Divers (HK) Limited, business including local Chill Out diving, PADI 5 stars centre, shop located in Wanchai carrying premium brands, organizing dive travel and training to overseas. Be involved in UW360, as a Chinese Editor, am so happy to be part of the best Dive Magazines in Asia and one of the best Dive Expo the world, hope that I could help on spreading the wonderful messages from UW360 to the Chinese market. Owning and developed a PADI IDC 5 stars dive resort in Puerto Galera, Philippines, named Hai Wu Jian Dive Resort. Be one of the best training stations on PG island, we also supporting photography workshops, tech diving etc. Partner, training and marketing director at Mandarin Divers Hong Kong which was est. since 1989, we provide service for divers on distribution and retails for niche luxury brands, plus also the only one dive shop in Hong Kong which included both Recreational and Technical divers’ training. In 2016, I quit my existing business, jumped into the exploration of an interesting business, scuba diving, which is my passion, love and dream.
Lolo Sianipar
Indonesia
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Lolo Sianipar is a public relation consultant. She has experience as a communication specialist for more than 20 years.
Currently, she leads her own PR agency named PiAr Consulting.
Besides communications, she also has a passion in travelling, scuba diving and underwater photography.
She contributed in many dive industry events, a testament to her enthusiasm of dive activity, such as become moderator in Indonesia Deep & Extreme Exhibition, Indonesian Women in Diving, Scuba Diver Magazines Australia Indonesia Gathering and also being a participant in underwater photography events.
Abi Carnadie
Indonesia
Indonesia Tourism Ministry, Marine Tourism Development and Acceleration Team
Guest Speaker (2021)
Abi Carnadie was born in 1972 in Belitung Island, Sumatra, Indonesia. Started diving in 1986, and becoming PADI Instructor in 1996. ABI is the co founder of Bubbles Dive Center in Jakarta. He holds Instructor rating from various reputable training agencies. For more than 20 years as a diving professional he has been actively supporting the Indonesia diving industry: Chairman of Raja Ampat Dive Resort Association; Member of Indonesia Tourism Ministry for Marine Tourism Development and Acceleration Team; and since 2016 he acted as PADI Industry Consultant, serving Indonesia, indisputable one of the worlds best diving destinations for marine diversity.
Dr. Frans Teguh, MA.
Indonesia
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Frans Teguh known as an expert in tourism in Indonesia. Graduated from Bournemouth University with Master of Arts in Tourism and Hospitality sharpen his expertise in tourism development. He also have a Doctoral Degree in Tourism from Gajah Mada University. Formerly, he was a lecturer in Bandung Institute of Tourism, and then became a member of Ministry of Tourism of Republic Indonesia; and now he is a senior expert on sustainable development and conservation at Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. He also acts as a lecturer in Master Program at Bandung Institute of Tourism and Master Program at UGM.
Paul Toomer
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2021)
A working instructor trainer and expedition diver with a wealth of diving experience and an inexhaustible arsenal of yarns, my next guest in the ADEX Pixel Virtual Expo series of, “Conversations with …” presentations – broadcast live via Zoom on Thursday 13th August – is, Paul Toomer, the President of, RAID, the newest and most innovative of the international diver training organisations.
Discovering, in technical diving, his true passion, Paul has dived wrecks and caves all around the world, safely planned and executed dives to depths deeper than 100-metres, and been a valued member of numerous wreck and archaeological expeditions.
A ‘fireside chat’ that promises equal measures of info-tainment tempered with good advice, this will be a session well worth watching.
Phil Short
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
With a background in adventure sports that included dry caving, Phil Short’s fascination with the flooded places within caves was amplified when he attended a talk by Martyn Farr on Cave Diving. Attending an Open Water Diver course run by Steve Axtell – a person who inspired him with the enthusiasm and drive that he has maintained for the past 28-years – Phil Short began diving regularly, first as a Dive Master and then as an Instructor.
Joining the British Cave Diving Group (CDG) Phil Short learned to ‘Cave Underwater’ and to pass through flooded sections to open caves beyond. The two parallel diving paths led Phil Short to Technical Diving under the mentorship of Dave Thompson, Kevin Gurr and Bill Stone and encouraged in him the passion and desire to explore in both open water as well as cave; a drive that led to his involvement in a large expedition to the mountains of Southern Mexico and put him on the path to becoming a Fellow of the Explorers Club and a Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society (FRGS).
Steve Lewis
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Born in the UK but Canadian by choice, Steve Lewis is a diver, writer, columnist, speaker and coach with an over-riding interest in diver safety, and my guest in an upcoming episode of the ADEX Pixel Virtual Expo series of, “Conversations with …” presentations – to be broadcast live via Zoom – on Thursday 3rd September.
An early convert to technical diving as a valid tool for cave and wreck exploration, Steve is a recipient of the prestigious, ‘International Sheck Exley Award’ for Cave Diving Safety; a Staff Instructor and Member of the Training and Advisory Panel for TDI; Director of Diver Training for RAID, and a proud Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
With an impressive number of diver training manuals to his credit, as well as several books (his 2018 book, ‘Death In Number Two Shaft’, provides a philosophical must-read glimpse into the mindset of exploration divers) Steve Lewis is one of modern diving’s most accomplished practitioners; a person whose experiences above and below the surface extend far beyond the ordinary.
Nathalie Lasselin
Canada
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Nathalie Lasselin casts an inquisitive eye on our blue planet and with Pixnat Productions, she documents the captivating explorations of our earth, traveling in more than 60 countries, in all kind of harsh and remote environments. She was the first to film newly discovered wrecks in the St Lawrence river, the only one attempting the 70kms underwater traverse of the island of Montreal and unknowned underwater rivers in China and Mexico.
She was an explorer and a multi award winning Underwater Filmmaker. She spends her life with the eyes of her youth, always curious to search, to discover and document the world. Ready to push her own limits, she takes her camera to document the earth in harsh, remote, underwater and underground environment.
She also has produced and directed 12 underwater documentaries that have been critically acclaimed and have received numerous awards at international festivals as well as having been released on DVD and televisions in over 25 countries. She contributed to more than 200 feature films, documentaries and productions as a Cinematographer and underwater safety officer.
Dawn Kernagis
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Dr. Dawn Kernagis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of North Carolina. She studies ways to protect the brain and nervous system for individuals in high stress environments. In 2018, she received the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society’s Young Scientist Award.
In addition to her research, Dawn has been diving since 1993 and has been a team member with numerous underwater exploration projects over the years. In 2016, Dawn was selected as a crew member of the NASA NEEMO XXI undersea mission. Based on her background in underwater exploration and diving medicine research, Dawn was inducted as a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame and as a Fellow of the Explorers Club.
Jane Bowman
Australia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
A trip to the Maldives in 1984 began a love for SCUBA diving that is still as strong today as then and started what was to become not just a hobby but a career. PADI training has enabled Jane to become one of the few female Course Directors in Australia. She is also an Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer, CDAA Instructor and a Marine Safety Coxswain. A love of photography and marine biology has enabled her to appreciate not only what Victoria has to offer but better appreciate overseas destinations. Jane has traveled extensively to destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Fiji, New Zealand, Mexico, USA, Tonga, Chuuk (Truk Lagoon), Palau, Guam, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, the Cocos Islands, the Galapagos, Brunei, Christmas Island and Niue. Technical diving has included trips to Florida, Mexico, Budapest, Sardinia, Malta, Vanuatu and the Nullarbor to dive the caves plus countless journeys to Mt Gambier to dive in Australia’s best cave diving area.
Jane was inducted in the International Women Divers Hall of Fame in the USA in 2010. She was the second Australian (after Valerie Taylor) to be selected for this award based on her extensive training, teaching and technical diving experience especially for female divers. She was awarded OzTek’s Industry Recognition Award in 2017.
Vic Verlinden
Belgium
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Hailing from Belgium, Vic Verlinden began diving in 1975. Quickly embracing technical diving, he is an accomplished CCR diver who is equally at home exploring new cave passages or discovering deep wrecks of historical significance.
In 1993, Vic Verlinden discovered – and became the first person to explore – the wreck of the previously undiscovered East India trader, ‘Roompot’, a homeward bound vessel that sank in the North Sea in 1853 and that had never before been dived.
A gifted underwater photographer specialising in images of deep wrecks, his pictures and articles have appeared in diving publications around the world. The author of two books – one on Diving for gold and art treasures, and the other about diving on war wrecks – Vic Verlinden is also co-founder of the not-for-profit organisation, the “Wreck Dive Team” that organises and participates in various diving expeditions to photograph and film unique diving locations around the world.
He is also owner and organiser of the Technical Diving event, ‘TekDive-Europe’ (www.Tekdive-europe.com ) held every two years in Belgium.
Gary Stokes
United Kingdom
OceansAsia Founder
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Born in the UK, Gary was raised in the Mediterranean, where his love affair with the ocean first formed. He has been living in Asia for the past 31 years where he has worked as a professional photographer and diving instructor amongst other careers. He has become an effective ocean advocate due to his ‘no-compromise’ approach. Gary previously held the position of Asia Director for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a position he held for 5 years.
He has spent the past twenty years investigating and exposing the shark fin industry, gaining international media coverage for the cause, as well as working with airlines and shipping lines to shut down shark fin shipping routes. When not exposing the shark fin industry, he can be found conducting wildlife crime investigations, looking into and investigating the sources of marine debris with an aim to ‘turn off the tap’, or using his drone to document cetacean behaviour.
His work has been featured in most of the worlds news agencies as well as in the movies A Plastic Ocean, Seaspiracy and the soon to be released movie with Eli Roth titled FIN.
Yukki Wong
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2021)
“Let’s go plastic free! No more straws, guys!” is one of the sentences that Yukki says the most. She is a well-educated individual in studying United Nation’s goals, from MDGs to SDGs, also has been invited to do numerous MDG/ SDG trainings in the past few years. She engages herself mainly in two main fields: women empowerment and environmental protection. For her, Mermaids, are aquatic creatures with the upper body of a human and tail of fish. We are the bridge between ocean and human, as an Ocean Ambassador to raise awareness in ocean conversation. As well to promote woman’s independence and pursuit of self-awareness.
Afa Zhang
Taiwan
Mermaid Speaker (2021)
“The sky is unlimited. I roll the dice perhaps because I have nothing to lose”. Suffering from depression in 2017, he gave up his dream of stage performance and devoted his life and soul to the ocean through his passion for freediving instead. “I can be identified as a freediving instructor, a dancer, or an underwater model, but I prefer to Afa.” He wishes to pass on the strength given to him by the ocean to those who cannot experience it personally, with the hope that more people will cherish and protect our deep water resources.
Sayaka Kurishima
Japan
Mermaid Speaker (2021)
A natural beauty underwater, she is spectacular, stunning and charismatic. Only being in water, Sayaka can express her feelings and emotions. Ocean is her home, where she performs, dances and chases for her dream. Sayaka is a mermaid and a professional underwater performer, that spends all her entire life trying to inspire people around her community. You can also call her as an Ocean Advocate who wishes to influence everyone to love and conserve more for our beautiful Ocean.
Alan Lam
Hong Kong
Guest Speaker (2021)
You can call him an educator, a person that dedicates his life in educating and inspiring people around community. Started off from the diving industry, Alan was certificated as both scuba diving and freediving instructor in various systems and became the youngest AIDA freediving instructor of Hong Kong in 2015. In the same year, he placed his passion and love towards underwater sports industry and began the journey in founding Mermaid Federation International (MFI), which aims to provide quality and safe professional mermaid courses for all. Namely, our Mermaid Godfather.
Joanne Zheng
Taiwan
Freediving Speaker (2021)
ADEX中国区策展人
北京市民政局众安公益基金会爱心大使。
投资人、旅行潜水达人，时尚博主，人物报道及照片曾数次刊登在中国各大时尚杂志，在国内旅行、时尚领域具有较高知名度。
Melissa Meng
China
Guest Speaker (2021)
ADEX中国区策展人
北京市民政局众安公益基金会爱心大使。
投资人、旅行潜水达人，时尚博主，人物报道及照片曾数次刊登在中国各大时尚杂志，在国内旅行、时尚领域具有较高知名度。
Chen Liling
Taiwan
Guest Speaker (2021)
Chen Li Ling is a scuba diver, freediver, and dive hostel owner in Green Island, Taiwan.
She opened Airplane Mode Hostel in 2018, at the age of 24. Apart from sharing her love for the ocean with her customers, Li Ling has also played host in one of Taiwan’s biggest diving programs, 30 Meters Underwater <水下三十米>.
Being an avid writer, Li Ling frequently writes about travelling in Green Island, and scuba diving and freediving in hopes of growing the sport. She believes conservation cannot be achieved just by telling people “no plastic”, but by bringing them down underwater and letting nature’s beauty speak to them.
YongZhou Bao
China
Guest Speaker (2021)
Bao Yongzhou, President of Sanya Sports Tourism Association and Executive General Manager of Hainan Fun Play, has a rich experience in the water sports industry, having been involved in operation and marketing. He focuses on improving the quality of international water sports services, spreading interesting and engaging water spots and leisure methods to the world.
Hainan Fun Water Sports Co., Ltd. Is an Asian head water entertainment and coastal sports company, who is committed towards creating a global integrated marine tourism operation service system. In addition, to successfully operating the water sports, leisure and entertainment of Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya, the company provides water sports products and management capabilities to top scenic spots in the area such as Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town where the annual reception of diving and water sports experience amongst tourists, exceeds over 1.1 million, of which 300,000 are diving tourists.
Andrew Marriott
USA
Photography Speaker (2021)
Andrew is a long time diver, photographer and writer. Originally from the USA he found the ocean while working in the world of financial derivatives. After a move to Guam he devoted himself full time to the ocean, helping many new divers fall in love with the water while working as an instructor and enthusiastic underwater photographer. After much encouragement from his friends and students, he devoted himself full time to taking and sharing his images and writing about diving.
His first professional success came when he won first place in every category he entered in the Asia Pacific Photo Challenge. Following this he was asked to provide photos for magazine work, and shortly after was writing the articles to go along with them. He has since written over twenty articles for six different dive and travel magazines. He has had a number of cover shots in these magazines, the most published being the cover of the May 2017 issue of Chinese National Geographic. Along with the magazine work came invitations to speak at major dive shows across Asia. To this day Andrew is a regular speaker at major dive events; having spoken at many shows from Beijing to Singapore and pretty much everywhere in between.
The next logical step for him was to write books on diving and adventure travel. The first of these was Legends Beneath the Waves Vol. 1: Truk Lagoon. This book was very well received and its success has led to an additional six books in that series being committed to. Aside from the shipwreck books, Andrew began to also write dive guides. His guides focus on small areas and seek to take the reader diving in that location in their mind. The first of these is Let’s Go Dive Guide to Anilao. Between books he still can still be found teaching around the Pacific, as he is a much in demand coach for underwater photography. Currently he is working on the next books in these two series while living in Beijing with his awesome wife Dalice and two daughters Elly and EJ “Doomy”.
Andrew Lim
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2021)
Andrew Lim’s first foray into photography began with arguably the most difficult form of the art – underwater photography. At age 21, Andrew published his first underwater photography book, Silhouette of Serenity, the partial proceeds of which were donated to charity. He was invited to meet the (former) President of Singapore, Dr Tony Tan, in recognition for his work and was also invited to
speak on platforms such as TEDx. The 25-year old former national rock-climber has since founded Drew perspectives and now focuses his art mostly on people.
Nadir Quarta
Switzerland
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Swiss born, Nadir Quarta, began his diving career in 1989 in the mountain rivers and lakes of Switzerland. Qualifying as a diving Instructor in 1993, his world travels as a diver took him to many rarely visited locations – including cave diving in Mexico – as well as introducing him to rebreathers and the evolving technical diving community.
Now a highly-regarded Technical Diving Instructor, Nadir – through his company, ZeroEmissions – teaches a range of CCR courses as well as organizing expeditions to explore and document some of the world’s most iconic wreck and cave diving destinations.
Flavia Eberhard
Brazil
Professional Model, Freediving Champion
Freediving Speaker (2021)
Flavia Eberhard is an international fashion model, South American freediving champion,
TV presenter, conservationist, Yoga Teacher and owner of “Freedive Mexico” School.
Scouted by FORD Models from the age of 17 she participated in numerous campaigns, magazines, catwalk shows, commercials and hosted her own TV show APNEA about freediving around the world.
Passionate with the sea since her childhood, Flavia joined various water sports, but it was below the surface that she found her real passion for freediving. Able to hold her breath for 6 minutes and dive to 74 meters in one breath, she achieved 9 records for Brazil including a South American title. Sharing her time between the flashlights and her love for the sea, Flavia wishes to connect fashion modelling to the awareness of the beauty and fragility of our oceans. In this talk, she will talk about her path and share underwater modelling tips with you aiming to bring an edge to your shoots.
Ram Yoro
Philippines
Photography Speaker (2021)
“Ram is a full-time scuba instructor, tech diver, and underwater photographer based in the Philippines. He is a pioneer of Bonfire Diving, a method for documenting plankton in shallow coastal waters, and was among the early practitioners of Blackwater Diving in the country. He is also an avid explorer in the region, visiting and documenting green reefs, caves and wrecks with colleagues from the Filipino Cave Divers and the Philtech Dive Teams. Outside these, Ram teaches scuba and underwater photo workshops out of his base in Anilao, and he regularly contributes to various online and print publications as well. Among his notable publications include co-authoring the “Guide to Anilao”, the “Legends Beneath the Waves – Philippines” (aka Philippine Wreck Book), and contributing to the plankton visual compilation “Black is the New Blue Volume II”. To checkout more of his works, visit “Ram Yoro” in Facebook and Instagram.”
Mike Bartick
USA / Philippines
Photography Speaker (2021)
Mike is a widely published, award-winning photographer, writer and international public speaker with work appearing monthly in various publications, aquariums and museums.
Originally from Southern California, he has an insatiable love for finding unique marine life and telling their story through photo and video.
Mike is a widely published, award-winning photographer, writer and international public speaker with work appearing monthly in various publications, aquariums and museums.
He hosts photo clinics, workshops and seminars at Crystal Blue Resort, concentrating on the different aspects of Underwater Photography and the natural history of South-East Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
Marty Snyderman
USA
Photography Speaker (2021)
One of the exclusive DEMA SCUBA diving Hall of Fame members, Snyderman is an Emmy Awardwinning cinematographer, photographer, author and speaker specialising in marine life. He is the Marine Life Editor of Dive Training magazine and the Senior Editor for California Diving News. Marty teaches underwater photography worldwide and is on the Board of Trustees of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation. He also publishes an online magazine for young children on the different marine animals.
Ben Reymenants
Belgium
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Belgium Ben Reymenants is probably best know for his deep dives, his work in the diving medicine field and cave explorations. His career spans close to 3 decades under water and his exploits and teaching style makes him popular for technical courses. He owns a dive centre in Phuket Thailand where he runs technical instructor workshops and deep cave courses in the jungle. He is a fellow of the explorers club and he was part of the initial cave rescue team in the North of Thailand for which he was decorated.
Jill Heinerth
Canada
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Jill Heinerth is a veteran of over thirty years of filming, photography and exploration on projects in submerged caves around the world with National Geographic, NOAA, and television networks worldwide. She is the Explorer in Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, recipient of Canada’s prestigious Polar Medal and the diving world’s highest award from the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. Partnering with Penguin Random House in Canada and Harper Collins in the US, Jill will soon be releasing four new major-market, non-fiction and children’s books.
Cristina Zenato
Bahamas
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
A professional diver since 1994, Cristina is an ocean and cave explorer, shark behaviorist, photographer, speaker, writer and conservationist.
A member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, and The Explorers Club, she is a firm believer in the power of education and spends her time teaching below and above the water. She has conducted the exploration and surveys of numerous new cave systems and is the first person to ever connect an entrance on land with an open ocean blue hole.
She is the founder of the nonprofit People of the Water, organized to widen the distribution of training, education, research related to ocean and environmental issues.
Richie Kohler
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Richie Kohler is an author and shipwreck explorer whose 40 years of diving experiences have taken him to all corners of the globe. These exploits have been detailed in documentary films and in a NY Times best-selling book, Shadow Divers, by Robert Kurson. Kohler hosted fifty-six episodes of the popular History Channel program “Deep Sea Detectives” and numerous other television programs detailing his explorations on some of the most famous shipwrecks in the world, including the Andrea Doria, RMS Titanic, and the HMHS Britannic. Utilizing submersibles and cutting-edge diving equipment, Kohler’s focus in underwater exploration has been on the human aspect of shipwreck tragedies, correcting fractured or missing history and in doing so, providing answers and closure to family members. Locating and identifying lost warships such as the USS Murphy, USS Lagarto, U-215 and U-869 and reaching out to these people has been the real reward in shipwreck exploration. Kohler’s recent work on a forgotten WWII submarine battle helped bring posthumous recognition to American Naval Captain in an award ceremony at the US Pentagon.
A fellow in the Explorer’s Club, Kohler continues to lead expeditions worldwide in search of lost ships and the mysteries they hold. He has written numerous magazine articles about shipwrecks, deep diving and diver safety and in 2017, published his first book, Mystery of the Last Olympian detailing a decade of work on Titanic’s sister ship Britannic. Over the years he has made numerous presentations at schools, libraries, diving conventions and symposiums promoting diving safety, education and awareness.
Bret Gilliam
USA
Diving Pioneer
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Gilliam has founded and sold six companies since 1971, comprising if V.I. Divers Ltd, Ocean Quest International, AMF Yachting Group, G2 Publishing Inc, Divesafe Insurance and International Training Inc. As Vice President and CEO, he was instrumental in taking UWATEC Public in a sale for 44 million Dollars to JWA in 1997 and sold his publishing company ISCUBA Times and Deep Tech to Petersen/E-Map in 1999. His entrepreneurial success in the diving industry have made him a multi-millionaire. The aggregate value of his companies when sold was in excess of $80 million.
Ramdzan (RAM) Salim
Singapore
Salvage Master
Guest Speaker (2021)
Having started diving in 1987, Ramdzan has taken his passion and love of the sea to a full-time career immediately upon finishing school, starting first as a salvage diver and working his way up the career ladder. He has held various positions from Diver Medic Technician, Dive Supervisor, Dive Superintendent and as a Salvage Master, leading teams to respond to maritime casualties worldwide in their endeavours to avert environmental catastrophes. Although he is more involved in project planning and logistical aspect of operations these days, Ramdzan will jump at the first chance to get wet every now and again when the opportunity presents itself in the course of any project.
Rico Besserdich
Germany
Photography Speaker (2018)
Besserdich is a professional photographer, artist and visual philosopher specialising in “Aquatic Imaging”, the art of utilising water as the key element of expression in imagery. In 2018, he celebrates his 40th anniversary of being involved in photographic arts. His mission to raise awareness for the importance of water earned him recognition by the Nobel Organisation, the United Nations, the Swedish Parliament, among others. His images have been published in magazines and books all around the world. Rico is also a member of the Ocean Artists Society. He wrote two books about underwater photography and was a lecturer for artistic underwater photography at the SAAR Academy of Fine Arts, Germany.
Rico Besserdich
Germany
Guest Speaker (2017)
Besserdich is a professional photographer, artist and visual philosopher specialising in “Aquatic Imaging”, the art of utilising water as the key element of expression in imagery. In 2018, he celebrates his 40th anniversary of being involved in photographic arts. His mission to raise awareness for the importance of water earned him recognition by the Nobel Organisation, the United Nations, the Swedish Parliament, among others. His images have been published in magazines and books all around the world. Rico is also a member of the Ocean Artists Society. He wrote two books about underwater photography and was a lecturer for artistic underwater photography at the SAAR Academy of Fine Arts, Germany.
Rico Besserdich
Germany
Photography Speaker (2021)
Besserdich is a professional photographer, artist and visual philosopher specialising in “Aquatic Imaging”, the art of utilising water as the key element of expression in imagery. In 2018, he celebrates his 40th anniversary of being involved in photographic arts. His mission to raise awareness for the importance of water earned him recognition by the Nobel Organisation, the United Nations, the Swedish Parliament, among others. His images have been published in magazines and books all around the world. Rico is also a member of the Ocean Artists Society. He wrote two books about underwater photography and was a lecturer for artistic underwater photography at the SAAR Academy of Fine Arts, Germany.
Takuya Torii
Japan
Divison Director, Global Operation Division of INON INC. INON global
Guest Speaker (2021)
As a corporate messenger boy of INON INC., manufacture of underwater imaging gears, serving the company nearly two decades, he used to show up different dive shows to meet enthusiastic people fascinated in diving and underwater imaging and deliver the corporate messages as well as collecting market voice. Since the normal duty is on hold, he grabbed the opportunity to show the latest products and tips for using INON products on this webinar.
Katherine Lu
USA / Singapore
Professional Underwater Photographer
Photography Speaker (2021)
Katherine is an American award winning underwater photographer residing in Singapore. Her journey into scuba diving began well over 2 decades ago. Her adventure spirit and wanderlust has led her to travel to over 60 countries and dive all around the world. Currently residing in Singapore and within close proximity to the coral triangle, she bought her first camera in 2013 to show friends and family the world beneath the sea and soon after developed a specialty for underwater macro photography, though she also loves photographing sharks and large pelagics when travel opportunities arise. Completely self – taught, she enjoys creating artistic expressions and visual stories that can capture the beauty of the ocean, its inhabitants and fragility of the ecosystem. Awareness and education are key to preserving the ocean and she hopes her images can contribute towards conservation.
Adam Hanlon
United Kingdom
Publisher & Editor-at-Large, Wetpixel
Photography Speaker (2021)
Adam Hanlon is an underwater photographer captivated by the challenge and beauty of the underwater world and passionate about its conservation. His images and reports have won international competitions and been used in prestigious publications and by world-renowned organizations. He grew up in South Africa, learned to dive in the mid-1980s and has been pursuing a career “beneath the surface” ever since. He holds recreational and technical diving qualifications up to instructor level from many agencies and dives very regularly. He is the editor of Wetpixel, the worlds leading resource on all things underwater imaging and through Wetpixel Expeditions, Adam leads regular photography expeditions and workshops around the world. He also owns a successful dive school based near Lancaster, UK.
Chris Kim
Canada
Co-Founder, Molchanovs
Freediving Speaker (2021)
Chris Kim – Molchanovs Co-Founder and Former CEO, Zen Freediving Co-Founder. After a career in technology at such companies as Facebook, Google and Yahoo!, Chris discovered a passion for freediving. He left the corporate world and works to share his love of freediving, co-founding Zen Freediving (a leading freediving school in Singapore), as well as Molchanovs (a producer of record shattering freediving gear and the fastest growing freediving education system in the world).
Kelly Tan
Singapore
NParks National Parks Board, Coastal Management
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Kelly is a graduate of the Masters of Environmental Management, a marine intertidal guide and has volunteered for turtles hatcheries overseas. She is currently the manager of biodiversity in the Coastal and Marine branch in National Parks Board. She manages the Marine Park, and is directly involved in the coral husbandry work on St John’s Island, and manages the turtle hatchery in Small Sister’s Island. She also spearheads local marine conservation education and outreach efforts, using her work experience to inspire the next generation, and the general public to love and appreciate nature.
Dr Jani Tanzil
Singapore
Senior Research Fellow, St. John’s Island National Marine Laboratory
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Dr Jani Tanzil is a marine ecologist with the Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore. She is also one of the resident scientists working at St. John’s Island National Marine Laboratory. Dr Tanzil started scuba diving in 2002 and has been actively exploring the coral reefs of Singapore and the region for work and leisure ever since. Her current research involves examining the bands in the skeletons of corals (similar to tree “rings”) to reconstruct past environment conditions, and growth rates of corals around Southeast Asia. With her work, Dr Tanzil hopes to better understand coral responses to climate change and other environmental disturbances.
Debby Ng
Singapore
Founder of The Hantu Blog – Bringing Clarity to Singapore Waters
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Debby Ng is an ecologist, photojournalist, and National Geographic Explorer. She is the founder of pulauhantu.sg – a volunteer organisation that collaborates with public stakeholders and government agencies to save coral reefs in Singapore through education and ecotourism. Through their blog, guided dive tours and free talks at schools, corporate events and public festivals, pulauhantu.sg has made Singapore reefs accessible to thousands of divers and non-divers since 2003. Debby received her BSc (Hons) from the University of Tasmania (Australia) and Dip. Mass Communications from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. She studied Wildlife Disease Ecology at Colorado State University (USA), and is a Duke University Global Fellow in Conservation Biology and Policy (USA).
Sam Shu Qin
Singapore
Co-Founder, Our Singapore Reefs
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Sam is an avid diver, coral scientist and educator. With the main intention to raise awareness about marine debris, She co-founded Our Singapore Reefs to connect like-minded marine enthusiasts through diving and educational outreach programmes. With her training in science communication, she hopes to increase public knowledge, inspire marine stewardship and promote discussions in marine science and conservation through various public engagement activities.
Mathieu Meur
Mauritius
Photography Speaker (2021)
An underwater photography veteran of over 25 years, Mathieu authored the first PADI-approved digital underwater photography specialty course in the world in 2001. He contributes regular columns on photography techniques in dive and photography publications and co-authored An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography with Michael Aw in 2004 – the first book entirely dedicated to the techniques associated with shooting digital underwater. He has published two interactive e-books on underwater digital photography: Complete Digital Underwater Photography (2013) and Everything on Underwater Photography (2014).
Peter Symes
Denmark
Guest Speaker (2021)
Hailing from Denmark, with a Master’s degree in Biology and Media & Communication, Peter Symes is a former research scientist specialising in aquatic ecology and ecosystem modelling and restoration, and is the founder, editor-in-chief and publisher of X-Ray Magazine and AquaScope Media.
John Thet
Ocean Citizen
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
John Thet. (Publisher/Editorial & Creative Director) first embarked into the publication industry in the year 1993.
His experience started with Dive Publication was back in 2001, The first issue of Scuba Diver AustralAsia as Creative Director and one of the pioneer member with Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd, In 2005, John succeeded as publisher/editorial director and underhis able leadership, the magazines (asian Geographic, Scuba Diver AustralAsia, Scuba Diver OceanPlanet, Asian Diver” AND Online media uw360.Asia. He gone from strength to strength, winning more than 89 awards in both the publishing and creative arena. he is still actively involved with the editorial and creative direction of all the media and is relentless in his efforts to bring dive media to new heights.
Michael Menduno
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
An award-winning reporter and technologist, Michael has written about diving and diving technology for 30 years. He coined the term “technical diving.” His magazine aquaCORPS: The Journal for Technical Diving (1990-1996) helped usher tech diving into mainstream sports diving. He produced the first Tek, EUROTek and ASIATek conferences, and organized Rebreather Forums 1.0 and 2.0. He received the OZTEK Media Excellence Award in 2011, the EUROTek Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the TEKDive USA Media Award in 2018.
Simon Pridmore
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Over the last 25 years, Simon Pridmore has pioneered mixed-gas deep diving in Asia and been involved in technical diver training, exploration and equipment manufacturing. Today, he writes books for divers, most recently “Scuba Exceptional – Become the Best Diver You Can Be” and “Dining with Divers – A Taste for Adventure”.
Bernie Chowdhury
USA
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Bernie Chowdhury is the founder and co-publisher of The International Technical Diving Magazine. A world-class diver, Explorers Club Fellow, an author, and a recognized expert on extreme sport diving, he also makes documentary films and is a frequent lecturer.
Richard Nicholls
Australia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Dive store owner, former equipment wholesaler, and Underwater videographer, Australian-based, Richard Nicholls is a PADI Course Director, and one of the handful of pioneers who helped popularise the recreational use of Nitrox, SCR’s, and Technical Mixed gas diving in Australia in the early 90’s.
An active proponent of the need for increased marine protection, he was a key driver in establishing Cabbage Tree Bay, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, as a No-Take Aquatic Reserve, a place described by both locals and visitors alike as being one of the world’s premier shore-diving sites.
Zena Holloway
United Kingdom
Photography Speaker (2021)
Zena Holloway (1973) is a self-taught, British photographer best known for her distinctive images of people and animals in underwater environments. Her photographic career spans the last thirty years and features in a wide range of publications including National Geographic, Dazed&Confused, Paris Match, How to Spend it, Harpers Bazaar, GQ, Vanity Fair, The Observer, 125, Stylist, Quintessentially Magazine, JFW, Twill, Vision, Neon, Schon, Cent magazine and The Sunday Times.
Her underwater photographic projects have a common narrative that connects people to water and increasingly promote environmental awareness and conservation. In the Hidden Rivers series, she explores the ugly truth of pollution and over-extraction in rivers across Europe, whilst in Seawomen she celebrates the unique knowledge and deep understanding that the Haenyeo of South Korea have for the oceans they harvest. As a keen climate activist, Zena is interested in material science and the biological products and processes that are set to shape our world in the future. In Rootfull she has pioneered a method of cultivating grass to grow in moulds – carved from beeswax. The process channels grass-root into patterns that become speculative coral sculptures. It’s an ongoing, green-art, project created in a bid to expose the beauty and vulnerability of coral and to highlight the devastating bleaching events that are killing vast areas of coral reefs around the planet. Zena lives in London with her husband and their three children in a converted MOD torpedo testing centre.
Tim Ho
Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2021)
In 2009, Tim purchased his first underwater compact camera. As upgrading was too expensive and beyond the means of an island dive instructor, he started to explore and develop his own comprehension of how his camera worked. Today, his methods and compact camera techniques are used as reference materials by underwater photography trainers when teaching about compact camera use. Some of his earlier works are still often used as benchmarks of what to strive to achieve when shooting with a compact camera.
Sam Craven
Philippines
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Sam is a marine biologist turned conservationist who has been diving for 20 years. She has been working with UK charity The Reef-World Foundation since 2012, focusing on the Green Fins programme and bringing practical tools to governments, marine tourism businesses and communities around the world. Sam believes that we can all play our part to safeguard fragile coral reefs if we have the right knowledge, tools and skills, and the newly launched Green Fins Diver e-course aims to provide us with exactly that. Here’s Sam to tell us more.
Robin Cuesta
France/Indonesia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Robin Cuesta is the only active Technical Cave Diving Instructor currently operating in Indonesia. He started exploring caves in Sulawesi three years ago and has never stopped since then. His passion had led him to unravel unexplored caves all over the country, from Sumatra to Papua passing by Java and Sulawesi. He recently opened the first “Rebreather, Technical and Full Cave Diving Training Center” in Indonesia, and helps to develop cave diving interest and education among the local community through the Indonesia Cave Diving Association.
Jeffrey Glenn
Australia
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Jeff Glenn is an instructor trainer with the three largest dive agencies on the planet. With an illustrious resume as a PADI Course Director, a TecRec Instructor Trainer, a TDI Instructor Trainer to Advanced Trimix, a TDI Advanced Wreck, TDI Full Cave and JJ-CCR/SF2 CCR Instructor and a RAID Instructor trainer as well, Jeff is easily one of the most qualified PADI Course Directors in Asia. Jeff has been diving since the early 90’s, starting his professional career as a PADI Divemaster in Airlee Beach, Australia and has logged thousands of dives worldwide. Jeff has focused the last 15 years of his career on the professional and technical diver and instructor development and is extremely passionate about technical diving in particular.
Marc Crane
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Hailing from the sunny south coast of England, Marc learned to dive while on work experience from school, after immediately getting addicted he joined the local scuba club. Turning Pro in 1996, Marc has spent more than 2 decades diving and teaching globally, with a primary focus on all things rebreather since 2005. He is an SSI XR International Training Director as well as TDI IT, he teaches throughout Asia from his home in Bali. Marc has been involved in a variety of deep reef and cave expeditions in Indonesia and has been with Unseen Expeditions since their inception.
Jimmy Choo
Singapore
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Jimmy Choo started his diving career during his national service in the Naval diving Unit back in 1990. After he graduated from his basic diving course, he decided to join the Naval diving unit as a professional diver. In 1992 he was chosen to train with one of the toughest special Force unit in the world – the US Navy SEAL. During his service, he was called upon for one of the most massive underwater search and recovery tasking in 1997 – Silkair flight 185. During his service in the force, he has been chosen to work with different diving units worldwide. Jimmy is also an Instructor Trainer in the Naval Diving Unit and has been training both Naval Diver and Special Force diving team. As for his recreational diving experience, Jimmy started with SSI as an instructor, and then he works his way up to SSI Technical Instructor Trainer. He didn’t stop pursuit diving education and soon he becomes an instructor trainer at all levels with SSI, IANTD, TDI, RAID, and PSAI. Currently, as a diver he has more than 9000 logged dives under his belt and he is a GUE Tech 2, Cave 2, and a GUE Instructor. He has been teaching mostly GUE since he became a GUE Instructor. He is also a specialist in wreck diving.
Jimmy Choo chooses mainly to teach the GUE course is because he like the GUE system due to its holistic approach toward diving safety. Jimmy always believes that “Diving isn’t a course or a lesson. It’s more than that: Diving is a method, a philosophy, a way of life”.
Mathilda D’Silva
Singapore
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Mathilda D’Silva, the founder and CEO of the non-government organisation, Ocean Purpose Project (OPP) to tackle the problem of marine pollution and plastic waste, and innovate its use, in Singapore and beyond.
Swietenia Puspa Lestari
Indonesia
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Swietenia Puspa Lestari is the founder and executive director of Divers Clean Action (DCA), a youth-led organization based in Indonesia that focuses on marine debris cleanup. Currently, DCA works with more than 1,500 volunteers across Southeast Asia. Beyond cleanup efforts, DCA has also launched environmental programs with diving institutions and conducted various training and campaigns with the coastal community. For her work, Lestari was named as one of BBC’s 100 inspiring and influential women last year. In 2017, Lestari represented Indonesia at the United Nations Climate Change to speak about youth involvement in marine issues.
Rob Thompson
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2021)
I spent my childhood playing in the ocean. At the age of 3, I had my first glimpse under the surface of the ocean and instantly became hooked on the underwater world. However, my plastic Odyssey started properly in 2014 by pulling together a group of divers to clean up a cove in Cornwall. Thousands of pieces of plastic were recovered and we continued by setting up a charity to recover underwater ocean plastic. The challenges we faced were accessing coves, recycling recovered plastic, funding and preventing plastic from getting in the sea.
I believe part of the plastic problem is our lack of resourcefulness, and the thought that the plastic we recovered was ending up in landfills troubled me. Odyssey Innovation was established to pioneer the circular economy by converting plastic from beach cleans and end-of-life nets from fishing communities into products. Our first were kayaks, these are used in our ‘Paddle for Plastic’ campaign to support communities to collect plastic waste from otherwise inaccessible coves and waterways.
Our work is only possible through collaboration and through these we continue to capture people’s imaginations and change views about marine plastic “from waste to resource”.
Gareth Lock
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Gareth has been involved in high-risk work since he left school in 1989. He spent 25 years in the RAF in a variety of front-line operational, research and development and systems engineering roles which has given him a unique perspective. In 2005 he started his dive training with GUE and is now an advanced trimix diver (Tech 2) and JJ-CCR Normoxic trimix diver. In 2016 he formed The Human Diver with goal of bringing his operational, human factors and systems thinking to diving safety. Since then he has trained more than 350 people face-to-face around the globe, taught nearly 2000 people via online programmes, sold more than 4000 copies of his book Under Pressure: Diving Deeper with Human Factors, and produced ‘If Only…’ a documentary about a fatal dive told through the lens of Human Factors and a Just Culture. His goal, bring human factors practice and knowledge into the diving community to improve safety, performance and enjoyment.
Dr. Klaus Stiefel
Austria / Philippines
Conservation Speaker (2021)
Klaus is a underwater photographer and videographer based in the Philippines. Austrian by birth but a citizen of the ocean by heart, he has dived and photographed in California, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Micronesia and the Philippines. Klaus is also a technical diving instructor and a published popular science author.
Klaus teaches fish and coral reef biology as an adjunct professor at the Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences at Silliman University on the Philippines. His main research interest are the biodiversity and the behavior of gobies, a family of small marine and freshwater fishes.
Enrico Somogyi
Germany
Photography Speaker (2021)
I’m 49 Years old, born in a small town near Leipzig where I works in the catering trade. Since 2008 I am a certified Diver.
Now I have more than 1000 dives and I have a PADI Advanced Certificate. I took a camera on a dive for the first Time in 2009. After some years just taking Photos for fun and memory I found my passion in the creative Underwater Photography. Some of my Pictures has been very successful in various Competitions. My favorite Places to take Pictures are Anilao in the Philippines and Ambon and Bali in Indonesia.
Pete Mesley
New Zealand
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Learning to dive in England more than thirty years ago and now living in New Zealand, Pete Mesley is one of the southern hemisphere’s most experienced Technical Divers and Instructors.
With significant experience in leading deep wreck expeditions and dedicated to researching, finding, diving and photographing shipwrecks, Pete is an accomplished underwater photographer and a member of The Explorers Club of New York.
His highly successful dive travel business, ‘Lust4Rust & Shock&Awe Big Animal Diving Excursions’ is focused on taking experienced divers to specialised dive locations worldwide.
Alex Mustard
United Kingdom
Photography Speaker (2021)
Alex Mustard is an underwater photographer and marine biologist. He took his first underwater photos when just 9 years old. Alex has a Ph.D. in marine ecology and worked a marine scientist until 2004, when underwater photography became his career.
He has been winning international photography awards since his teens and his work is particularly well known from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, where it has featured in 14 different portfolio books of winning photographs over the last 20 years. In 2013, he was named overall winner of the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year and is still the only underwater winner of that title. His book Reefs Revealed (2007) won the International Prize for Best Book of the Year at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures. He is a founder and chair of UPY: the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.
He is especially known for sharing his knowledge, his best-selling book Underwater Photography Masterclass (2016) was reprinted just two weeks after being released. He runs highly popular underwater photography workshops all over the world. During lockdown he has recorded more than 200 episodes of Wetpixel Live, an educational YouTube on underwater photography with Adam Hanlon.
He has written over 500 illustrated articles for magazines around the world on underwater photography, marine life and scuba diving, and photographed over 200 underwater covershots. He has contributed to more than 50 books, including those that accompany landmark documentary series, such as David Attenborough’s Life On Earth, Blue Planet and Our Planet.
In 2007, Nissan built a concept car version of the NV200 specifically designed around his needs as an underwater photographer, although he does not get to used it as it is now displayed in the Nissan museum in Tokyo! Alex is an Ambassador for Mares and Fourth Element.
He has been an Editor at Wetpixel.com since 2006, and a committee member of the British Society of Underwater Photographers since 2002. In 2016, he received the ADEX Award for his ‘Extraordinary Contribution to Underwater Photography” and in 2020 he was awarded the Golden Trident from the International Academy of Underwater Sciences.
In 2018, he received national recognition, receiving the title of MBE from Queen Elizabeth II for ‘services to underwater photography’.
Xie Fei
China
Photography Speaker (2021)
影视导演，潜水教练，从事影像工作数十年，参与多部电影，电视剧的水下拍摄。尤其擅长水下人像拍摄，斩获全球70多个国家的国际摄影比赛金银铜奖数百个，作品广受追捧。
世界潜水联合会荣誉水下摄影师，高校教材《水下摄影》编著者，中国著作权协会会员，企业家摄影协会(深圳)理事，2017年度国际摄影展览十杰摄影师，2018年度国际摄影展览十杰摄影师，2018全华人商业摄影十杰摄影师，深圳市南山区潜水协会水下艺术顾问，中国国家体育总局国资认证潜水指导员，深圳职业技术学院摄影嘉宾讲师，深圳五次方摄影有限公司摄影导师 。
Gert Leroy
Belgium
Freediving Speaker (2021)
James moved to Singapore from the UK in 2002 and entered the local dive industry a few years later as a part-time instructor. As a passionate educator and diver, he has both dived and taught across the world. At the beginning of 2018, James resigned from his corporate job as a Principal R&D engineer with a multinational Semiconductor company to work full time in the diving industry. This allowed him time to more focus on developing RAID across Singapore/Malaysia/Brunei/Indonesia & Maldives, and the continued growth of Diving Solutions e-commerce platforms.
James Costello
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
James moved to Singapore from the UK in 2002 and entered the local dive industry a few years later as a part-time instructor. As a passionate educator and diver, he has both dived and taught across the world. At the beginning of 2018, James resigned from his corporate job as a Principal R&D engineer with a multinational Semiconductor company to work full time in the diving industry. This allowed him time to more focus on developing RAID across Singapore/Malaysia/Brunei/Indonesia & Maldives, and the continued growth of Diving Solutions e-commerce platforms.
Edmund Yiu
Hong Kong
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Edmund currently served as the Greater China Regional Head for RAID (Rebreather Association of International Divers) serving dive centres and developing instructors throughout the region. Edmund is qualified as RAID Examiner, RAID Recreational, Technical OC and CCR Instructor Trainer and RAID Full Cave Instructor. Edmund has over 20 years of experiences in recreational, technical, rebreather and cave diving, with more than 6000 dives conducted throughout locations around the world. He has been focused in Technical Diving since 2000 and continue to pursue his passion for diving, exploration and conservation through Scuba diving instruction. Edmund also has years of experience in dive equipment servicing, retail sales and distribution business, providing technical support and total solutions for dive centres and instructors. Through his wealth of experience that brings to the industry, Edmund hopes to improve safety, establish higher quality of training standards, modernized training’s best practices, ensure professionalism with the correct attitude and at the same time improve the profitability of dive centres and instructors. Edmund also holds numerous Instructor Trainer / Instructor ratings from several other dive training agencies in Recreational/ Technical and Rebreather Diving.
Andy Davis
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Andy Davis is an avid sidemount technical wreck diving instructor, an author, an underwater photographer who have logged over 9000 dives, including RAID, PADI, SSI, BSAC and ANDI instructor courses. Andy first learned to dive with BSAC at college, before getting PADI certified in 1996 and have experience diving in Cyprus, the Maldives, Oman, Ascension Island, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Vietnam, Belize, Spain, Egypt, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo (Sabah) and the Philippines.
Yvonne Press
Germany
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Yvonne Press is currently the only female TDI Instructor Trainer and Advanced Trimix instructor in Southeast Asia. She is a PADI TecRec instructor and has been managing Two Fish Tech in Amed, Bali, Indonesia since late 2015. She started diving in Scotland in 2003, going full time into diving in 2010. She became a tech diver in 2011, moved to Bali in 2014 and became a tech instructor and cave diver in early 2015 in Thailand. She qualified as a TDI IT in late 2016.
Commander Vishwanath Rajan
India
Tekdiving Speaker (2021)
Vishwanath’s constant endeavour to make dive education safer and at par with the rest of the advancements in the sport, led to him co-founding Scuba Evolution India at Goa. Dive safety and top quality dive education is the mantra of Scuba Evolution India. Vishwanath is a technical Trimix and Full Cave Diver. He retired from the Indian Navy to pursue teaching scuba diving full time and is a keen ocean conservationist. He teaches Technical and Public Safety Diver courses, along with Marine Resource Management, coral and shark conservation. Scuba Evolution India started as the first dive centre on the mainland to provide accommodation. A PADI 5-Star IDC and TecRec Centre, they offer scuba diving courses from introductory to professional level, and are also dealers for Dive Rite diving equipment. Safety, high quality dive education, exploration and research are high on their list of priorities. A full fledged service centre with mixed gas blending facilities makes them a go-to for all levels of diver training and exploration projects.
Tan Xiaolong
China
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
A veteran of the Chinese underwater industry, Xiaolong is one of the leaders and most experienced trainers in the technical diving scene in China. An avid fan of road trips on his motorcycle, Xiaolong and his wife have just completed a 261- day trip on their bike, travelling 73,084 kilometres through 53 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.
Guillaume Nery
France
Freediving Speaker (2019)
Born in Nice, Guillaume has broken several records, earning a world championship title in deep-sea freediving (-126m), Guillaume continues to explore the human limits and the unknown world of the deep-sea. He writes and creates images that combine aesthetic style and high performance, such as Free Fall, Ocean Gravity and his latest project, One Breath Around The World.
Julie Gautier
France
Freediving Speaker (2019)
Former holder of several French records in deep-sea free diving (-68m), Gautier expresses herself through her underwater cinematography. The Reunion Island native shoots unique images in apnea, using her artistic flair and the infinite freedom of her movements. Top-side, Gautier is an author and a director. Her sensitivity explains her attraction to the world of fiction, as shown in Narcose.
Tan Szue Han
Singapore
Guest Speaker (2019)
Ar. Tan Szue Hann, M. Arch, Managing Director of MINIWIZ Singapore, an award-winning global Circular Economy RD&D design firm. He also conducts Design Studio as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Architecture & Sustainable Design Pillar, Singapore University of Technology & Design (SUTD). Szue Hann graduated with M Arch from the National University of Singapore (NUS), with a visiting fellowship to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2007. He was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Medal, Board of Architects Prize, and the ICI Gold Medal. A registered architect, Board Member of the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), and Council Member and Chairman, Sustainability, of the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), Szue Hann is also an appointed World Cities Summit Young Leader (from 2016), and BCA Built Environment Young Leader (from 2016), both by the Ministry of National Development.
Roger Munns
United Kingdom / Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2019)
Roger is currently working as a Director of Photography on a landmark series about the world’s Oceans for Netflix. He was a principal cameraman on the BBC’s Blue Planet II series, Director of Photography on Apple’s Under the Sea Screensavers, and a sequence cameraman on David Attenborough’s Seven Worlds, One Planet. He is a British Emmy™ and BAFTA award-winning underwater cameraman, based in Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia.
Specialising in Natural history documentary film-making, Roger logged over 600hrs underwater as a principal cameraman on the Blue Planet II series. He filmed ten different stories for four episodes – One Ocean, Coral Reefs, Open Ocean and Our Blue Planet. You can read more about that on Roger’s Blue Planet II blog.
An underwater cameraman since 2001 Roger has experience working in diverse locations and habitats from the Antarctic to the tropics, open ocean to coral reefs. While enjoying the challenge of filming megafauna, such as manta rays and blue whales, his specialty is crafting complex, character-led stories. Notable sequences include ‘Percy the Tuskfish’ smashing clams on an anvil for Blue Planet II, the first filming of the humpback whale heat-run in Tonga for One Life and a story about human interactions with the largest fish in the sea – Whale Sharks, for Seven Worlds, One Planet
Roger is an excellent freediver and has logged over 600hrs on various rebreathers including his rEvo closed circuit rebreather. He owns and operates an 8K Red DSMC2 Helium and a 5K Red Gemini cinema camera housed in a Gates Deep Weapon underwater housing and has worked extensively with lighting and grip underwater.
Lynn Wu
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2019)
Lynn Wu discovered her passion for the underwater world during a trip to Palau. She likes taking macro images, and her work has been featured in various international publications. She has won several awards, including the Compact Camera Photo of the Year for Deepblu ADEX Voice of the Ocean 2016.
Jim Chen
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2019)
Jim Chen loves extreme sports and underwater photography, and combines adventure and creativity in his work. In 2007, he was certified as an open water diver. He began his underwater photography journey in 2008. He has been featured in the Daily Mail, Apple Daily, TVBS, and various other media.
Diego Garcia
Canada
Film Festival Speaker (2019)
At the age of 24, Diego was thrust into the world of TV, handed an underwater camera and whisked away on a 12-episode travel show across Southeast Asia. Now with 15 years experience, Diego’s video work has appeared on Discovery Channel (Daily Planet, Shark Week), National Geographic, CNN, Crime & Investigation, CNA, and has filmed in more than 25 countries. In parallel to his TV work, Diego received his first assignment as an underwater photojournalist with Asian Diver Magazine in 2005, and went on to become editor of Scuba Diver AustralAsia Magazine. Today, he is Senior Editor of both magazine titles, bridging video with print in the multimedia landscape.
Gemma Thomas
United Kingdom
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Gemma, has a PhD in Organic Chemistry and started diving after moving to Singapore in 2008 and was immediately hooked. She loves the sea and diving gives her the opportunity to travel and explore the world. Gemma decided to follow her real passion for teaching, not only she is a certified tech and cave diver, but she also became the first female GUE instructor in SE Asia. She has been actively introducing GUE recreational programs to Singapore and other parts of SE Asia for 3 years.
Edmund Yiu
Hong Kong
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Edmund currently served as the Greater China Regional Head for RAID (Rebreather Association of International Divers) serving dive centres and developing instructors throughout the region. Edmund is qualified as RAID Examiner, RAID Recreational, Technical OC and CCR Instructor Trainer and RAID Full Cave Instructor. Edmund has over 20 years of experiences in recreational, technical, rebreather and cave diving, with more than 6000 dives conducted throughout locations around the world. He has been focused in Technical Diving since 2000 and continue to pursue his passion for diving, exploration and conservation through Scuba diving instruction. Edmund also has years of experience in dive equipment servicing, retail sales and distribution business, providing technical support and total solutions for dive centres and instructors. Through his wealth of experience that brings to the industry, Edmund hopes to improve safety, establish higher quality of training standards, modernized training’s best practices, ensure professionalism with the correct attitude and at the same time improve the profitability of dive centres and instructors. Edmund also holds numerous Instructor Trainer / Instructor ratings from several other dive training agencies in Recreational/ Technical and Rebreather Diving.
Jason Isley
Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2016)
Jason underwent training in Australia to be an underwater cameraman before moving to Sabah in Malaysia to co-found underwater filming and photography company, Scubazoo. For 10 years, Jason filmed all over the world for productions including Nick Baker’s Weird Creatures for National Geographic channel and Perfect Predators for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. From 2006, he focused on full-time photography, becoming the driving force behind Scubazoo’s publications division. He was pivotal in the production of their first book Sipadan-Mabul- Kapalai, meaning “Sabah’s Underwater Treasure”, and then managed the publication of six more coffee table books for Scubazoo.
Imran Ahmad
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2016)
Imran Ahmad is Asia’s most celebrated and internationally published underwater photographer. He has been capturing the magnificence of life both below and above the water’s surface for over 20 years. Known for his experimental photography with light and motion, he is an ambassador for Blancpain Ocean Commitment, SEACAM (Austria), RGBlue Lights (Japan), DEEPBLU and a member of the Ocean Artist Society (USA).
Aaron Gekoski
United Kingdom / Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Gekoski is an environmental photojournalist, presenter and filmmaker. Based in Borneo, he presents wildlife and conservation shows on ScubazooTV, including Borneo/Indonesia/ Timor Leste from Below, Borneo Jungle Diaries and Borneo Wildlife Warriors. His images and articles have appeared in numerous international publications. This year, he was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year (photojournalist category), a competition organised by the Natural History Museum in London.
Mathieu Meur
Mauritius
Photography Speaker (2016)
An underwater photography veteran of over 25 years, Mathieu authored the first PADI-approved digital underwater photography specialty course in the world in 2001. He contributes regular columns on photography techniques in dive and photography publications and co-authored An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography with Michael Aw in 2004 – the first book entirely dedicated to the techniques associated with shooting digital underwater. He has published two interactive e-books on underwater digital photography: Complete Digital Underwater Photography (2013) and Everything on Underwater Photography (2014).
Andrew Marriott
USA
Photography Speaker (2016)
Andrew is a long time diver, photographer and writer. Originally from the USA he found the ocean while working in the world of financial derivatives. After a move to Guam he devoted himself full time to the ocean, helping many new divers fall in love with the water while working as an instructor and enthusiastic underwater photographer. After much encouragement from his friends and students, he devoted himself full time to taking and sharing his images and writing about diving.
His first professional success came when he won first place in every category he entered in the Asia Pacific Photo Challenge. Following this he was asked to provide photos for magazine work, and shortly after was writing the articles to go along with them. He has since written over twenty articles for six different dive and travel magazines. He has had a number of cover shots in these magazines, the most published being the cover of the May 2017 issue of Chinese National Geographic. Along with the magazine work came invitations to speak at major dive shows across Asia. To this day Andrew is a regular speaker at major dive events; having spoken at many shows from Beijing to Singapore and pretty much everywhere in between.
The next logical step for him was to write books on diving and adventure travel. The first of these was Legends Beneath the Waves Vol. 1: Truk Lagoon. This book was very well received and its success has led to an additional six books in that series being committed to. Aside from the shipwreck books, Andrew began to also write dive guides. His guides focus on small areas and seek to take the reader diving in that location in their mind. The first of these is Let’s Go Dive Guide to Anilao. Between books he still can still be found teaching around the Pacific, as he is a much in demand coach for underwater photography. Currently he is working on the next books in these two series while living in Beijing with his awesome wife Dalice and two daughters Elly and EJ “Doomy”.
Mark Messersmith
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Mark is the C.O.O. of Halcyon Dive Systems and a Board of Directors member of Global Underwater Explorers. He has nearly 50 years of dive experience and three decades of diverse business experience. As an avid cave explorer, he has “added line” to many systems in both Florida and Mexico. He is an accomplished entrepreneur creating and leading companies in locations around the world. He has contributed to articles and photographs in assorted publications such as Avian Biology, Time/Life and National Geographic magazine. Mark now lives in North Florida with his wife and dogs, where he continues to teach cave diving and jump out of perfectly good airplanes when given the opportunity.
Alex Santos
Philippines
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Alex is a commercial and technical diver. He and his PHILTECH team work in harsh and peculiar environments. Their unusual profiles allow him to study predispositions to DCS and develop in-water recompression methods for rapid treatment.
Alex also does deep recovery work for valuable objects and victims of drowning. His experience in body recovery has been called upon many times during disasters at sea, and he has trained recovery teams from the Philippines and from overseas.
Cave diving however is his true passion. He is a member of the Filipino Cave Divers, individuals who apply their diverse academic backgrounds in the study and preservation of underwater caves.
Simon Pridmore
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Over the last 25 years, Simon Pridmore has pioneered mixed-gas deep diving in Asia and been involved in technical diver training, exploration and equipment manufacturing. Today, he writes books for divers, most recently “Scuba Exceptional – Become the Best Diver You Can Be” and “Dining with Divers – A Taste for Adventure”.
Tomasz Stachura
Poland
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
One of the most active wreck divers in the Baltic Sea, Tomasz Stachura has been diving wrecks for more than 30 years, and specialises in deep underwater photography. He is the founder, owner and CEO of SANTI Diving – an international company producing equipment for divers. He is also the co-founder of the international Baltictech Conference, dedicated to promoting wreck diving in the Baltic Sea. A member of the Explorers Club New York, Tomasz has published work in magazines around the world, with his photo mosaic of the Swedish wreck Mars Makolos featured on the cover of several European editions of National Geographic.
J. Hoon Park
South Korea
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
J. Hoon Park is South Korea’s top tek diving trainer, instructing the military and lifeguards. He is introducing tek diving techniques and underwater videography education in the country. J. Hoon also works as a TDI sidemount trainer and instructor. He is currently helping to launch Shark Savers Korea in South Korea. In 2015, J. Hoon Park led commercial photographer Y.Zin to a depth of 101 metres using sidemount systems, the first time a woman had been to that depth on that system. He currently supports Y.ZIN COMPANY, is helping to promote GoPro Korea, and is working to support underwater cave documentary films.
Ben Reymenants
Belgium
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Belgium Ben Reymenants is probably best know for his deep dives, his work in the diving medicine field and cave explorations. His career spans close to 3 decades under water and his exploits and teaching style makes him popular for technical courses. He owns a dive centre in Phuket Thailand where he runs technical instructor workshops and deep cave courses in the jungle. He is a fellow of the explorers club and he was part of the initial cave rescue team in the North of Thailand for which he was decorated.
Edd Stockdale
Australia
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Edd Stockdale works as a full-time professional diver. He teaches technical courses around the globe, and is regularly involved in research expeditions. With more than 20 years’ experience in diving – having done around 4,500 dives – he is an instructor trainer with RAID and TDI, as well as a writer for training agency courses.
Gideon Liew
Singapore
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Gideon Liew has been diving since 1984. He began his experience in awe of the diverse environments to be found in Southeast Asia, from pristine reefs to mysterious wrecks. In 1994, he began pursuing a career in the diving industry, working with different operators, developing experience guiding and teaching from liveaboards and land-based centres. His desire to dive beyond the limits of recreational diving led him to seek further education, to explore new environments, especially deep wrecks in the South China Sea.
Paul Toomer
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
A working instructor trainer and expedition diver with a wealth of diving experience and an inexhaustible arsenal of yarns, my next guest in the ADEX Pixel Virtual Expo series of, “Conversations with …” presentations – broadcast live via Zoom on Thursday 13th August – is, Paul Toomer, the President of, RAID, the newest and most innovative of the international diver training organisations.
Discovering, in technical diving, his true passion, Paul has dived wrecks and caves all around the world, safely planned and executed dives to depths deeper than 100-metres, and been a valued member of numerous wreck and archaeological expeditions.
A ‘fireside chat’ that promises equal measures of info-tainment tempered with good advice, this will be a session well worth watching.
Dharshana Jayawardena
Sri Lanka
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Dharshana Jayawardena is a pioneering solo underwater explorer in Sri Lanka. He is the author of Ghosts of the Deep – Diving the shipwrecks of Sri Lanka and has identified the origins of several mystery wrecks in Sri Lanka and discovered its first underwater cave system.
Jill Heinerth
Canada
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Jill Heinerth is a veteran of over thirty years of filming, photography and exploration on projects in submerged caves around the world with National Geographic, NOAA, and television networks worldwide. She is the Explorer in Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, recipient of Canada’s prestigious Polar Medal and the diving world’s highest award from the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. Partnering with Penguin Random House in Canada and Harper Collins in the US, Jill will soon be releasing four new major-market, non-fiction and children’s books.
Shafraz Naeem
Maldives
Tekdive Speaker (2016)
Shafraz Naeem, known to everyone as “Shaff”, is an ex-military dive instructor, an award winning underwater photographer and is the World Adventure Society Ambassador to the Maldives. He started his diving career in 1994, and has extensive knowledge of diving all over the Maldives.
Sakina Sakerwalla
Sweden
Development Director for Conservation International’s Asia-Pacific Field Division
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Sakina Sakerwalla is the Development Director for Conservation International’s Asia-Pacific Field Division, and an avid diver who believes in conserving nature for human well-being. She is responsible for developing new partnerships across corporations, academia, NGOs and government, in addition to driving fundraising activities across the region.
Hannah Pragnell-Raasch
UK/Australia
Program Specialist at Project AWARE
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Hannah Pragnell-Raasch has always had a deep connection with the ocean planet and a desire to protect it. Becoming a certified scuba diver, she became all too familiar with the various impacts affecting our underwater world, further developing her aspirations to work within marine conservation and drive positive change.
Jonn Lu
Singapore
Regional Director of Shark Savers Singapore
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Jonn Benedict Lu directs, produces and hosts content on social concerns and marine topics, also leading expeditions on exploration-themed productions. When not slacklining, running around climbing trees, rocks and urban structures, he’s in the water as an SDI/TDI and NAUI rec and tek diving and freediving instructor. He runs www.FINishedwithFINS.org the largest campaign ever organised for shark conservation, featuring over 700 of the most engaging, influential and powerful celebrities and personalities in the world.
Koh Kwan Siong
Singapore
Manager and Volunteer at Nparks
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Kwan Siong manages biodiversity related projects initiated by National Biodiversity Centre. He is currently one of the project managers for Singapore’s first marine park – the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park. Apart from conducting surveys in mangrove, intertidal and subtidal habitats, he also manages a volunteer programme that outreaches to the public, creating awareness and appreciation of our marine biodiversity.
Joanne Marston
UK/Australia
Campaign Manager At Project
Aware Foundation
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Joanne has extensive and proven nonprofit campaign management experience coupled with a background in politics and public relations. She has worked in the nonprofit environmental community for over 12 years, spearheading multiple diver engagement campaigns both in Asia Pacific and throughout the world. This includes the dynamic “Extinction Is Not an Option” campaign, which helped deliver shark and ray protection at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora as well as a groundbreaking local community campaign called Ocean Action.
Jerker Tamelander
Sweden/Thailand
Head of Unep Coral Reef Unit
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Jerker has been integral in the development of Green Fins. A keen diver since 1992, he has more than 15 years of international experience from marine research, management and policy development, including fieldwork in coral reef areas around the world.
Alex Antoniou
UK/USA
Founder Of Fins Attached: Marine
Research And Conservation
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Alex has been working with and studying sharks for over 20 years. He began his work by establishing a field station for the Shark Research Institute in the Honduran Bay Island of Utila and subsequently convinced the Honduran Government to enact protection laws for the whale shark in their territorial waters. He was the first to tag whale sharks in the Caribbean with satellite tags.
Albert Li
Australia
Founder Of Scuba For Change
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Albert is the Founder of Scuba for Change (SFC). Named as “B3000+ Social Enterprise of the Year” in 2015, SFC reinvests 100% of its net earnings for the benefit of local communities. SFC offers diving in Puerto Galera, Philippines, a location teeming with underwater diversity.
Yasmeen Smalley-Norman
USA
Vice President and 3d Modeler of The Hydrous
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Yasmeen is an underwater photographer dedicated to using visual storytelling to promote awareness of our oceans. A published underwater photographer and videographer and Vice President of The Hydrous, Yasmeen uses 3D imaging and visual media to tell stories of vulnerable and endangered coral reefs. She is also an Associate Member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, an Explorers Club Student Member and a PADI Divemaster.
Judi Lowe
Australia
Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Judi Lowe is a marine science PhD candidate at Southern Cross University, New South Wales, Australia, with an unusual background. Using her experience as a diver, accountant and international lawyer, Judi’s research takes a fresh approach, solving practical, real-world problems in the conservation of coral reefs, fish and the marine megafauna we love to dive with.
Sally Snow
Philippines
LAMAVE
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Sally Snow is a zoologist and filmmaker. She is one of four Executive Directors for the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines. A passionate science communicator, she has worked with the BBC, most recently on Blue Planet II, National Geographic and PTS. Her latest project follows the team as they travel to a sunken volcano off the Philippine mainland, to study some of the last remaining sharks in the Coral Triangle.
Heng Pei Yan
Singapore
Volunteer at Nparks
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Pei Yan is a full-time school teacher who volunteers with NParks, and runs a popular blog and Facebook page about her adventures in Nature around Singapore, from guiding Nature trails, to diving in Singapore’s waters.
Gary Stokes
United Kingdom
OceansAsia Founder
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Born in the UK, raised in the Mediterranean but currently based in Hong Kong. Gary is best known for his work exposing the shark fin industry over the past 12 years. His images and videos have appeared on tabloids and news networks as well as in several movies. He is known for his no compromise, no BS approach to conservation issues. At the start of 2019 he established OceansAsia a new not for-profit based in Asia for Asia to directly investigate and address local ocean conservation issues in the region.
Chloe Harvey
United Kingdom
Director, Reef World Foundation
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Chloe Harvey is a professional diver and marine biologist who has supported businesses from all segments of the diving industry on environmental considerations since 2008. As manager of the UK Charity Reef-World and in partnership with the UN Environment, she has developed the Green Fins initiative for sustainable diving. Through this, she provides over 500 business owners and national authorities with the tools and support needed to drive a sustainable industry across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Palau, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Maarten De Brauwer
Belgium
Curtin University Marine Biologist
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Maarten is a marine biologist at Curtin University, Perth, Australia. His main interests are rarity and extinction risk in marine fishes. His current research investigates the ecology and socioeconomic value of critters important to the muck dive industry. He is also a dive instructor who has worked and trained divers all across Southeast Asia.
Richard Smith
United Kingdom
Marine Biologist, Pygmy Seahorse Expert
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Dr Richard Smith combines an in-depth academic knowledge of the marine environment with a unique skill for capturing stunning images. He aspires to promote an appreciation for the ocean’s inhabitants and raise awareness of marine conservation issues through his images. Richard’s pioneering research on the biology and conservation of pygmy seahorses led to the first PhD on these enigmatic fishes.
Chai Apale
Philippines
Iseahorse Project Coordinator
Conservation Speaker (2016)
In her role as iSeahorse Philippines coordinator, Chai manages outreach and communications for iSeahorse in the Philippines. She received a BSc in marine biology from Mindanao State University-Illigan Institute of Technology, where she studied the community structures of reef fishes. Before joining Project Seahorse, she was a coastal resource management trainer for the United States Peace Corps in the Philippines.
Amanda Vincent
Canada
Director and Co-founder Of Project Seahorse
Keynote Speaker (2016)
Amanda Vincent has a PhD in marine biology from the University of Cambridge and was Darwin Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford from 1994 to 1996. She is considered the leading authority on seahorse biology and conservation, and in 2000 was named a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation. She also serves as lead scientific advisor and chair of the seahorse working group for CITES.
Cheng Si’Min
Singapore
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
The Stand Up Paddle Association of Singapore (SUPAS) is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to promote active participation in the sport for all ages. The association supports the growing sport by organising recreational activities, events, and local and international competitions.
Cheng Si’Jia
Singapore
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
The Stand Up Paddle Association of Singapore (SUPAS) is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to promote active participation in the sport for all ages. The association supports the growing sport by organising recreational activities, events, and local and international competitions.
Jonathan Lo
Singapore
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
The Stand Up Paddle Association of Singapore (SUPAS) is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to promote active participation in the sport for all ages. The association supports the growing sport by organising recreational activities, events, and local and international competitions.
Svein Rasmussen
Norway
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
A world champion windsurfer, stand up paddle boarder and yoga enthusiast, Svein Rasmussen is a well known in the world of board sports. He started his career as an Olympic windsurfer before becoming a board builder and environmental activist. His latest mission is to revolutionise the production of surfboards to make them ecofriendly.
Paula Rosales
Philippines
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
Paula Rosales is a board sports enthusiast. With a degree in organisational communication and advertising management, she is the head event director for the Blue Palawan Kiteboard Open – Asia’s first and only kiteboard terrain park. She has many projects on the go, including her Republ1c Lifestyle Store.
Ollie O’Reilly
United Kingdom
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
Ollie O’Reilly is the Starboards product manager for SUP, responsible for overseeing all design and development through to production. As a passionate surfer and SUP racer, Ollie is committed to developing sustainable innovations to help preserve a cleaner ocean for the future.
Kathrin Borgwardt
Germany
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
Kathrin Borgwardt is a five-time winner of Kiteboard Tour Asia. Starting at the age of 12, Kathrin went on to finish second in both Kitetour Europe and the Masters World Championships in Sardinia. She currently supports many kitesurfing projects in less developed areas.
Kacper Lepicki
Poland
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
Born in Poland, Kacper Lepicki moved to China with his parents at the age of two, and started playing with stunt kites when he was around four years old. When he was seven, he had his first kitesurfing experience in Boracay in the Philippines. He progressed quickly, and in 2016 travelled to Costa Brava in Spain to compete in the World Kitesurfing Youth Cup. Although it was Kacper’s first-ever competition, he won the 2016 Junior World Championship title in the U11 age group.
Henrik M. Rosén
Indonesia
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
A principal member of Wakatobi Resort, Henrik Rosén shares a unique perspective on the resort’s evolution from a simple diving outpost to an luxury eco destination of international fame. Henrik has been integral in the process of creating one of the world’s most successful models for cooperative conservation. His latest hobby? Kiteboarding! Henrik has kiteboarded in Venezuela, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sweden, Indonesia, Singapore, Morocco, the UAE, the USA and Canada, to date.
Asim Mohamed Fulhu
Maldives
Waterplay360 Speaker (2017)
Asim Mohamed Fulhu is the founder of Maafushi Dive and Water Sports Centre in the Maldives. He started diving and trying out various watersports from a young age. He is now a PADI ICD staff instructor. He is also a qualified fly board and kitesurfing instructor.
Tim Ho
Malaysia
Guest Speaker (2017)
In 2009, Tim purchased his first underwater compact camera. As upgrading was too expensive and beyond the means of an island dive instructor, he started to explore and develop his own comprehension of how his camera worked. Today, his methods and compact camera techniques are used as reference materials by underwater photography trainers when teaching about compact camera use. Some of his earlier works are still often used as benchmarks of what to strive to achieve when shooting with a compact camera.
Stefano Scolari
Italy
Guest Speaker (2017)
Stefano Scolari was born in Verona, Italy. he holds a PhD, and currently works as an export manager at Ratio Computers. He is a passionate trainer and communicator, as well as a technical diver instructor.
Robert Chamberlain
United Kingdom
Guest Speaker (2017)
Robert Chamberlain is the COO behind DeepFlight Adventures. He oversaw the launch of the company, and is in charge of sales and marketing. Robert aims to become a leading player in global underwater tourism, and is looking to take DeepFlight to the next level.
Chris Mo
Austria
Guest Speaker (2017)
Chris Mo became a professional underwater model after 15 months of intense training with Rico Besserdich, becoming the world’s first official DIWAcertified underwater model. She is also a certified AIDA two-star freediver, and a DIWA master scuba diver.
Mike Lever
Canada
Guest Speaker (2017)
Captain Mike Lever spent 15 years as a bush pilot and water bomber in the Arctic. A dive instructor who pioneered cold-water liveaboards diving in Alaska and British Columbia, fate led Mike to pilot one of his boats South to Mexico – and the rest is history
Laurent Lavoye
France
Guest Speaker (2017)
Laurent Lavoye has been a dive professional for the past 20 years. He has trained many divers and instructors around the world, in both recreational, technical and rebreather diving. Learning to dive with decompression very early in his career, Laurent quickly became an expert at diving deep with mixed gases and various types of diving systems and breathing apparatus. Laurent is now is the owner of 7SEAS Dive Gili and is regarded as one of the most reputable trainers in Indonesia.
John Lippman
Australia
Guest Speaker (2017)
John Lippmann is the founder, chairman and director of training at the Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific (DAN Asia-Pacific), which was founded in 1994 in an effort to improve the safety of scuba diving within the region. He has been involved in researching, teaching, writing and consulting on safe diving practices, and specialises in areas such as resuscitation, first aid, and various aspects of decompression. He has written articles and papers on dive safety, decompression and accident management, which have been published in diving journals around the world.
Dietmar Fuchs
Germany
Guest Speaker (2017)
A single skin dive in a water reservoir in northern Germany fascinated Dietmar Fuchs enough to start his diving career at an early age. Fuchs attended the University of Munich for graduate studies in marine biology. After 30 years as an editor-in-chief at various international media, Fuchs found his true addiction: Editing and promoting underwater photo art, which he has done since 2008. Fuchs became a board member of the German Dive Federation in 2016, as well as editor-in-chief of the largest dive publication in German, VDST.
Edward Lai
Hong Kong
Guest Speaker (2017)
Edward was the chairman of the Hong Kong Mould and Die Council from 1993 until 2003. Edward started diving in 1997. He is passionate about the underwater world and marine conservation. He founded Nauticam with the mission of providing the most ergonomic and robust underwater imaging equipment. He personally tested the different ranges of camera housing.
Chie Defino
Philippines
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Currently located in Romblon Romblon in the Philippines, Choe Defino manages her own mermaid school, the Mitcheline Mermaid Academy, and assists with the management of Romblon Pirates, a newly-opened scuba dive shop. Her “mermaid dream” is to create a sanctuary made from coral, and to educate people on how to protect and sustain it.
Odessa Bugarin
Philippines
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Mermaid Odessa manages Odessa Mermaid Academy in the Philippines. She is also a scuba diving and freediving instructor. She has recently set a national record for a static apnea competition under AIDA, organised by Freediving Planet Moalboal, holding her breath four minutes, 19 seconds.
Jessica Bell
Australia
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Jessica Bell, also known as Mermaid Jessica Pearl, is part of the performing duo “The Perth Mermaids”. As a freediver, artist and photographer, she is passionate about creating love for the ocean through mythology, creativity and performance. She is particularly interested in defending the reputation of sharks.
Amelia Jane
Australia
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Amelia Jane Lassetter, also known as Mermaid Amelia, is a professional mermaid, artist and photographer. Part of “The Perth Mermaids” duo, her aim is to entertain and educate others through her performances and art. Amelia is a trained freediver and has swum with over ten species of shark.
Joyce Ng
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Joyce Ng is a PADI Divemaster and Hong Kong’s first mermaid. With a passion for underwater photography, Joyce has won awards in several international photography contests, and has been published in various magazines. As an underwater model, she aims to create an ocean-human connection.
Audrey Chen
Singapore
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Audrey Chen is the winner of Miss Mermaid Singapore 2017. As a girl, Audrey suffered a phobia of water after a traumatising experience at a young age. Inspired by Ariel in The Little Mermaid, she overcame her fear of water and
went on to win the Miss Mermaid title.
Alexis Vassal
France
Mermaid Speaker (2017)
Alexis Vassal, also known as Merman Arion, was born deaf. He got his first hearing aids at the age of five, and then discovered swimming, establishing a deep connection with the ocean. He was inspired by The Little Mermaid to become the merman he is today.
Nora Lestari
Indonesia
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Nora Lestaroi is a competitive freediver, underwater model and a PADI Scuba Divemaster. Since freediving has increased in popularity, she is excited about seeing greater growth and inspiring more freedivers, especially in her home country of Indonesia.
Jonathan Chong
Singapore
Freediving Speaker (2017)
A competitive freediver, Jonathan currently holds all the Singapore national records in freediving and is a master freediver instructor. Jonathan also formed the Apnea Association of Singapore, an organisation focusing and supporting the growth of Freediving in Singapore. Armed with a background in multiple competitive sports, a Master’s in Psychology and the Singapore Freediving Academy, Jonathan’s goal is to help develop freedivers and the sport in Singapore.To Jonathan, freediving is more than just a sport, it is a gateway to understanding oneself and overcoming inner barriers.
Suzy Lim
France
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Suzy is a sino – Cambodian active lady, born and raised in France and now living between Hong Kong, France and the Philippines. She is a former Scuba-diving Instructor, competition swimmer, Scientist and Pharmacist. She is Professional freediver – Freedive school Owner, Instructor, Competition organizer, Judge, Safety and Athlete freediver. In 2012, Suzy started freediving and became, at this moment, the co-founder of Freediving Planet, a name dedicated to provide worldwide quality freediving education and top freediving equipment. Suzy, is the only English speaking Master Freediver Instructor in Hong Kong and has created one of the first freediving club there. In 2017, Suzy started her journey as an athlete freediver, traveling to compete in the International scene under France or Hong Kong flag. So far, she has won 2 gold medals and hold 3 Women Hong Kong record in depth disciplines. Suzy’s love of the Ocean and its inhabitants began during her youth. As a grown up, she is combining her background in communication and science to her freediving skills, to collaborate with different NGO and foundations engaged in the conservation of the biodiversity, reef and ocean.
Oli Christen
Switzerland
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Oli Christen is a Freedive Instructor Trainer and Author of Education Materials for AIDA, Molchanovs and PADI Freediver. He is the owner of Freedive Flow Indonesia, a renowned freedive school on Gili Air specialized in professional development.
Frederic Buyle
Belgium
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Frederic Buyle set several world records in the 1990s. He uses his freediving skills to help marine scientists in their research all over the world. His work focuses on creating positive imagery to support ocean conservation.
Erez Beatus
Australia
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Erez Beatus has had a successful competitive freediving career, which includes a world record. Erez has since shifted his focus to education, and is now the head of education for Apnea International; he is the owner of Apnea Australia. Erez is also an awardwinning photographer, primarily focusing on the conservation of marine life.
Alan Lam
Hong Kong
Freediving Speaker (2017)
Alan Lam is the founder of AQUATICITY Freediving and the Mermaid Academy. Lam is a key distributor of high-end freediving equipment in Hong Kong and China. His passion for aquatics started with a holiday trial dive, which soon evolved into his biggest interest.
Simon Pridmore
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Over the last 25 years, Simon Pridmore has pioneered mixed-gas deep diving in Asia and been involved in technical diver training, exploration and equipment manufacturing. Today, he writes books for divers, most recently “Scuba Exceptional – Become the Best Diver You Can Be” and “Dining with Divers – A Taste for Adventure”.
Wojtek A. Filip
Poland
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Wojtek A. Filip is an explorer and cave diver. He is a leader of the Morpheus Project on exploration of Croatian caves and an instructor mentor in GUE. Wojtek is also a diving gear constructor and tester in TecLine, and is an author of several hundred features on diving safety and equipment.
Shafraz Naeem
Maldives
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Shafraz Naeem, known to everyone as “Shaff”, is an ex-military dive instructor, an award winning underwater photographer and is the World Adventure Society Ambassador to the Maldives. He started his diving career in 1994, and has extensive knowledge of diving all over the Maldives.
Thomas Dederichs
Germany
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Thomas Dederichs is the President of OMS, and CEO and founder of BtS EUROPA AG. He has over 10 years’ experience as a TDI Inspiration instructor and TDI advanced Trimix instructor trainer. He is also qualified as a GUE Fundamentals instructor, GUE cave II diver, as well as PADI OWSI.
Paul Toomer
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
A working instructor trainer and expedition diver with a wealth of diving experience and an inexhaustible arsenal of yarns, my next guest in the ADEX Pixel Virtual Expo series of, “Conversations with …” presentations – broadcast live via Zoom on Thursday 13th August – is, Paul Toomer, the President of, RAID, the newest and most innovative of the international diver training organisations.
Discovering, in technical diving, his true passion, Paul has dived wrecks and caves all around the world, safely planned and executed dives to depths deeper than 100-metres, and been a valued member of numerous wreck and archaeological expeditions.
A ‘fireside chat’ that promises equal measures of info-tainment tempered with good advice, this will be a session well worth watching.
Richie Kohler
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Richie Kohler is an author and shipwreck explorer whose 40 years of diving experiences have taken him to all corners of the globe. These exploits have been detailed in documentary films and in a NY Times best-selling book, Shadow Divers, by Robert Kurson. Kohler hosted fifty-six episodes of the popular History Channel program “Deep Sea Detectives” and numerous other television programs detailing his explorations on some of the most famous shipwrecks in the world, including the Andrea Doria, RMS Titanic, and the HMHS Britannic. Utilizing submersibles and cutting-edge diving equipment, Kohler’s focus in underwater exploration has been on the human aspect of shipwreck tragedies, correcting fractured or missing history and in doing so, providing answers and closure to family members. Locating and identifying lost warships such as the USS Murphy, USS Lagarto, U-215 and U-869 and reaching out to these people has been the real reward in shipwreck exploration. Kohler’s recent work on a forgotten WWII submarine battle helped bring posthumous recognition to American Naval Captain in an award ceremony at the US Pentagon.
A fellow in the Explorer’s Club, Kohler continues to lead expeditions worldwide in search of lost ships and the mysteries they hold. He has written numerous magazine articles about shipwrecks, deep diving and diver safety and in 2017, published his first book, Mystery of the Last Olympian detailing a decade of work on Titanic’s sister ship Britannic. Over the years he has made numerous presentations at schools, libraries, diving conventions and symposiums promoting diving safety, education and awareness.
Randy Thornton
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Randy Thornton, is a prolific explorer with an interest in cave and wreck diving. As CEO of SubGravity, Randy is intimately involved with the design of closed circuit rebreather systems as well as other technical diving equipment. As an instructor trainer for over 20 years, he travels extensively to offer training in various disciplines of technical diving. Randy currently serves as a member of the TDI Training Advisory Panel and is in demand as a presenter at various technical diving conferences and events worldwide, including TEKDiveUSA of which he is a founding member.
Gideon Liew
Singapore
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Gideon Liew has been diving since 1984. He began his experience in awe of the diverse environments to be found in Southeast Asia, from pristine reefs to mysterious wrecks. In 1994, he began pursuing a career in the diving industry, working with different operators, developing experience guiding and teaching from liveaboards and land-based centres. His desire to dive beyond the limits of recreational diving led him to seek further education, to explore new environments, especially deep wrecks in the South China Sea.
Edd Stockdale
Australia
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Edd Stockdale works as a full-time professional diver. He teaches technical courses around the globe, and is regularly involved in research expeditions. With more than 20 years’ experience in diving – having done around 4,500 dives – he is an instructor trainer with RAID and TDI, as well as a writer for training agency courses.
Bruce Partridge
Canada
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Bruce Partridge is an experienced software writer, who investigated the design of rebreather electronics and software in the late 1990s. Shearwater Research Inc. was formed to produce a closedcircuit rebreather oxygen controller. In response to customer requests, standalone dive computers followed. Shearwater now sells dive computers for technical and recreational divers.
Ben Reymenants
Belgium
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Belgium Ben Reymenants is probably best know for his deep dives, his work in the diving medicine field and cave explorations. His career spans close to 3 decades under water and his exploits and teaching style makes him popular for technical courses. He owns a dive centre in Phuket Thailand where he runs technical instructor workshops and deep cave courses in the jungle. He is a fellow of the explorers club and he was part of the initial cave rescue team in the North of Thailand for which he was decorated.
Beatrice Rivoira
Italy
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Beatrice is an Italian vocational diver with a Master Degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography. With 20 years of diving experience, she has worked around the world as a CCR & OC instructor and participated in biological and archaeological underwater projects.
From 2013 she has joined “Zero Emissions” with which she continues to teach and educate, as well as training herself in different environments. She co-authored the book “Biodiving”, translated and contributed to several other diving texts. Her hope is to inspire more and more young people to protect and discover the natural beauties of our underwater world.
Alex Santos
Philippines
Tekdive Speaker (2017)
Alex is a commercial and technical diver. He and his PHILTECH team work in harsh and peculiar environments. Their unusual profiles allow him to study predispositions to DCS and develop in-water recompression methods for rapid treatment.
Alex also does deep recovery work for valuable objects and victims of drowning. His experience in body recovery has been called upon many times during disasters at sea, and he has trained recovery teams from the Philippines and from overseas.
Cave diving however is his true passion. He is a member of the Filipino Cave Divers, individuals who apply their diverse academic backgrounds in the study and preservation of underwater caves.
Adrienne Gittus
Indonesia
Film Festival Speaker (2017)
Adrienne Gittus is the founder of Soulwater Productions. Her videography has been featured on major television platforms, and she recently won the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the prestigious Blue Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit 2016 in Florida.
Krov Menuhin
Australia
Film Festival Speaker (2017)
Underwater filmmaker, diver, pilot, soldier, conservationist and writer, Krov Menuhin has pursued a life of adventure. Recognised as a leading underwater cameramen in the 1970s and 1980s, he has produced, directed and filmed groundbreaking documentaries. He was the first person to video a blue whale.
Evan Sherman
USA
Film Festival Speaker (2017)
Evan Sherman is the owner of Seasick Productions. His professional underwater credits include work for television networks, Fortune 500 companies, and numerous other entities within the dive industry. Evan’s recent film, Bali Close Up, received Video of the Year at the ADEX 2016 Voice of the Ocean Competition.
Howard & Michele Hall
USA
Film Festival Speaker (2017)
Howard Hall produced, wrote, directed, and photographed his first major film, Seasons, which aired as an episode in the PBS series Nature, and as a BBC Special. The film won numerous international awards, including a Golden Panda for Best Picture at Wildscreen90, and the Festival Choice Award at the 1991 Jackson Hole International Wildlife Film Festival.
Yoshi Hirata
Japan
Photography Speaker (2017)
A marine biologist and accomplished underwater photographer, Yoshi Hirata began his passion for diving when he was researching the rich marine resources of Sipadan and Mabul back in 1993 as a marine consultant. During the course of his work, he expressed his love for the sea by featuring thousands of amazing photos of Mabul in various magazine titles. He is also the author of three books namely Oraga-Umi, With My Expression of Love for the Sea, and Art of the Sea.
Vincent Truchet
France
Photography Speaker (2017)
Vincent Truchet is a professional wildlife photographer who has won many prestigious awards. Living in French Polynesia since 2010, he dives almost everyday to capture stunning images. His images were selected by BBC Wildlife for their calendar. He has also worked for Blancpain.
Todd Essick
USA
Photography Speaker (2017)
Todd is an award-winning underwater fine art photographer and photojournalist. He has appeared on several television programmes in Germany, including Germany’s Next Top Model with Heidi Klum. Todd has a diving career spanning over 30 years, and has been named one of the top 10 underwater photographers in the world.
Simon Lorenz
Hong Kong
Photography Speaker (2017)
Simon Lorenz is dedicated to diving, travel, journalism, photography, and the distribution of photography products. Simon has been featured in several international publications. In his home town of Hong Kong, he runs the first and only underwater modelling studio, Pool Portrait.
Saygun Dura
Turkey
Photography Speaker (2017)
Saygun Dura is an award-winning underwater photographer, dive instructor and owner of an advertising photography business. He has taught studio and lighting techniques at several universities. Saygun has exhibited his work in New York and Istanbul, and has been invited to judge several photography competitions.
Roni Ben-Aharon
Israel
Atlantis Resorts
Photography Speaker (2017)
The Philippines archipelago, in the heart of the coral triangle, offers diverse divers the chance to immerse in incredibly diverse diving. From Whale Sharks to Pygmy Squid, pristine reefs and dramatic drop offs, critter diving and Japanese WWII wrecks, between over 7000 islands, we have it all!
Join to learn where we dive with various sharks, frog fish and more among the Philippines dive destinations.
Escaping the corporate world to chase sand grains around the world, Roni has guided divers, and held marketing and management roles in various aquatic nations of Caribbean, Central America, SE Asia and the Pacific.
Roni leads Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboard Philippines partnerships in Asia and Europe, and resides in Visayas, Philippines.
Pietro Cremone
Italy
Photography Speaker (2017)
Pietro Cremone has long held a passion for underwater photography. In 2009, he founded the company Digital Media Service, selling underwater photography equipment. Pietro has won numerous awards at international events, and one of his images was selected for display at the Smithsonian Museum.
Nuswanto Lobbu
Indonesia
Photography Speaker (2017)
Nuswanto Lobbu has worked with many professional underwater photographers, marine biologists and scientists. With over 20 years’ experience in guiding and diving, he is a qualified CMAS and POSSI instructor, as well as a SSI and SDI instructor. He is currently part of the management team at Maluku Divers Resort.
Michael Aw
Australia
Photography Speaker (2017)
Michael AW is a wildlife photographer, explorer and a conservationist. He has authored 35 books about the ocean. His accolades include more than 66 international photographic awards and being named as one of the world’s most influential nature photographers by Outdoor Photography magazine. His essays and pictures have been published in BBC Wildlife, GEO, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Nature, Ocean Geographic, Asian Geographic, Nature Focus, Times, and Discovery to name but a few. In 2018, he was awarded the Award of Excellence by Our World Underwater in Chicago.
Mathieu Meur
Mauritius
Photography Speaker (2017)
An underwater photography veteran of over 25 years, Mathieu authored the first PADI-approved digital underwater photography specialty course in the world in 2001. He contributes regular columns on photography techniques in dive and photography publications and co-authored An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography with Michael Aw in 2004 – the first book entirely dedicated to the techniques associated with shooting digital underwater. He has published two interactive e-books on underwater digital photography: Complete Digital Underwater Photography (2013) and Everything on Underwater Photography (2014).
Marcello Di Francesco
Italy
Photography Speaker (2017)
Underwater photographer Marcello Di Francesco has won numerous international photography competitions. A member of the Nauticam Italy image team, Marcello founded the Italian Underwater Photography Society in 2015. In 2016, he co-founderd AQUApixel. He is a FixNeo ambassador for the Japanese FISHEYE company.
Lynn Wu
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2017)
Lynn Wu discovered her passion for the underwater world during a trip to Palau. She likes taking macro images, and her work has been featured in various international publications. She has won several awards, including the Compact Camera Photo of the Year for Deepblu ADEX Voice of the Ocean 2016.
Luca Vaime
Switzerland
Photography Speaker (2017)
Luca Vaime is a photographer, filmmaker and photography instructor at Underwater Tribe. Luca has been living abroad since 2000, and started underwater photography in 2003. He has been based in Indonesia since 2005. He has also worked in Australia, the Maldives, Thailand and Egypt. He practices Aikido and loves to surf.
Jim Chen
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2017)
Jim Chen loves extreme sports and underwater photography, and combines adventure and creativity in his work. In 2007, he was certified as an open water diver. He began his underwater photography journey in 2008. He has been featured in the Daily Mail, Apple Daily, TVBS, and various other media.
Imran Ahmad
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2017)
Imran Ahmad is Asia’s most celebrated and internationally published underwater photographer. He has been capturing the magnificence of life both below and above the water’s surface for over 20 years. Known for his experimental photography with light and motion, he is an ambassador for Blancpain Ocean Commitment, SEACAM (Austria), RGBlue Lights (Japan), DEEPBLU and a member of the Ocean Artist Society (USA).
Glenn Yong
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2017)
Glenn is a Singapore-based professional photographer specializing in commercial and underwater photography. He has shot for various scuba diving resorts and destinations in Asia, gaining him recognition and accreditation from international professional photography associations.
Eduardo Acevedo
Spain
Photography Speaker (2017)
Eduardo Acevedo has been in contact with the sea all his life – first in apnea, and then in scuba diving. In 1998, he began underwater photography. A previous winner of the Voice of the Ocean competition, he has dived all over the world.
Bulent Selli
Turkey
Photography Speaker (2017)
Bulent Selli is an award-winning professional underwater photographer and photography instructor. His passion for underwater photography lead him to start the Imbat Underwater Imaging Center. He and his team organise worldwide underwater photo workshops and expeditions.
Brett Lobwein
Australia
Photography Speaker (2017)
Brett Lobwein is a passionate, award-winning, environmentally conscious photographer from Australia. Whether shooting silky sharks in Cuba or fur seals in his native waterways. Brett aims to represent marine life in their natural element, without demonizing or sensationalizing an animal to gain attention to an image for the wrong reasons. He is also a strong advocate for protecting our oceans by raising awareness about the impact of single-use plastics. Brett is also the resident photographer at Ocean Geographic, an ambassador for Isotta and the owner of UW Images.
BK Chin
Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2017)
BK Chin combines his passions of flying and scuba diving in his career as an airline pilot – he gets to travel and dive around the world. He is now a qualified GUE level 2 technical diver and cave diver. His images have been featured in international publications.
Bart Lukasik
Poland
Photography Speaker (2017)
Bart Lukasik is a professional underwater videographer and dive expedition guide, who has worked on projects on the East coast of Southern Africa. Bart’s work has been published worldwide by respected natural history content providers.
Anthony S. Lenzo
USA
Photography Speaker (2017)
Anthony S. Lenzo is a five-time Emmy Award winner for Innovative Camera Systems, POV Technician, Electronic Cinematographer and Technical Team Remote. He has worked as a director of photography, a camera operator, an engineer, inventor, jib operator and an equipment manufacturer.
Andrew Marriott
USA
Photography Speaker (2017)
Andrew is a long time diver, photographer and writer. Originally from the USA he found the ocean while working in the world of financial derivatives. After a move to Guam he devoted himself full time to the ocean, helping many new divers fall in love with the water while working as an instructor and enthusiastic underwater photographer. After much encouragement from his friends and students, he devoted himself full time to taking and sharing his images and writing about diving.
His first professional success came when he won first place in every category he entered in the Asia Pacific Photo Challenge. Following this he was asked to provide photos for magazine work, and shortly after was writing the articles to go along with them. He has since written over twenty articles for six different dive and travel magazines. He has had a number of cover shots in these magazines, the most published being the cover of the May 2017 issue of Chinese National Geographic. Along with the magazine work came invitations to speak at major dive shows across Asia. To this day Andrew is a regular speaker at major dive events; having spoken at many shows from Beijing to Singapore and pretty much everywhere in between.
The next logical step for him was to write books on diving and adventure travel. The first of these was Legends Beneath the Waves Vol. 1: Truk Lagoon. This book was very well received and its success has led to an additional six books in that series being committed to. Aside from the shipwreck books, Andrew began to also write dive guides. His guides focus on small areas and seek to take the reader diving in that location in their mind. The first of these is Let’s Go Dive Guide to Anilao. Between books he still can still be found teaching around the Pacific, as he is a much in demand coach for underwater photography. Currently he is working on the next books in these two series while living in Beijing with his awesome wife Dalice and two daughters Elly and EJ “Doomy”.
Alegra Ally
Australia
Photography Speaker (2017)
Alegra Ally is an ethnographer and award winning photographer, whose work documents indigenous cultures. Ally is the founder of the Wild Born Project, which focuses on ecological knowledge, indigenous women and cultures, and climate change.
Tobias Friedrich
Germany
Photography Speaker (2017)
Tobias Friedrich lives in Germany and started taking pictures with a DSLR underwater in the year 2007. Since then his images have been published in prestigious scuba diving magazines and newspapers around the world. Several underwater photographic competitions, have honoured his work, resulting in over 50 awards with nearly 30 1st places. Lately he has been named “Underwater Photographer of the Year 2018” in the prestigious UPY London competition and “German Photographer of the Year 2019” in Germany. All waters, from zero to 30° Celsius, are attractive for him, at least there is something to photograph. He is SEACAM equipment for his Canon EOS 1DX Mark II and 5D Mark II DSLR. He is leading expeditions and workshops around the world, where everybody can join.
Cristian Dimitrius
Brazil
Photography Speaker (2017)
Cristian Dimitrius is an Emmy Award winning cinematographer, photographer and presenter specialising in wildlife and natural history films. Cristian’s cinematography and camera techniques are helping to revolutionise the way people perceive wildlife. In addition to several film credits, Cristian has shot for the world’s top television networks.
Marty Snyderman
USA
Photography Speaker (2017)
One of the exclusive DEMA SCUBA diving Hall of Fame members, Snyderman is an Emmy Awardwinning cinematographer, photographer, author and speaker specialising in marine life. He is the Marine Life Editor of Dive Training magazine and the Senior Editor for California Diving News. Marty teaches underwater photography worldwide and is on the Board of Trustees of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation. He also publishes an online magazine for young children on the different marine animals.
Laurent Ballesta
France
Photography Speaker (2017)
Laurent studied marine biology, which culminated in a Master’s degree. He discovered a species of fish hitherto unknown in the Western Mediterranean. Combining his passion for underwater photography with his work as a biologist, Laurent has won numerous awards, and has been featured in international publications.
Amos Nachoum
USA
Photography Speaker (2017)
From freediving with blue whales to scuba diving in the Okavango Delta with crocodiles, Amos Nachoum has explored every body of water from the North Pole to Antarctica. Amos’ vision is to raise awareness about our oceans’ giants in their habitats.
Tan Heok Hui
Singapore
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Dr Tan Heok Hui obtained his doctorate in 2003, working on the systematics of Borneo suckers. He has published more than 90 internationally refereed scientific papers to date, describing more than 100 species of freshwater fish new to science, including the world’s smallest vertebrate (Paedocypris progenetica).
Ludwig Federigan
Phillipines
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Ludwig Federigan is the co-founder of the Young Environmental Forum, where he is also the executive director. Previously the treasurer and vice-president for business operations at the World Wide Fund for Nature in the Philippines, he is currently writing his first book, which will showcase individual approaches to a low carbon and sustainable lifestyle.
Kathy Xu
Singapore
Founder & CEO, The DORSAL EFFECT
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Kathy Xu is the founder of the ecotourism outfit, The Dorsal Effect, that provides an alternative livelihood to Indonesian shark fishermen by bringing tourists on snorkelling trips. The Dorsal Effect has won grants from the Singapore International Foundation, the Rufford Grant and the YSEALI Seeds for the Future Grant to fund their work.
Dr. Karenne Tun
Singapore
NParks
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Before Karenne joined NParks in 2013, she obtained her PhD from the National University of Singapore, where she developed diagnostic tools for coral reef monitoring and management. Karenne subsequently worked at NUS to study the impacts of anthropogenic activities on coral reefs, before moving on to coordinating coral reef monitoring efforts in the Southeast Asian region. Her current work at NParks covers issues related to the management and conservation of Singapore’s coastal and marine environment and the biodiversity they support.
Brian von Herzen
USA
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Dr Brian von Herzen is the executive director of the Climate Foundation. He has conducted oceanographic research in the South Pacific over the past decade to reverse coral bleaching and develop related technologies, such as marine permaculture. Brian is a guest lecturer at Stanford University, CalTech, and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole.
Tim Jarvis
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Tim Jarvis is an environmental scientist, author and adventurer. A sustainability adviser to organisations and aid projects in developing countries, he is committed to finding solutions to environmental issues related to climate change. His recent project, 25zero, aims to inspire action by scaling 25 mountains, raising awareness on melting glacial ice.
Peter Bethune
New Zealand
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Peter James Bethune, is the holder of the world record for circumnavigating the globe, which he completed in Earthrace– a trimaran powered by 100 percent biofuel. As a conservationist, Pete continues to promote the use of biofuels.
Michon Alban
France
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Adventurer and explorer Alban Michon is an experienced “extreme” diver. In 2010, Alban embarked on a 45-day expedition to the North Pole. Two years later, he did a 1,000 kilometre sea kayak trip alongside his friend Vincent Berthet. The adventure involved two months of paddling off the east coast of Greenland.
Benoît Lecomte
USA
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Benoît Lecomte swam across the Atlantic in 1998. This year, he is embarking on an expedition across the Pacific, aiming to swim over 8,800 kilometres from Tokyo to San Francisco to raise awareness about climate change. Ben will be swimming for three hours at ADEX, and will host a Q&A session with the audience – simultaneously!
Delphine Robbe
Indonesia
Biorock and Coral Reef Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Delphine Robbe is behind the Gili Eco Trust, an NGO involved in the protection of reefs and the Gili Islands’ environments. She specialises in Biorock and coral reef restorations and conservation. She shares her passion via workshops, working with locals, and networking with other environmental organisations.
Amy Dangin
Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2020)
Amy Dangin (born March 12, 1985) is a Sabahan radio presenter, TV show host, voice & acting talent and a social media influencer with over 25K followers – local and regional. She is the face behind the viral Aunty Patrin videos. Prior to radio, Amy was also a journalist with a cumulative experience of 7 years reporting for a local newspaper, with interest in sparking conversations surrounding social and environmental issues, which she continues to advocate for through her current platforms.
Fabien Cousteau
USA
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Growing up on the decks of his famous grandfather’s (Jacques Cousteau) ships, Calypso and Alcyone, Fabien Cousteau seemed destined to work to protect our planet’s immense and endangered marine habitats. In 2014, he completed a monumental project called Mission 31, where he and his team lived and worked underwater for 31 days, based out of the world’s only underwater marine laboratory. Collecting over three years’ worth of scientific data, they received extensive media attention, raising the level of awareness of environmental issues.
Captain Paul Watson
USA
Conservation Speaker (2017)
Captain Paul Watson is a marine wildlife conservation and environmentalist. He was a founding member and director of Greenpeace. In 1977, he left and founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. A master mariner and lifelong environmentalist, Watson has received the Genesis Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Amazon Peace Prize. In 2012, he became the second person after Jacques Cousteau to be awarded the Jules Verne Award, dedicated to environmentalists and adventurers.
Clive Wilkinson
Australia
Keynote Speaker for Climate Change (2017)
Clive Wilkinson is a former coordinator of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. He was previously the chief technical advisor for a coastal resource research programme, and an active field scientist on the ecology of the Great Barrier Reef at the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
Jose Ramos Horta
Timor-Leste
Guest of Honour Speaker (2017)
Jose Ramos-Horta is the former special representative to the Secretary General in Guinea Bissau, and has chaired a high-level UN panel assessing global peacekeeping missions. A former Prime Minister, he was the President of Timor-Leste from 2007 to 2012 – the second since its independence from Indonesia. Jose was also a co-recipient of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize.
Sylvia Earle
USA
Guest of Honour Speaker (2017)
Elysium Arctic presents Dr Sylvia Earle, one of the most influential figures in the industry. Referred to as a “living legend” by the United States Library of Congress, and a first “hero for the planet” by Time Magazine, Sylvia is an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer with extensive experience as a field research scientist and government official.
Ryan Novelline
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Ryan is a contemporary artist from Boston, USA whose fashion has been featured in publications such as Vogue. His achievements include work for Amazon, Walt Disney Imagineering, and Universal. Ryan will be displaying his newest gown called “Beyond Blue”, inspired by Undine. The hemp-silk gown is adorned with 30,000 hand-placed Swarovski crystals. He will be speaking about the making of his gown and his vision regarding the Mermaid Couture competition.
Elizabeth Mooney
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
As a model who lives in New York, Elizabeth works for clients such as Estée Lauder, NARS, Clinique, Beauty Blender and more. At ADEX, she will be modelling the gown that was showcased at Comic-Con, New York earlier this year. The gown, named “Beyond Blue”, is inspired by Undine, a water nymph of European mythology.
Alice Cattaneo & Andrea Zuccari
Italy
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Alice and Andrea are a merfolk couple that run a freedive centre in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Alice is an underwater photographer while Andrea is a world champion freediver. At ADEX, Andrea will be holding a breathing and equalising workshop. At the Mermaid Festival, the two will share their top five tricks for mermaids with no free dive experience on how to stay longer underwater.
Ying
China
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Ying is the division head of the MissVsea mermaid education division in Guangxi. She was one of the first SSI mermaid instructors. Her diving experience includes being a SSI snorkelling instructor, an AIDA freediving two-star diver, a Apnea Total Bali free diver. As a mermaid, she hopes to inspire others to do their best in life.
Xiao Jia
China
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Xiao Jia is a mermaid coach from MissVsea and is in charge of the Chenzhou store. She is responsible for teaching basic mermaid techniques. She hopes that all of us who love the sea can swim freely and protect the ocean.
Venisa Pang
China
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Venisa Pang is the marketing director of Kunming Red Coral Diving Information Enquiry Limited and a division head of the MissVsea Mermaid Education Yunan Division. She was in the pioneer batch of SSI mermaid instructors and is an accomplished diver, with a PADI dive master and SSI snorkeling instructor certification.
Honey Ho
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Honey Ho is a mermaid instructor and division head of MissVsea mermaid education in Hong Kong. With years of experience in teaching swimming and modelling underwater, Honey strives to perfect the mermaid sport and further align it to marine conservation. To further her ability to teach others, she has become an AIDA certified freediving instructor. Honey will perform her mermaid show at ADEX 2018.
Chen Panpan
China
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Chen Panpan is a MissVSea Instructor based out of Hunan, China. She has also served as a spokesperson for Chuanqi Fitness Club in Chenzhou, China, and as a PPT Costume Design Studio Manager.
Tabatta Lua Negreiros
Brazil
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
At the age of 15, Tabatta became a keen surfer and ventured around Brazil to compete. In 2016, she moved to the island of Fernando de Noronha where she completed her PADI Open Water dive course and was introduced to mermaiding. She then developed an interest for freediving. Tabatta set up a fabric tail rental service and she performs at events, while also modelling for photoshoots. At ADEX Mermaid Festival, Tabatta will talk about sharks, sharing her thoughts on five of her images.
Sara
Egypt
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Sara has a strong background in marine conservation. Through Dolphin Watch Alliance and the Egyptian NGO HEPCA, Sara was involved in a bottlenose dolphin conservation project in Egypt. Long before Sara joined Mermaid Alliance, she had always wanted to be a mermaid. She drew, planned and made her own tail. Sara will be speaking at at the opening ceremony of ADEX.
Pia
Indonesia
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Mermaid pia is a professional mermaid based in jakarta indonesia. part of the first combined theatrical underwater show in the world perform with five other mermaids. An underwater model, freediver, PADI Divemaster ,co-founder of GILI MERMAID at Gili Trawangan island lombok , and co-founder of Jakarta mermaid school in Jakarta . My aspiration is to set up a chain of mermaid schools in Indonesia teaching mermaid swimming in fun safety way educating people about mermaids,ocean and it’s marine life .
Nina
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
As a kid, Nina always had a love for marine creatures, interacting with dolphins from a young age. Today, she swims with them in the open waters of Hilton Head Island (SC). She is also known as the Mermaid of Hilton Head®, and is a children’s book author. She has made it her mission to educate children and adults about ocean conservation, hoping to ignite the passion needed to make a change.
Ginger
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Mermaid Ginger is a professional aquatic performer, published model, actress and conservationist from Hollywood California, USA. She is best known for her on-land and underwater mermaid imagery and live performances. She also spreads conservation awareness with her online voice inspiring others to help protect the planet in small but impactful ways. Ginger has performed in many countries including the ADEX Dive Expo 2018 in Singapore and China.
Kah Wen Ng
Malaysia
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Wen is a personal trainer from Kuala Lumpur who became a merman in 2016 after he was given a fabric tail. He completed his mermaid course in Boracay, Philippines and became a certified PADI Freediver in March 2017. Wen hopes to make a career out of his passion for mermaids and tritons and would love to become an ocean ambassador. His life motto is “be who you want to be”. At ADEX Mermaid Festival, Wen will talk about the story behind his new silicone tail.
Alyssa
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Alyssa is a tour guide for manatee snorkelling at Crystal River, also known as the home of the Manatees. Alyssa first swam with the manatees at the age of 8, where her love for manatees and conservation followed. She became scuba certified at 14-years-old and has been a PADI instructor for more than 10 years. She has an incredible wealth of practical experience working with manatees and is passionate about teaching.
Sandy Chou
Taiwan
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
To Sandy, being in the ocean is the most delightful thing on the planet. She started to shoot underwater photos to record the beauty of underwater ecology. To stay in the water longer and more calmly, she trained hard on her freediving skills. And to share her love for the ocean, she became a mermaid. She popularised not only the mermaid’s swimming skill, but also raised the knowledge of marine conservation among children. She hopes that mermaid education can make people love the ocean more, just like herself.
Li Weiying, Blacky
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Blacky is a Ph.D. candidate of the School of Nursing at the University of Hong Kong. She is responsible for the preparation of medical related content in MFI education material. Currently, she is on her way to becoming a free diver and professional mermaid. As a free-diver, she is fascinated by the vagaries of the ocean. As a mermaid she is raring to share the beauty of the deep blue with friends and strangers.
An An Nguyen
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
An An is an eight-yearold little mermaid from MissVsea mermaid academy. She is a Chinese Vietnamese and is fluent in English, Chinese and Vietnamese. She loves swimming and diving. She dreamt of swimming like a mermaid so that she can explore the ocean.
Xiao Jia
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Xiao Jia is a mermaid coach from MissVsea and is in charge of the Chenzhou store. She is responsible for teaching basic mermaid techniques. She hopes that all of us who love the sea can swim freely and protect the ocean.
Wang Yutong
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
My name is Wang Yutong, the little mermaid from MissVsea, a 10-year-old girl from southern China. I like dancing, swimming, art and music, especially the sense of joy and selfblooming in the water. I hope to be close to the sea like a mermaid and swim in the sea. I am determined to protect the sea and protect sea creatures.
Pan Yile
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Hello, everyone! My name is Pan Yile. I’m a little mermaid from MissVsea. I like the sea, I like to swim with the fish in the sea! I like the mermaids, they bring me so much happiness! Swimming in the world is my dream! Thank you very much!
Guillaume Néry
France
Freediving Speaker (2018)
Born in Nice, Guillaume has broken several records, earning a world championship title in deep-sea freediving (-126m), Guillaume continues to explore the human limits and the unknown world of the deep-sea. He writes and creates images that combine aesthetic style and high performance, such as Free Fall, Ocean Gravity and his latest project, One Breath Around The World.
Jacinta Williamson
Australia
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Now living in Western Australia, Jacinta performs at the world renowned Busselton Jetty in the Underwater Marine Observatory. Jacinta has pursued a career in outdoor leadership and education where she inspires and motivates children and young adults to appreciate the environment and envoke a spirit of protection. Jacinta is an official affiliated partner of Mahina Mermaid, promoting the beautifully designed MerFin whilst encouraging a sense of adventure and importantly, our role in ocean conservation.
Jonathan Chong
Singapore
Freediving Speaker (2018)
A competitive freediver, Jonathan currently holds all the Singapore national records in freediving and is a master freediver instructor. Jonathan also formed the Apnea Association of Singapore, an organisation focusing and supporting the growth of Freediving in Singapore. Armed with a background in multiple competitive sports, a Master’s in Psychology and the Singapore Freediving Academy, Jonathan’s goal is to help develop freedivers and the sport in Singapore.To Jonathan, freediving is more than just a sport, it is a gateway to understanding oneself and overcoming inner barriers.
Oli Christen
Switzerland
Freediving Speaker (2018)
Oli Christen is a Freedive Instructor Trainer and Author of Education Materials for AIDA, Molchanovs and PADI Freediver. He is the owner of Freedive Flow Indonesia, a renowned freedive school on Gili Air specialized in professional development.
Suzy Lim
France
Freediving Speaker (2018)
Suzy is a sino – Cambodian active lady, born and raised in France and now living between Hong Kong, France and the Philippines. She is a former Scuba-diving Instructor, competition swimmer, Scientist and Pharmacist. She is Professional freediver – Freedive school Owner, Instructor, Competition organizer, Judge, Safety and Athlete freediver. In 2012, Suzy started freediving and became, at this moment, the co-founder of Freediving Planet, a name dedicated to provide worldwide quality freediving education and top freediving equipment. Suzy, is the only English speaking Master Freediver Instructor in Hong Kong and has created one of the first freediving club there. In 2017, Suzy started her journey as an athlete freediver, traveling to compete in the International scene under France or Hong Kong flag. So far, she has won 2 gold medals and hold 3 Women Hong Kong record in depth disciplines. Suzy’s love of the Ocean and its inhabitants began during her youth. As a grown up, she is combining her background in communication and science to her freediving skills, to collaborate with different NGO and foundations engaged in the conservation of the biodiversity, reef and ocean.
Richie Kohler
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2018)
Richie Kohler is an author and shipwreck explorer whose 40 years of diving experiences have taken him to all corners of the globe. These exploits have been detailed in documentary films and in a NY Times best-selling book, Shadow Divers, by Robert Kurson. Kohler hosted fifty-six episodes of the popular History Channel program “Deep Sea Detectives” and numerous other television programs detailing his explorations on some of the most famous shipwrecks in the world, including the Andrea Doria, RMS Titanic, and the HMHS Britannic. Utilizing submersibles and cutting-edge diving equipment, Kohler’s focus in underwater exploration has been on the human aspect of shipwreck tragedies, correcting fractured or missing history and in doing so, providing answers and closure to family members. Locating and identifying lost warships such as the USS Murphy, USS Lagarto, U-215 and U-869 and reaching out to these people has been the real reward in shipwreck exploration. Kohler’s recent work on a forgotten WWII submarine battle helped bring posthumous recognition to American Naval Captain in an award ceremony at the US Pentagon.
A fellow in the Explorer’s Club, Kohler continues to lead expeditions worldwide in search of lost ships and the mysteries they hold. He has written numerous magazine articles about shipwrecks, deep diving and diver safety and in 2017, published his first book, Mystery of the Last Olympian detailing a decade of work on Titanic’s sister ship Britannic. Over the years he has made numerous presentations at schools, libraries, diving conventions and symposiums promoting diving safety, education and awareness.
Jill Heinerth
Canada
Tekdive Speaker (2018)
Jill Heinerth is a veteran of over thirty years of filming, photography and exploration on projects in submerged caves around the world with National Geographic, NOAA, and television networks worldwide. She is the Explorer in Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, recipient of Canada’s prestigious Polar Medal and the diving world’s highest award from the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. Partnering with Penguin Random House in Canada and Harper Collins in the US, Jill will soon be releasing four new major-market, non-fiction and children’s books.
Evan Kovacs
USA
Film Festival Speaker (2018)
Kovacs works at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, leading expeditions to survey and film wrecks, deep sea hydrothermal vents and underwater mountains. He owns Marine Imaging Technologies, a company that specialises in imaging the underwater world. Over the past 15 years, he has helped build and operate numerous imaging systems for broadcast television, museums, scientists and institutions worldwide. His underwater and topside work has been featured on sites like National Geographic, History Channel and Discovery Channel.
Florian Fischer
Germany
Voice of the Ocean Singapore 2017 Winner
Film Festival Speaker (2018)
Florian Fischer is an award-winning underwater filmmaker, drone pilot and marketing expert. He is the mastermind of Behind the Mask, a collective of creative ocean enthusiasts producing compelling stories about all things connected with the ocean. Florian was awarded Person of the year by Europe’s biggest Diving Magazine in 2017 and won the New York City Drone Film Festival for three times running.
Roger Munns
United Kingdom
Film Festival Speaker (2018)
Roger is a British, Emmy award winning underwater cameraman, based in Sabah, Malaysia. Specialising in natural history filmmaking, Roger was one of the principal cameramen on the BBC’s recent Blue Planet II series. One of the notable sequences include a tusk fish exhibiting tool use. An underwater cameraman since 2001, Roger’s specialty is crafting complex, character-led stories .
Adrienne Wilson
Hawaii
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Swimming all the way from Honolulu, Hawaii, Adrienne Wilson is no stranger to the mermaiding scene. Since 2008, she has performed and travelled all around the world for photoshoots, TV shows, hotels, environmental outreach, nonprofits, and private events. She especially loves talking and interacting with children and sharing with them important environmental messages.
Heart Chen
China
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
10-year-old Cheng Xinchen is a lover of the great outdoors and always looking forward to the next big adventure. Besides being gifted in sports and the arts, she is also adept at handicrafts, and a passionate actress and food enthusiast. With her variety of interests, she is ready to take on the multitudes of this world.
Nina Kartika Muhammad Nur
Singapore
Singapore’s Youngest Mermaid
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Nina, also known as SG Lil Mermaid, was born in 2011. At the age of two, she fell in love with Ariel from Disney’s The Litle Mermaid. At the tender age of four, she attained her first certification by the National Water Safety Programe, Swimsafer Stage One. Currently, she is working towards completing her Stage Four (Bronze) Certification. She believes she is, and has always been, a mermaid with a duty to uphold and protect marine life by educating all land-folks on the importance of water safety and making the ocean clean and sacfe for all. She hopes to join the PADI seal team.
Victoria Long
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2018)
Mermaid Victoria is a professional mermaid based in Washington DC. She began swimming from a very young age. With a background in marine studies, she is passionate about marine life and seeks to promote education and conservation of the oceans through her work and event appearances. Victoria has been featured on sites including ABC News Nightline and National Geographic.
Jason Isley
Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2018)
Jason underwent training in Australia to be an underwater cameraman before moving to Sabah in Malaysia to co-found underwater filming and photography company, Scubazoo. For 10 years, Jason filmed all over the world for productions including Nick Baker’s Weird Creatures for National Geographic channel and Perfect Predators for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. From 2006, he focused on full-time photography, becoming the driving force behind Scubazoo’s publications division. He was pivotal in the production of their first book Sipadan-Mabul- Kapalai, meaning “Sabah’s Underwater Treasure”, and then managed the publication of six more coffee table books for Scubazoo.
Laurent Ballesta
France
Photography Speaker (2018)
Laurent studied marine biology, which culminated in a Master’s degree. He discovered a species of fish hitherto unknown in the Western Mediterranean. Combining his passion for underwater photography with his work as a biologist, Laurent has won numerous awards, and has been featured in international publications.
Markus Roth
Germany
Photography Speaker (2018)
As the son of Hans-Alfred Roth, a well-known sports photographer, Markus Roth’s fascination with capturing moments on film started from young. Since 2004, he has been addicted to the underwater world, with his camera as his constant companion. His pictures and articles have been published in magazines and newspapers worldwide, such as Tauchen, Unterwasser, Asian Diver, Sport Diving (Australia) and Geolino. He was featured as Photographer of the Week at Dive Photo Guide and was invited to speak at numerous international dive shows.
Marty Snyderman
USA
Photography Speaker (2018)
One of the exclusive DEMA SCUBA diving Hall of Fame members, Snyderman is an Emmy Awardwinning cinematographer, photographer, author and speaker specialising in marine life. He is the Marine Life Editor of Dive Training magazine and the Senior Editor for California Diving News. Marty teaches underwater photography worldwide and is on the Board of Trustees of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation. He also publishes an online magazine for young children on the different marine animals.
Mathieu Meur
Mauritius
Photography Speaker (2018)
An underwater photography veteran of over 25 years, Mathieu authored the first PADI-approved digital underwater photography specialty course in the world in 2001. He contributes regular columns on photography techniques in dive and photography publications and co-authored An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography with Michael Aw in 2004 – the first book entirely dedicated to the techniques associated with shooting digital underwater. He has published two interactive e-books on underwater digital photography: Complete Digital Underwater Photography (2013) and Everything on Underwater Photography (2014).
Michael Aw
Australia
Photography Speaker (2018)
Michael AW is a wildlife photographer, explorer and a conservationist. He has authored 35 books about the ocean. His accolades include more than 66 international photographic awards and being named as one of the world’s most influential nature photographers by Outdoor Photography magazine. His essays and pictures have been published in BBC Wildlife, GEO, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Nature, Ocean Geographic, Asian Geographic, Nature Focus, Times, and Discovery to name but a few. In 2018, he was awarded the Award of Excellence by Our World Underwater in Chicago.
Peter Lightowler
Australia
Photography Speaker (2018)
Peter Lightowler is a professional underwater photographer with years of experience in the field. His expertise includes underwater cinematography, digital media creation, and video editing. Receiving a professional education in the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, Peter has gone on to film TV shows and feature documentaries in Australia. He is also the ambassador for Gates Underwater Products.
Roni Ben-Aharon
Israel
Atlantis Resorts
Photography Speaker (2018)
The Philippines archipelago, in the heart of the coral triangle, offers diverse divers the chance to immerse in incredibly diverse diving. From Whale Sharks to Pygmy Squid, pristine reefs and dramatic drop offs, critter diving and Japanese WWII wrecks, between over 7000 islands, we have it all!
Join to learn where we dive with various sharks, frog fish and more among the Philippines dive destinations.
Escaping the corporate world to chase sand grains around the world, Roni has guided divers, and held marketing and management roles in various aquatic nations of Caribbean, Central America, SE Asia and the Pacific.
Roni leads Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboard Philippines partnerships in Asia and Europe, and resides in Visayas, Philippines.
Scott Tuason
PHILIPPINES
Photography Speaker (2018)
Scott was first handed his underwater camera at the age of 16. Decades later, his passion for photography has brought him on amazing journeys. From throwing himself into a feeding frenzy to dangling off a line in open water at night, his photography has been recognised by the Palme D’or at Antibes festival for his book Anilao, which he co-authored in 2000. His latest books, Blackwater and Open Blue, have won awards and are sold out worldwide.
Tanya Houppermans
USA
Photography Speaker (2018)
Unlike many underwater photographers, Tanya’s career did not begin in underwater photography, but remained an unfulfilled dream. In 2015, she left the corporate world to pursue underwater photography and marine conservation full-time, earning numerous major international awards such as two first place prizes in the categories of ‘Sharks’ and ‘Shipwrecks’ in the 2015 World Shootout. She was also awarded the title of Grand Master in Underwaterphotography.com’s 2016 Annual Awards.
Tim Ho
Malaysia
Photography Speaker (2018)
In 2009, Tim purchased his first underwater compact camera. As upgrading was too expensive and beyond the means of an island dive instructor, he started to explore and develop his own comprehension of how his camera worked. Today, his methods and compact camera techniques are used as reference materials by underwater photography trainers when teaching about compact camera use. Some of his earlier works are still often used as benchmarks of what to strive to achieve when shooting with a compact camera.
Tobias Friedrich
Germany
Photography Speaker (2018)
Tobias Friedrich lives in Germany and started taking pictures with a DSLR underwater in the year 2007. Since then his images have been published in prestigious scuba diving magazines and newspapers around the world. Several underwater photographic competitions, have honoured his work, resulting in over 50 awards with nearly 30 1st places. Lately he has been named “Underwater Photographer of the Year 2018” in the prestigious UPY London competition and “German Photographer of the Year 2019” in Germany. All waters, from zero to 30° Celsius, are attractive for him, at least there is something to photograph. He is SEACAM equipment for his Canon EOS 1DX Mark II and 5D Mark II DSLR. He is leading expeditions and workshops around the world, where everybody can join.
William Tan
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2018)
William Tan has been fascinated with the creatures of the sea since his childhood. He travels extensively throughout the Pacific region, judging underwater photo competitions, and photographing marine life for tourism organisations, scientific research groups, dive magazines, camera manufacturers and resorts.
Yoshi Hirata
Japan
Photography Speaker (2018)
A marine biologist and accomplished underwater photographer, Yoshi Hirata began his passion for diving when he was researching the rich marine resources of Sipadan and Mabul back in 1993 as a marine consultant. During the course of his work, he expressed his love for the sea by featuring thousands of amazing photos of Mabul in various magazine titles. He is also the author of three books namely Oraga-Umi, With My Expression of Love for the Sea, and Art of the Sea.
Kim Jae Youn &
Park Soon Ja
South Korea
Haenyeo Divers
Freediving Speaker (2018)
For over a century, women of the South Korean island of Jeju have made their living by freediving, with minimal equipment, to the depths of the ocean to harvest seaweed and shellfish. Diving to well over 10 metres in chilly waters, and lasting between two to three minutes on a single gulp of air, over 100 times a day, the Haenyeo, or sea women, are often seen as myth-like mermaids. For as long as Koreans can remember, the Haenyeo have dived the waters surrounding Jeju, and have become emblematic of the very characteristics of the society that inhabits the far-flung island; reflecting the independent spirit, iron will and determination of its people.
Andrea Zuccari
Italy
Freediving Speaker (2018)
Zuccari holds two no limits tandem world records and two Italian records ( -185 mt. No Limits and 135 mt. Variable). In the last 10 years, he set 10 Swiss National Records and four Italian national records. In 2013, Andrea founded Freediving World APNEA and in 2017, he launched the Equalization Academy; an innovative didactic approach to diver/ freediver equalisation.
Andrea Luiz Hernandez
Italy
Freediving Speaker (2018)
Mermaid Andrea is an art student in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. On the weekends, she takes her silicone tail around the island she lives on, meeting people and introducing them to mermaids. She would love to work on a project where arts and ocean conservation meet, uniting people through it. Her dream is to become Spain’s biggest silicone tail maker. At ADEX Mermaid Festival, she will speak about the making of her own silicone tail.
Chris Kim
Singapore
Freediving Speaker (2018)
Chris has trained under world record holders Alexey Molchanov, William Trubridge and Goran Colak and was the winner of the 2015 Singapore Pool Freediving Open and the silver medalist of the 2015 Australian National Depth Championship. Chris has recently joined Alexey Molchanov’s new company, Molchanovs, as CEO. They are embarking on a mission to provide the best freediving equipment and education available anywhere.
Merliah Moidu
Malaysia
Professional Plus Size Mermaid
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Merliah is Asia’s First Plus Sized mermaid. Her adventure began when she started mermaiding at 17. Going against all stereotypes of what a mermaid should look like, she persevered to fulfil her dreams. She is now one of three Ambassadors for Finfolk Productions, one of the finest mermaid tail makers in the world. Representing for all sizes and shapes of Mermaids!
Monica Chin
Malaysia
Ara Dinawan Research Education Conservation Centre Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Exposed to the ocean since young, Monica is an avid scuba diver diving for 19 years. After two years volunteering with Trash Hero Borneo, now she has set herself onto a bigger platform – Marine & Environmental Research, Education & Conservation Centre at Dinawan Island. As an influential Women Diver in North Borneo and conservationist, she wants to inspire more people raise awareness to protect the underwater world and educate the young generation.
Nicole Helgason
Canada
Reefdivers.io
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Nicole (Nikki) Helgason is a PADI Dive Instructor with ten years of professional dive experience. Nicole has taught scuba diving in Canada, Dominican Republic and Indonesia, and has managed dive centres in Mozambique and Baja, Mexico. Nicole has a Bachelors degree in Coastal Geography from the University of Victoria and is passionate about coral restoration and coral reefs.
Padinya Aree
Thailand
Trash Hero Pattani
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Padinya is a dedicated volunteer at Tlejourn, the brainchild of Trash Hero Pattani. Tlejourn recycles washed-up marine debris, weaving them into colourful sheets that are then crafted into footwear. As a social enterprise, the revenue of Tlejourn is divided into three shares: recycling cost, retailing cost, and salary for the local workers who have been affected by Thailand’s southernmost unrest. Over a thousand pairs of shoes produced have been sold to people in all over the world, including Southeast Asia, Europe, and America.
Sally Snow
Philippines
LAMAVE
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Sally Snow is a zoologist and filmmaker. She is one of four Executive Directors for the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines. A passionate science communicator, she has worked with the BBC, most recently on Blue Planet II, National Geographic and PTS. Her latest project follows the team as they travel to a sunken volcano off the Philippine mainland, to study some of the last remaining sharks in the Coral Triangle.
Sofia Tedestam
Sweden / Indonesia
Trash Hero Komodo
Conservation Speaker (2018)
After six years of scuba diving and marine conservation in Southeast Asia, Sofia is now based in Flores, Indonesia. She is currently co-managing Dive Komodo, a dive operator dedicated to preserve the famous Komodo National Park. During the last three years, she has participated in building up Trash Hero Komodo; a nonprofit environmental group working towards a zero-waste community. Through collaboration with the locals, organisations and stakeholders, their activities include weekly cleanups, kids’ education, public awareness and sustainable solutions.
Thomas Pavy
Philippines
Sulubaaï Foundation
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Thomas is a Coastal Ecosystems Conservation Specialist. Thomas has handled the environmental operations for the Pangatalan Sustainable Island project in Palawan (Philippines) since 2015. The project aims to implement a sustainable operating model through ecotourism on Pangatalan Island. The island is surrounded by a 40ha marine protected area established by Thomas and the Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation. They also designed and developed the Sulu-Reef Prosthesis (SRP) in order accelerate the resiliency of the degraded coral reefs surrounding Pangatalan Island.
Tova Harel
Palau
Micronesian Shark Foundation Palau
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Bornovski is the founder and President of the Micronesian Shark Foundation, the owner and general manager of Fish ‘N Fins, the Ocean Hunter fleet, Okeanos restaurant and Palau Helicopters. Bornovski and her husband, Navot, published a Palau diving and snorkelling guide book in 2012 and a second edition in 2015. They are in the process of building the first selfsustained Eco Resort in Palau. Bornovski was inducted to the Women Divers Hall of Fame in 2013 and is assisting and sponsoring young Palauans and residents that are interested in marine conservation.
Ulrika Player
Sweden
Trash Hero
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Sweden-born Ulrika Player has been living in Langkawi for the past four years. In October 2015, she launched Trash Hero Langkawi. In partnership with LADA, her work and efforts were rewarded with a plaque of appreciation from Princess Shafinaz of Kedah.
Beatrice Rivoira
Italy
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Beatrice is an Italian vocational diver with a Master Degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography. With 20 years of diving experience, she has worked around the world as a CCR & OC instructor and participated in biological and archaeological underwater projects.
From 2013 she has joined “Zero Emissions” with which she continues to teach and educate, as well as training herself in different environments. She co-authored the book “Biodiving”, translated and contributed to several other diving texts. Her hope is to inspire more and more young people to protect and discover the natural beauties of our underwater world.
George Woodman
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2018)
George Woodman has worked in the environmental and education industry in Hong Kong for nearly two decades. He led the pioneering research into the detection of fish bombs and worked closely with UNEP on finding solutions to fish bombing in the early 2000s. This became the foundation of Teng Hoi, meaning “listen to the sea”. More recently, George was instrumental in setting up the NGO, Stop Fish Bombing! He is working closely with Teng Hoi and Stop Fish Bombing to change the way we catch, produce and view seafood for a more sustainable future.
Aaron Gekoski
United Kingdom / Malaysia
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Gekoski is an environmental photojournalist, presenter and filmmaker. Based in Borneo, he presents wildlife and conservation shows on ScubazooTV, including Borneo/Indonesia/ Timor Leste from Below, Borneo Jungle Diaries and Borneo Wildlife Warriors. His images and articles have appeared in numerous international publications. This year, he was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year (photojournalist category), a competition organised by the Natural History Museum in London.
Ace Wu
Taiwan
Photography Speaker (2018)
Ace Wu is a 40-yearold photographer from Taiwan currently residing in Ho Chi Minh City. He loves underwater photography, specializes in wide angle underwater photography and casting his subjects against inky black backgrounds for dramatic effect.
Alex Suh
USA
Photography Speaker (2018)
Alex is an avid diver and underwater photographer who has been taking award-winning images of sharks and pelagics for several years. He is a 360Fly Ambassador, filming 360-degree videos of his expeditions, and flying drones to capture images and videos for projects. He started the #SaveMyFins project, a documentary on sharks developed and filmed by students from the Seoul Institute of Arts in Korea
Amanda Cotton
USA
Photography Speaker (2018)
Award winning Underwater Photographer and Expedition Leader Amanda Cotton melds the human element with the beauty hidden within our oceans in an effort to educate and empower others to become personally involved in the fight to maintain our precious, yet highly fragile aquatic ecosystems.
Yue Hong Jun
China
Photography Speaker (2018)
Yue Hong Jun began his journey into photography in 1984. He is currently a member of the Chinese Photographers Association, a member of the Royal Society of Photographers, and a deputy director of the Shenzhen City Entrepreneurs Photography Association. He has held several solo photography exhibitions in recent years, and many of his works have been nominated for and won awards at various national and international competitions.
Andrew Lim
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2018)
Andrew Lim’s first foray into photography began with arguably the most difficult form of the art – underwater photography. At age 21, Andrew published his first underwater photography book, Silhouette of Serenity, the partial proceeds of which were donated to charity. He was invited to meet the (former) President of Singapore, Dr Tony Tan, in recognition for his work and was also invited to
speak on platforms such as TEDx. The 25-year old former national rock-climber has since founded Drew perspectives and now focuses his art mostly on people.
Andrew Marriott
USA
Photography Speaker (2018)
Andrew is a long time diver, photographer and writer. Originally from the USA he found the ocean while working in the world of financial derivatives. After a move to Guam he devoted himself full time to the ocean, helping many new divers fall in love with the water while working as an instructor and enthusiastic underwater photographer. After much encouragement from his friends and students, he devoted himself full time to taking and sharing his images and writing about diving.
His first professional success came when he won first place in every category he entered in the Asia Pacific Photo Challenge. Following this he was asked to provide photos for magazine work, and shortly after was writing the articles to go along with them. He has since written over twenty articles for six different dive and travel magazines. He has had a number of cover shots in these magazines, the most published being the cover of the May 2017 issue of Chinese National Geographic. Along with the magazine work came invitations to speak at major dive shows across Asia. To this day Andrew is a regular speaker at major dive events; having spoken at many shows from Beijing to Singapore and pretty much everywhere in between.
The next logical step for him was to write books on diving and adventure travel. The first of these was Legends Beneath the Waves Vol. 1: Truk Lagoon. This book was very well received and its success has led to an additional six books in that series being committed to. Aside from the shipwreck books, Andrew began to also write dive guides. His guides focus on small areas and seek to take the reader diving in that location in their mind. The first of these is Let’s Go Dive Guide to Anilao. Between books he still can still be found teaching around the Pacific, as he is a much in demand coach for underwater photography. Currently he is working on the next books in these two series while living in Beijing with his awesome wife Dalice and two daughters Elly and EJ “Doomy”.
Doug Perrine
USA
Photography Speaker (2018)
Doug Perrine is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost marine wildlife photographers. His photographs have been reproduced in every major nature magazine in the world, winning a number of awards, such as the prestigious BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition as the overall winner (2004), while also winning the animal behaviour category and the Nature’s Best/Cemex competition under the Professional Marine Wildlife category. He is also the author of seven books on marine life. Doug founded SeaPics.com as a venue for his own photography, and later expanded it to represent a growing number of other photographers as well.
Imran Ahmad
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2018)
Imran Ahmad is Asia’s most celebrated and internationally published underwater photographer. He has been capturing the magnificence of life both below and above the water’s surface for over 20 years. Known for his experimental photography with light and motion, he is an ambassador for Blancpain Ocean Commitment, SEACAM (Austria), RGBlue Lights (Japan), DEEPBLU and a member of the Ocean Artist Society (USA).
Glenn Yong
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2018)
Glenn is a Singapore-based professional photographer specializing in commercial and underwater photography. He has shot for various scuba diving resorts and destinations in Asia, gaining him recognition and accreditation from international professional photography associations.
Gabriel Grimsditch
Kenya
UNEP
Keynote Speaker (2018)
Gabriel Grimsditch is a Programme Management Officer with the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya. He has 13 years of experience working on research, management and conservation of tropical coastal ecosystems, and with a special focus on coral reefs. Gabriel is a certified Divemaster who has taken part in several research expeditions in coral reefs around the world. He recognizes the important role that the dive industry can play in marine conservation, such as improving sustainable practices, reducing environmental impact, and contributing to environmental monitoring and research.
Dr. Karenne Tun
Singapore
NParks
Keynote Speaker (2018)
Before Karenne joined NParks in 2013, she obtained her PhD from the National University of Singapore, where she developed diagnostic tools for coral reef monitoring and management. Karenne subsequently worked at NUS to study the impacts of anthropogenic activities on coral reefs, before moving on to coordinating coral reef monitoring efforts in the Southeast Asian region. Her current work at NParks covers issues related to the management and conservation of Singapore’s coastal and marine environment and the biodiversity they support.
Alex Rose
USA
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Alex Rose is a biologist, diver, musician, and underwater photographer. She is the Science Editor of Ocean Geographic magazine, the Managing Editor of Ocean Geographic Explorers, and founder of ocean conservation company Blue Ring. Her driving goal is to find ways to protect our world’s precious marine habitats through diving, writing, photography, education, and research.
Brendon Sing
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Brendon has over 20 years of experience diving with and researching sharks. He is deeply passionate about marine conservation and is one of the directors of Shark Guardian. Shark Guardian leads shark conservation projects, gives presentations to schools and communities, and conducts shark research while leading shark diving expeditions worldwide.
Craig Leeson
Australia
A Plastic Ocean
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Craig Leeson is an award-winning journalist, television presenter and filmmaker. Who wrote and directed the feature film, A Plastic Ocean, He is the founder of the I Shot Hong Kong Film Festival and has worked with major broadcasters including BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, National Geographic, Discovery and Universal. A Plastic Ocean was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 2016 Raindance Film Festival.
Daniel Norwood
United Kingdom
Shark Business
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Norwood is an entrepreneur from the UK and a freelance underwater photographer and videographer. Since 2014, he has been invested in the problems behind the global shark tourism industry, learning how a responsible shark diving operation can benefit the animals, the environment, and the economy. As a partner in the Shark Business project, Daniel plans to establish sustainable shark tourism in new destinations and contribute to the future conservation of sharks.
David McCann
IRELAND / MALAYSIA
Sabah Shark Protection Association
Conservation Speaker (2018)
The Conservation Manager for Scuba Junkie SEAS on Mabul Island, Sabah, Malaysia, David hails from Ireland where he gained his BSc Marine Biology and MSc Environmental Management & Conservation Biology at Queen’s University Belfast. He spent more than a decade working in conservation in Ireland, New Zealand and Malaysia. A former divemaster for Scuba Junkie, he has over 7,000 dives logged in SE Asia, including thousands as a guide at Pulau Sipadan. His current work includes raising awareness of marine conservation issues, as well as developing and implementing solutions.
Dr. Andrew Chin
Australia
Shark Search Indo-Pacific
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Born and raised in Singapore, Dr Andrew Chin is a researcher at James Cook University, Australia. He has won many awards for research excellence and science communication. The current president of the Oceania Chondrichthyan Society, Andrew is a contributor to SportDiving Magazine, and the editor for Pacific Conservation Biology, a scientific journal. Andrew’s research covers shark and ray biology, ecology and conservation. He’s spent the last two years tagging hammerhead sharks and is the programme director of Shark Search Indo-Pacific.
Dr. Neil Hutchinson
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Dr. Hutchinson has worked as a marine ecologist in the Asia- Pacific region for almost 20 years. He is based at James Cook University in Singapore, coordinating the environmental science program and conducting research on coastal marine ecosystems. Currently he studies near-threatened sharks and raises awareness of their status in Singapore.
Dr. Andy Cornish
Australia
WWF
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Dr Cornish is a marine ecologist who coauthored the field-guide Reef Fishes of Hong Kong while studying for his doctorate at the University of Hong Kong. Currently, he leads WWF’s global programme, Sharks: Restoring the Balance, a major initiative in more than twelve countries to improve the management of shark and ray fisheries and tourism operations. Andy is a keen underwater photographer, and coauthor of Responsible Shark & Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice.
Elena Salim Haubold
Germany/Venezuela
Shark Business
Conservation Speaker (2018)
After being awarded the Rolex Scholarship in 2015, Haubold had the opportunity to visit and learn from marine tourism operators around the world that have contributed to the conservation of sharks and their habitat by giving local communities a financial incentive to protect them. Since finishing the scholarship programme, she has established her own organisation, Shark Business, and is currently looking for a new location to set up a sustainable shark diving operation and promote responsible practices within the Caribbean.
Elizabeth Ward-Sing
United Kingdom
Shark Guardian
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Liz co-founded Shark Gurdian with Brendon Sing, who she met after she became a scuba diving instructor. His passion and enthusiasm to protect our most important species resulted in a joint effort with the formation of Shark Guardian. Since 2013, their UK Charity presents to around 25,000 people, mainly school children, worldwide each year. They also lead shark conservation projects, run school and community events, conduct shark research, and lead shark diving expeditions.
Fiona Merida
Australia
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Fiona is a marine biologist who has worked in marine protected area management, education and tourism for more than 15 years. She leads the reef tourism engagement and education programmes at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, representing them at forums such as the Marine Tourism Incident Response Group. In 2015, Fiona presented a TEDx talk – The Great Barrier Reef – life’s wake-up call, which tells her personal story of exploration of the Great Barrier Reef.
Gonzalo Araujo
Argentina
Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Gonzalo is the executive director for LAMAVE Research Institute. With a background in biotechnology and operational research, Gonzalo first came to the Philippines in 2011. Today, he oversees LAMAVE’s national and international research strategy on the conservation of whale sharks. With a number of publications on sharks in the Philippines, Gonzalo is one of the leading scientists based in the country studying elasmobranch ecology, movement patterns and their conservation.
Jillian Morris
USA
Sharks4Kids
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Jillian Morris is a shark conservationist, award winning photographer, videographer and marine biologist. In 2012, she founded Sharks4Kids, Inc., a non-profit organisation focused on creating the next generation of shark advocates through education, outreach and adventure. Through this programme, Jillian hopes to share shark education and conservation with students across the world. She published her first children’s book Norman the Nurse Shark in June 2016. She is currently involved in a shark research project in the Dutch Caribbean.
Juan Oliphant
USA
One Ocean Diving
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Juan is a world-renowned shark photographer, a co-founder of One Ocean Diving, a PADI Divemaster, and avid freediver. He specialises in underwater photography with large marine animals for conservation and has extensive experience working on a variety of marine life focused projects. His works have been published internationally in almost every major media source. Juan is a board member on two conservation groups.
Judi Lowe
Australia
Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Judi Lowe is a marine science PhD candidate at Southern Cross University, New South Wales, Australia, with an unusual background. Using her experience as a diver, accountant and international lawyer, Judi’s research takes a fresh approach, solving practical, real-world problems in the conservation of coral reefs, fish and the marine megafauna we love to dive with.
Kate Nelson
Australia
Plastic-Free Mermaid
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Working for scientists in California, Kate grasped the implications of the Great Pacific Trash Gyre since 2009, and was determined to change the situation through lobbying and PR campaigns. Today, she has eradicated single use plastics from her life, sharing how others can live a plastic-free life as well, and offering tangible, personalized solutions. Kate will be showcasing her top 10 ocean-friendly products at the Mermaid Alliance booth.
Kristin Hoffman
USA
Song For the Ocean
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Kristin is a spokesperson for ocean conservation. She is widely known for her trademark music piece, Song for the Ocean, which has been performed at various environmental awareness conventions and concerts around the world such as TEDxSF, Bioneers, Hermanus Whale Festival (South Africa) and with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. Song for the Ocean was most recently performed at The Sydney Opera House in Australia in August 2016.
Kyaw Zin Myo
Myanmar
Trash Hero Mandalay
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Kyaw is a Trash Hero who is currently enrolled in the Phuang Daw Oo Monastic School pre-college programme to study environmental issues, community development, economics and politics in Mandalay, Myanmar. In May 2017, he became a Trash Hero, attending every clean up and spreading the word about proper rubbish disposal, hoping to reduce the country’s reliance on plastic. His team now consists of more than 3,255 heroes who have collected an estimated 6,550 kilograms of trash. They hope to one day eradicate the trash from the country.
Matt Wenger
Switzerland
PADI Regional Manager
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
With twenty years as a PADI Pro under his belt, Swiss-made Matt Wenger is coming into his fourth year as the PADI Regional Manager for the Maldives. Having first set foot in the island nation in 2008 as the dive centre manager for Anantara Dhigu, Veli and Naladhu, and later working for the Park Hyatt brand, PADI Course Director and Examiner Matt has a long history with the country. Since his return in 2016 as PADI Regional Manager, Matt has overseen the steep growth in PADI’s reach in the Maldives, across both luxury resorts and emerging local island destinations. Matt is passionate about keeping a commitment to the environment at the core of everything. PADI represents in the Maldives and is dedicated to implementing PADI’s four “Pillars of Change”.
Mohamed Seeneen
Maldives
Director of DiveOceanus Maldives
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Seenen started out his career as a PADI Dive Master 22 years ago in the Maldives just two years after getting his diving instructor status. A founding member of the Divers Association of Maldives, his passion for the environment and underwater photography started during the early stages of open water certification. Images were the only way he could express the way he felt to his friends. He currently works with a proud team of 30 Dive Professionals in five different dive centers in the Maldives known as diveOceanus (Three-time Gold Winner of South Asia’s Leading Dive Center at SATA).
Nishan Perera
Sri Lanka
Marine Biologist, Co-founder & Director Blue Resources Trust, Sri Lanka
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Nishan is a Sri Lankan marine biologist and co-founder of Blue Resources Trust, a marine research and conservation organization in Sri Lanka. His current work focuses on understanding the impacts of climate change and fisheries on coral reefs, and supporting management of marine protected areas. He has dived extensively around Sri Lanka exploring remote reefs and wrecks. As co-founder and owner of Island Scuba he played a key role in popularizing wreck diving off Colombo. Nishan is the author of Coral Reefs of Sri Lanka, and has contributed articles and images to Sri Lankan and international travel magazines.
Rob Partridge
India
Technical Dive Instructor, First Aid Instructor Trainer
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
A qualified Master Instructor, Technical Dive Instructor and First Aid Instructor Trainer, Rob Partridge has various instructor ratings from many international dive agencies. Partridge established Temple Adventures in 2008 and the dive training centre has trained thousands of certified divers in the past decade. With his mechanical background and technical training, Rob has facilitated and assisted defence training all around India for the Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Police, and the Army. He currently resides in Pondicherry with his Maharashtrian wife and sons.
Rob Scammell
United Kingdom
PADI Course Director, PADI Tri-mix Instructor, Trainer Instructor Examiner
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Rob has over 30 years diving experience and is a PADI Course Director, Instructor Examiner along with being a PADI Tri-mix Instructor Trainer. Rob has been travelling to India on behalf of PADI for 10years and is widely known throughout the diving the community as the person who has certified the majority of Indian PADI Instructors, along with conducting various seminars for PADI members in India. In early 2018 Rob took on the role of Regional Training Consultant for India, meaning he now spends more time travelling around India supporting PADI Members and Dive Centres and Resorts. Along with helping promote the Indian Industry and its positive growth both in the country along with its outbound tourism market. Rob is a firm believer in the potential of the Indian market and PADI and enjoys working with members within India to that end.
SB Aravind
India
PADI Master Instructor, Disabled Diver Instructor
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Aravind Tharunsri, born in Chennai, once a water baby later turned Aqua Man (PADI Master Instructor, Disabled Diver Instructor) comes with 10+ years of experience in the Scuba Diving industry. Having conducted several recreational and professional level dive training courses for individuals, as well as government organizations such as, NDRF, SDRF, Marine Police, Tamil Nadu Fire & Forest Department. Aravind is also a director for Temple Adventures – The largest 5 Star PADI IDC diving resort in Mainland India and closely monitors all the operations at their facility in Pondicherry, India.
Shaahina Ali
Maldives
Head of Parley For The Oceans in the Maldives
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
The first female Maldivian to work professionally in the diving industry of Maldives, Shaahina Ali has more than 30 years of diving experience. She set up the Dive Centre and worked intensely with the government to bring in and formalise recreational diving standards in the Maldives. Today, she heads Parley for the Oceans in the Maldives and is the executive who is leading a national programme to implement the Parley AIR strategy while making the Maldives the showcase for combating plastic pollution in the ocean.
Vishwanath Rajan
India
Technical & Public Safety Diving Instructor/Founder and Director Scuba Evolution India Pvt Ltd
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Vishwanath’s constant endeavour to make dive education safer and at par with the rest of the advancements in the sport, led to him co-founding Scuba Evolution India at Goa. Dive safety and top quality dive education is the mantra of Scuba Evolution India.
Vishwanath is a technical Trimix and Full Cave Diver. He retired from the Indian Navy to pursue teaching scuba diving full time and is a keen ocean conservationist. He teaches Technical and Public Safety Diver courses, along with Marine Resource Management, coral and shark conservation.
Scuba Evolution India started as the first dive centre on the mainland to provide accommodation. A PADI 5-Star IDC and TecRec Centre, they offer scuba diving courses from introductory to professional level, and are also dealers for Dive Rite diving equipment. Safety, high quality dive education, exploration and research are high on their list of priorities.
A full fledged service centre with mixed gas blending facilities makes them a go-to for all levels of diver training and exploration projects.
Zoona Naseem
Maldives
PADI Course Director Since 2017 / National Award Winner In Recreational Diving 2018 / Winner Of International Ocean Awards 2019
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Co-founder of PADI 5-star instructor development facility Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Centre’s owner Zoona Naseem have been working as a PADI professional in the Maldivian dive industry for over 24 years. With over 18 years serving the tourism industry at different levels including 8 years at the international hotel chain Banyan Tree and Angsana as their Area Marine Recreations Manager overseeing their 5 Dive Centres and watersports. During her professional career, she have trained locals into professionals with the objective to increase the number of local female professionals in the dive field. She became Maldives’s second and the first female to obtain the rank of PADI Course Director level on 2017. Received the Rehendhi Award 2018 for women working in non-traditional field category National Award on 2018 for the recreational scuba diving category and recently the international Ocean Award 2019 for the ‘Local Hero’ category. Committed to encourage children to love the ocean and to convince parents that the ocean is a ‘safe place’ for a country like Maldives, which is just 1% land, and the ocean should be our playground.
Chen Yuping
China
Underwater Photographer
Photography Speaker (2019)
YUPING CHEN was a speaker of ADEX BEIJING in 2015,2016,2017 and 2018. Before becoming a diver and underwater photographer, Yuping Chen has worked for years as an attorney and senior partner at a large law firm in Beijing. She was a very typical “office lady” back then. In 2012, She started to learn underwater photography. Through her lens, a lot of unique moments were successfully captured and photographed. As a female underwater photographer, she is very good at photographing some ordinary marine creatures, and captures their unique charm. From the perspective of woman’s sensibility, she shows the delicate vitality of the sea and the beauty of nature.
Henley Spiers
United Kingdom / France
Professional Underwater Photographer
Photography Speaker (2019)
Henley Spiers is a renowned underwater photographer and writer. Starting his professional career in diving as an instructor, he later fell in love with underwater imagery and made the transition to full-time photographer. Since then, his reputation has escalated rapidly with a prolific series of winning shots in multiple competitions, including the prestigious UPY. Today, he not only judges competitions, but also conducts his own trips and workshops. In 2019, he co- authored Black is the New Blue Vol. II showcasing blackwater diving. Based in the Philippines, he shares a love for the sea with his wife, Jade Hoksbergen.
Nan Wang
China
Professional Underwater Photographer / ADEX Asian Photographer of the Year 2019 Judge
Photography Speaker (2019)
Zhou Qi Nan better known as Nan Wang is the Founder of Diver Chat, Visual China Contracted Photographer, 8KRAW Contracted Photographer, Photographer and Lecturer for SONY, CCTV Appointed Underwater Photographer, Resident Judge of Voice of The Ocean Competition for ADEX CHINA. Dozens of his travel videos from 2013, have been viewed by millions on the world wide web. “The world in the lens is beautiful, biological, travel,
even more, life!” – Nan Wang
Yolanda Yao
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Ms. Yolanda Yao SSI mermaid instructor, bachelor degree in Advertising from Communication University of China, master degree in Management of Innovation from the Australian National University. Career in mobile-internet intelligent hardware for a fortune 500 company. Investor, co-producer, starring in the first ever all under water mini-movie Mermaid’s Fantasy in 2018, co-investor, executive producer, leading actress in the largest production of all under water mini-movie Snake Sisters in China in 2019. Passionate lover of under-water media production, inventor and patented the first wearable under water snake tail in the world. In hope coming up with productions that are higher in quantity and more in aesthetics to promote the culture and glamour of diving.
Louis Ng
Singapore
VIP Guest Speaker (2019)
Louis is a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC and Chairman of the Nee Soon Town Council. He is also the Founder and Chief Executive of ACRES. He has been a Grassroots Leader since 2008 and was presented with the Advocate of the Year award in the inaugural Singapore Advocacy Awards 2014. In 2011, Louis received the inaugural Yahoo! Singapore 9 award. In 2002, Louis received the HSBC/ NYAA (National Youth Achievement Award) Youth Environmental Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of environmental protection and nature conservation in Singapore.
Kathy Xu
Singapore
Founder & CEO, The DORSAL EFFECT
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Kathy Xu is the founder of the ecotourism outfit, The Dorsal Effect, that provides an alternative livelihood to Indonesian shark fishermen by bringing tourists on snorkelling trips. The Dorsal Effect has won grants from the Singapore International Foundation, the Rufford Grant and the YSEALI Seeds for the Future Grant to fund their work.
Paul Friese
Indonesia
Founder, Bali shark Rescue Centre
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Paul Friese founded Bali Sharks Rescue Center, an alternative to unsustainable fishing, saving over 205 sharks. The centre solves marine trophic cascade by reintroducing the sharks into coral propagation and marine protected areas. Other achievements include scientific firsts and exposing Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fisheries, including human trafficking practices.
Randall Arauz
New Zealand
International Marine Conservation Policy Advisor, Fins Attached Marine Research and Conservation
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Arauz founded the Costa Rican organisation PRETOMA in 1997. To counter shark finning, he started a campaign that brought his organisation into the international marine conservation arena. He has received prestigious awards, such as the Goldman Prize (US, 2010), and the Gothenburg Award for Sustainable Development (SE, 2010). He now serves as International Marine Conservation Policy Advisor for Fins Attached Marine Research and Conservation.
Riley Elliott
New Zealand
Shark Man, Oceans Research Great White Shark Program
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Elliott is a surfer, freediver and scuba diver. Since his initial underwater encounter with a shark, he has been diving with the creatures for 10 years, doing academic research on shark conservation, changing legislation around sharks and speaking at events such as TedX. He has filmed a 10-part doccumentary series on the creature, and freedived with over 25 of the most feared shark species. His work has been featured on TV, radio, and in various magazines.
Captain Paul Watson
USA
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Captain Paul Watson is a marine wildlife conservation and environmentalist. He was a founding member and director of Greenpeace. In 1977, he left and founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. A master mariner and lifelong environmentalist, Watson has received the Genesis Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Amazon Peace Prize. In 2012, he became the second person after Jacques Cousteau to be awarded the Jules Verne Award, dedicated to environmentalists and adventurers.
Lisa Mondy
Australia
Conservation Speaker (2018)
Lisa nearly died from a shark attack in 2011. Driven to learn about sharks, she now advocates protecting marine life. From diving with sharks to TV and film appearances, her compelling tale of discovery continues to motivate audiences around the world. Lisa is a singer, conservationist, and co-founder of Ride Waterpark and conservation clothing brand Elasmo.
Mark Strickland
USA
Underwater Photographer
Photography Speaker (2019)
Mark’s ocean connection includes 10,000+ dives and careers as ocean lifeguard, captain, scuba instructor, and cruise director. A passionate photographer and conservationist, his work has appeared in BBC Wildlife, Conde Nast, National Geographic, World, Nature’s Best, Natural History and books like Lonely Planet’s award-winning Diving and Snorkeling Thailand. His work has been displayed at galleries like the Smithsonian and United Nations Visitor Center. Mark currently works at Bluewater Photo, leading trips annually to his favorite dive destinations.
Major Vivek Jacob
India
Special Forces (Veteran – Indian Army)
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Special Forces Operative for 14 years. Specialist in Counter – Terrorist missions and Precision Combat Shooting. Trained in Sky Diving, Scuba Diving, Hi – altitude endurance trekking and Un armed Combat. He has led numerous Combat, Reconnaissance and Search & Rescue (SAR) missions in India and abroad. Held the appointment of Troop Commander (Special Forces) at the United Nations Mission in Africa (UNMEE).
He now leads a Team of highly trained ex – Special Forces instructors in Combat Scuba Diving, Adaptive Scuba Diving, Mountaineering, Combat Sky Diving, Unarmed combat, Survival and Emergency Med Response under ‘Special Forces Adventures.com’.
Their mission is to train people with disabilities and the abled alike in the above skills and empower them to lead independent and powerful lives. To light
the spirit of a warrior.
Julien Fortin
France
Professional Technical Diver – PADI Course Director & Tec Instructor Trainer, TDI & IANTD Technical & Cave Dive Instructor, GUE (Global Underwater Explorers) Fundamentals Instructor
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Julien Fortin is a PADI Course Director and Tec Instructor Trainer, TDI and IANTD technical and cave dive instructor, and a GUE (Global Underwater Explorers) Fundamentals instructor. He is currently splitting his time between India and Mexico where he works on various teaching and exploration projects, but has taught numerous courses in various countries in Asia, America and Europe. He runs Technical Diving India and has trained dozens of technical divers in India up to Trimix level. Quality-oriented, dedicated to team-diving, standardized procedures, and the usage of helium-based mixes to support aggressive diving, he is an active member of the community and devoted to growing a network of like-minded divers. Having lived in various European, Asian, African, and Central American countries, his background spans from engineering and sustainable development to information technology, languages, and various inter-cultural interests.
Jonah Skoles
India
Technical Dive Instructor, Freediving Instructor and Equipment Technician Trainer
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
Jonah Skoles thirst for learning has never ended. He grew up in Auroville in the South of India. As a Technical Dive Instructor, Freediving Instructor and Equipment Technician Trainer, he has been able to share his passion for the sea with divers of all ages from kids to experienced tec divers. Being one of the pioneers of technical diving and sidemount training in India he has been part of the exploration of the deeper coast of South India that Sidemount has permitted. He has now branched out to take the best parts of all he has learnt and coalesced them into his own diving and research center in Auroville, South India.
John Seddon
Hong Kong
Export Sales & Senior Technical Training Manager (Asia Pacific)
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
After a long career in diving operations and retail john joined Scubapro in 2002, a course director from 1995, his main diving interest is in cave diving and World War 2 shipwrecks.
Many in the diving community know John from the many Scubapro technical training programs that are conducted across Asia Pac for the industry partners every year, he has extensive Diving product knowledge.
John will be talking about a few of the new Scubapro products for the 2019/20 Asian market and updates in Dive Computer Tech including the new Scubapro HUD and Full face Mask air delivery options.
Jackson Peter
India
Founder & Managing Director, Cool Divers Pvt. Ltd., Founder & Managing Director, Bond Ocean Safari Founder & Managing Trustee, Planet Ocean Foundation (A Non-Profit Organization)
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Hailing from a traditional fisherman family, in a small coastal village Vadackal in Alappuzha, Jackson joined a USA based MNC in UAE right after his graduation. With an extensive exposure to most of the countries in the Middle East, South East African countries and Europe. Firmly grounded in his upbringing, it was just natural for him to be fascinated by the ocean. After returning to India, he plunged heart and soul into establishing Cool Divers and Bond Ocean Safari, a well-known adventure sports tour company in his native Kerala.
Over the last couple of years, he has worked to make Cool Divers and Bond Ocean Safari one of the most innovative and unique adventure sports outfit in the state. They undertake scuba diving, bond safari (first of it’s kind operation in India) and snorkeling trips in the state and set to launch a few more adventure tourism products like semi-submarine, parasailing and game fishing by the start of next tourism season.
Dedicated in giving back to the oceans, he has kick-started a campaign called #OceanLove with the aim to raise awareness about marine pollution. He strives to do anything and everything he could to curb marine pollution, global warming and ocean acidification, which he feels are the biggest threat the humanity faces today. Here are some of the activities his organization has spearheaded in raising awareness about marine plastic pollution in Kerala. They are “World’s First Underwater CEO Conference”, “India’s First Underwater Wedding”, “Kerala’s First Underwater Plastic Clean-Up Initiative” and “Planet Ocean Foundation” – a self-sustainable initiative to keep the Arabian sea free from plastic debris.
Ibrahim Naeem
Maldives
Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Maldives
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Starting out as an environmental enthusiast, Ibrahim began working to help protect the Earth’s fragile marine environment in 1990. Since then, he has amassed more than 25 years of experience in the field and his passion for nature led him to become the Director General of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in the Maldives. His unstinting efforts for conservation and his valuable advice led to Baa Atoll being recognised by the UN as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011 for being one of the best spots for manta rays and whale sharks to feed and clean.
Elsie Gabriel
India
Mentor – Climate Reality Project, Founder of Young Environmentalists Programme
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Meet climate change advocate and environmentalist Elsie Gabriel, trained by former Vice President of USA Al Gore, certified by Harvard University and global diver having researched in Galapagos Islands, Grand Cayman, Australia, Malapascua Philippines, Cozumel Mexico, Bahama’s and many other Asian oceans. As the founder of Young Environmentalists Programme, she promotes bans on plastics and pollution in lakes and oceans. Award-winning activist, Elsie Gabriel will host and moderate the panel discussions on Plastic Ocean pollution. She says, ”Our beaches are not only polluted with plastic bags, but plastics have invaded our seas, our food, and even the salt in my hair is in the shape of tiny plastic bits when we dive, surf or swim. The sand I walk on is mixed with an indescribable mix of sharp pieces, strings, wedges, and particles of plastic that are impossible to pick, gather or clean. The real danger lies ahead in the plastic that we cannot see with our naked eyes in the ocean! Come join me at the ADEX India convergence to find out how you can join forces to fight climate change and ocean pollution. We want you to be the Young Environmentalists “Agent Of Change”.
Anees Adenwala
India
CMAS & PADI 5 star Instructor Director & Partner at ORCA DIVE CLUB, Underwater Film Services
Tekdiving Speaker (2019)
A veteran of the oceans – Anees Adenwala is one of India’s first few Scuba Diving instructors who was tasked with setting up a dive centre in the uncharted waters of the Lakshadweep Islands in 1996. Anees took to the paradisaical waters of the Lakshadweep like a parrot fish takes to a coral reef. After establishing two dive centres in Lakshadweep, Anees returned to Mumbai in 2003, to set up two passion projects. First, an Underwater Filming Company, to film sequences for Indian Cinema, Television and Documentaries, soon followed by Orca Dive Club, an end-to-end SCUBA diving service provider that undertakes everything from beginner pool- training courses for students, to exploratory live-aboard and resort based operations to exotic dive destinations worldwide. Orca Dive Club also makes the utmost efforts to promote responsible diving, by understanding all the safety issues concerned with it, as well as the awareness and protection of the environment, marine flora and fauna. ORCA aims to make Divers and Novices in this field responsible, safe and environmentally conscious; which is also a very important part of the SCUBA diving world. Anees’s second passion project, Underwater Film Services is exclusive in the market comprising of a highly trained and professional team with expertise in underwater stunts/action and filming. Prior to an underwater shoot, all actors are trained so that they are comfortable in the water. Anees has trained and worked with many Bollywood, Tollywood, Marathi Film and TV personalities. UFS has shot sequences for more than 200 productions for underwater sequences.The Ocean and Anees are synonymous to each other, divers who know him see his passion and are rest assured that their experience underwater will never go amiss.
Maggie
China
Celebrity Speaker (2019)
The founder and CEO of Fun Pilot, a technology cool play community, Maggie is a well-known DJI flyer. She is a popular presence on Wechat, TMall.com, Tencent.com, jdlive.com and has her own review and travel channel on douyin.com which reaches out to over 1 million fans on her platform. She was a special guest on Zhejiang Television’s Give Me Five game show as China’s first female DJI pilot to have shot in the most desolate places in China. The places she has shot at include the Badain Jaran desert in Northern China, Tibet, the Mount Everest Base Camp in Tibet and Xinjiang, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania.
Jade Hoksbergen
Taiwan, France
Photography Speaker (2019)
At just 23 years old, Jade Hoksbergen, is an up-and-coming underwater photographer, model, and travel journalist from a highly international background. Her distinctive style of capturing the underwater macro world is largely influenced by her art and painting, and while she only started underwater photography in 2015, her work has already been honoured in several competitions including the prestigious UPY. Her work has also been internationally published. She is currently based in the Philippines and shares a love of the sea with her husband, Henley Spiers.
Ram Yoro
Philippines
Photography Speaker (2019)
“Ram is a full-time scuba instructor, tech diver, and underwater photographer based in the Philippines. He is a pioneer of Bonfire Diving, a method for documenting plankton in shallow coastal waters, and was among the early practitioners of Blackwater Diving in the country. He is also an avid explorer in the region, visiting and documenting green reefs, caves and wrecks with colleagues from the Filipino Cave Divers and the Philtech Dive Teams. Outside these, Ram teaches scuba and underwater photo workshops out of his base in Anilao, and he regularly contributes to various online and print publications as well. Among his notable publications include co-authoring the “Guide to Anilao”, the “Legends Beneath the Waves – Philippines” (aka Philippine Wreck Book), and contributing to the plankton visual compilation “Black is the New Blue Volume II”. To checkout more of his works, visit “Ram Yoro” in Facebook and Instagram.”
Yue Hong Jun
China
Photography Speaker (2019)
Yue Hong Jun began his journey into photography in 1984. He is currently a member of the Chinese Photographers Association, a member of the Royal Society of Photographers, and a deputy director of the Shenzhen City Entrepreneurs Photography Association. He has held several solo photography exhibitions in recent years, and many of his works have been nominated for and won awards at various national and international competitions.
Boogs Rosales
Philippines
Photography Speaker (2019)
Boogs Rosales is an underwater photographer, cinematographer, and expedition leader based in Manila, Philippines. He is the managing director of Studio H2O, a production company that focuses on telling stories about the ocean, its inhabitants, and the people behind its protection. Specialising in underwater and aerial cinematography for nature and travel documentaries, a lot of his work has been broadcasted on National Geographic Channel.
Kent Yeung
Hong Kong
Photography Speaker (2019)
A TV Artist before and fall in love with the ocean after the first diving. The more he dives, the more he loves. Then he quits his job and decided to start working with his love – The Ocean. A new focus is from a diving instructor to an underwater videographer and creative director. His vision is to bring a creative underwater video production to the commercial market. He cooperated with some tv board-casting company and different medias to achieve his bigger vision – share The Amazing Ocean to the public with his work.
Mathieu Meur
Mauritus
Photography Speaker (2019)
An underwater photography veteran of over 25 years, Mathieu authored the first PADI-approved digital underwater photography specialty course in the world in 2001. He contributes regular columns on photography techniques in dive and photography publications and co-authored An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography with Michael Aw in 2004 – the first book entirely dedicated to the techniques associated with shooting digital underwater. He has published two interactive e-books on underwater digital photography: Complete Digital Underwater Photography (2013) and Everything on Underwater Photography (2014).
Claudia Schmitt
Germany
Photography Speaker (2019)
Claudia is an underwater videographer and part of the independent filmmaker team “The Jetlagged”, who are working tirelessly for more awareness and better protection of our oceans. With their films, documentaries and latest 360° VR underwater experiences, Claudia wants to inspire people to go out and experience the oceans themselves, to recognize their importance for our planet and to spark action for their conservation. The Jetlagged’s films have won numerous awards on international film festivals.
Kent Yeung
Hong Kong
Photography Speaker (2019)
A TV Artist before and fall in love with the ocean after the first diving. The more he dives, the more he loves. Then he quits his job and decided to start working with his love – The Ocean. A new focus is from a diving instructor to an underwater videographer and creative director. His vision is to bring a creative underwater video production to the commercial market. He cooperated with some tv board-casting company and different medias to achieve his bigger vision – share The Amazing Ocean to the public with his work.
Hendrik S Schmitt
Germany
Photography Speaker (2019)
Hendrik has studied filmmaking and cinematography. He is the director of the independent filmmaker team “The Jetlagged”, who not only create films about their diving adventures, but also documentary films that raise awareness about environmental issues and call for a better protection of our oceans. Hendrik’s films have won numerous awards on international film festivals. Now he’s taking it to a new level: With engaging 360° VR underwater experiences, The Jetlagged totally immerse their viewers in the amazing underwater world.
Glenn Yong
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2019)
Glenn is a Singapore-based professional photographer specializing in commercial and underwater photography. He has shot for various scuba diving resorts and destinations in Asia, gaining him recognition and accreditation from international professional photography associations.
Brett Lobwein
Australia
Photography Speaker (2019)
Brett Lobwein is a passionate, award-winning, environmentally conscious photographer from Australia. Whether shooting silky sharks in Cuba or fur seals in his native waterways. Brett aims to represent marine life in their natural element, without demonizing or sensationalizing an animal to gain attention to an image for the wrong reasons. He is also a strong advocate for protecting our oceans by raising awareness about the impact of single-use plastics. Brett is also the resident photographer at Ocean Geographic, an ambassador for Isotta and the owner of UW Images.
Daniel Geary
USA
Photography Speaker (2019)
Daniel Geary, also known as Dr. Frogfish, is a marine biologist, award-winning underwater photographer, and PADI dive instructor based in the Philippines. He wrote the PADI Frogfish Specialist Course, now offered at multiple dive centers along the Dauin coast, with over 120 students certified. He has been published in multiple magazines including the cover of the Copeia Scientific Journal. Daniel continually promotes and practices ethical and responsible underwater photography and will begin leading frogfish-based dive trips in the near future.
Andrew Marriott
USA
Photography Speaker (2019)
Andrew is a long time diver, photographer and writer. Originally from the USA he found the ocean while working in the world of financial derivatives. After a move to Guam he devoted himself full time to the ocean, helping many new divers fall in love with the water while working as an instructor and enthusiastic underwater photographer. After much encouragement from his friends and students, he devoted himself full time to taking and sharing his images and writing about diving.
His first professional success came when he won first place in every category he entered in the Asia Pacific Photo Challenge. Following this he was asked to provide photos for magazine work, and shortly after was writing the articles to go along with them. He has since written over twenty articles for six different dive and travel magazines. He has had a number of cover shots in these magazines, the most published being the cover of the May 2017 issue of Chinese National Geographic. Along with the magazine work came invitations to speak at major dive shows across Asia. To this day Andrew is a regular speaker at major dive events; having spoken at many shows from Beijing to Singapore and pretty much everywhere in between.
The next logical step for him was to write books on diving and adventure travel. The first of these was Legends Beneath the Waves Vol. 1: Truk Lagoon. This book was very well received and its success has led to an additional six books in that series being committed to. Aside from the shipwreck books, Andrew began to also write dive guides. His guides focus on small areas and seek to take the reader diving in that location in their mind. The first of these is Let’s Go Dive Guide to Anilao. Between books he still can still be found teaching around the Pacific, as he is a much in demand coach for underwater photography. Currently he is working on the next books in these two series while living in Beijing with his awesome wife Dalice and two daughters Elly and EJ “Doomy”.
Imran Ahmad
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2019)
Imran Ahmad is Asia’s most celebrated and internationally published underwater photographer. He has been capturing the magnificence of life both below and above the water’s surface for over 20 years. Known for his experimental photography with light and motion, he is an ambassador for Blancpain Ocean Commitment, SEACAM (Austria), RGBlue Lights (Japan), DEEPBLU and a member of the Ocean Artist Society (USA).
William Tan
Singapore
Photography Speaker (2019)
William Tan has been fascinated with the creatures of the sea since his childhood. He travels extensively throughout the Pacific region, judging underwater photo competitions, and photographing marine life for tourism organisations, scientific research groups, dive magazines, camera manufacturers and resorts.
Merliah
Malaysia
Asia’s First Plus Sized Mermaid
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Merliah is Asia’s first plus sized mermaid. She has always had a deep affinity and love for the ocean, and when at 17 when she discovered the joys of mermaiding, her adventure truly began. Her larger than life presence and curves did bring unkind comments from a shallow minded few, but Merliah chose to rise above this, and persevere in her mermaid journey to fulfill her dreams. She is now one of three Ambassadors for Finfolk Productions, one of the finest mermaid tail makers in the world. Representing for all sizes and shapes of Mermaid Queens – you can swim with us!
Duan Peiyu
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
My name is Duan Peiyu. I am a 10-year-old girl from Kunming, Yunnan, China. I am a little mermaid from MissVsea Mermaid Academy, I want to be a beautiful mermaid. Why is that? Because mermaids are the guardian of the sea. Learning mermaiding can make me more confident. Miss Wei is my role model. I will keep on learning.
Mermaid Nina
Singapore
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Nina, also known as SG Lil Mermaid, was born in 2011. At the age of two, she fell in love with Ariel from Disney’s The Litle Mermaid. At the tender age of four, she attained her first certification by the National Water Safety Programe, Swimsafer Stage One. Currently, she is working towards completing her Stage Four (Bronze) Certification. She believes she is, and has always been, a mermaid with a duty to uphold and protect marine life by educating all land-folks on the importance of water safety and making the ocean clean and sacfe for all. She hopes to join the PADI seal team.
Sherry Li
Taiwan
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Sherry was born on an island surrounded by sea. She is a feminist mermaid who loves films, music, sports and sunbathing. After being a mermaid, she indulges in the feeling of being free in the water. Now, she is the representative of the Mermaid Federation International Taiwan Office. She co-founded Mermaid Soul with Mermaid Sandy. They hope students can increase their confidence and elevate their self-consciousness through mermaid courses. Mermaid Sherry is also devoted to mermaid events for children. She hopes to implant concepts of marine conservation in children’s mind.
Shang Bohan
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
My name’s Shang Bohan. I’m 10 years old. I’m a little merboy from MissVsea mermaid academy. I want to be a biologist, because I’m very interested in marine organisms. In my spare time I’d like to read books about the ocean. I’ve taken part in the Little Ocean Guardian Programme, to tell people around me to protect the earth and the ocean and reject animal shows. I hope I can travel around the world.
Yu Ruofei
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
I am a pupil of grade five. I like travelling and I like marine organism. Diving is my favorite sport. Through diving, I learnt that human littering caused serious pollution to the ocean. Global warming continues to cause massive coral whitening. I wanted to protect the beautiful ocean. So on my eleventh birthday, I joined MISSVSEA mermaid school and became a real little mermaid. I am determined to be a small volunteer to protect the ocean!
Venisa P
China
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
A SSI Mermaid Instructor, Venisa participated in Poly Yunan Property’s promotional film and the promotional film of China International Tourism. Venisa believes that life has a limit but knowledge does not. With the universe so endless and life so limited, she hopes to explore the magic that the universe gives to nature in her limited time on Earth.
Jacinta Williamson
Australia
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Now living in Western Australia, Jacinta performs at the world renowned Busselton Jetty in the Underwater Marine Observatory. Jacinta has pursued a career in outdoor leadership and education where she inspires and motivates children and young adults to appreciate the environment and envoke a spirit of protection. Jacinta is an official affiliated partner of Mahina Mermaid, promoting the beautifully designed MerFin whilst encouraging a sense of adventure and importantly, our role in ocean conservation.
Indonesia Mermaid Pod
Indonesia
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Indonesia Mermaid Pod is a community of free divers bonded through their affection towards mermaids. Their main occurring event is the community’s bi annual “Ocean Clean-Up” trips, diving trips with an added ocean and beach clean-up session and knowledge sharing. Through travelling and learning together about ocean plastic and the environment, they aim to share an understanding of what everybody can achieve as a community. They have found that more and more people are willing and eager to take part in a bigger common purpose: safeguarding the ocean and our home.
Sara
Egypt
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Sara has a strong background in marine conservation. Through Dolphin Watch Alliance and the Egyptian NGO HEPCA, Sara was involved in a bottlenose dolphin conservation project in Egypt. Long before Sara joined Mermaid Alliance, she had always wanted to be a mermaid. She drew, planned and made her own tail. Sara will be speaking at at the opening ceremony of ADEX.
Mermaid Twin – Tami & Tama
Indonesia
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Tama and Tami are twin sisters from Indonesia. Both started their Mermaid journey only recently. Tama is working as a Business Development Associate in one of the biggest e-commerce company in Indonesia while pursuing her passion as a mermaid. Tami is a marine conservationist and currently undertaking a Master’s degree in Environmental Management in Australia. From time to time the Mermaid Twin is featuring in the only underwater theatrical show in Jakarta.
Alexey and Irina
Russia
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Alex and Irina are from Russia but work as performers in China. They represent a true love story between a Merman & Mermaid. Originally a swimmer and a synchro swimmer, they fell in love with each other creating Mermaid – Couple and performing around the globe. Alex has appeared in several video productions while Irina is a photographer and creates jewelry from natural materials. Their aim is to inspire people, fall in love with the underwater world and marine life.
Ginger
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Mermaid Ginger is a professional aquatic performer, published model, actress and conservationist from Hollywood California, USA. She is best known for her on-land and underwater mermaid imagery and live performances. She also spreads conservation awareness with her online voice inspiring others to help protect the planet in small but impactful ways. Ginger has performed in many countries including the ADEX Dive Expo 2018 in Singapore and China.
Pia
Indonesia
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Mermaid pia is a professional mermaid based in jakarta indonesia. part of the first combined theatrical underwater show in the world perform with five other mermaids. An underwater model, freediver, PADI Divemaster ,co-founder of GILI MERMAID at Gili Trawangan island lombok , and co-founder of Jakarta mermaid school in Jakarta . My aspiration is to set up a chain of mermaid schools in Indonesia teaching mermaid swimming in fun safety way educating people about mermaids,ocean and it’s marine life .
Mermaid Phantom – Brittany
USA
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
A Michigan native Mermaid Phantom, unlike many professional mermaids, is unable to swim with children due to her poor eyesight. Because of this, she adds magic to the world in other ways. Phantom is the face behind The Magic Crafter, a weekly YouTube show that features realistic mermaid and fairy videos and informational content. for aspiring mermaids. She aims to build a community of free-spirited individuals that share her love for the natural world.
Maize Ho
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Maize is a Hong Kong mermaid performer. She is one of the first graduated MFI mermaid instructors in Hong Kong and a member of the MFI education committee. With more than 10 years of experience in portrait photography and makeup styling, she hopes that every mermaid student can express a unique beauty of herself confidently and make every mermaid become an ocean ambassador, thereby raising public awareness of marine conservation.”
Rox Liu
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Rox is a professional mermaid instructor from Hong Kong. She is uniting all mermaids in the world and founded Mermaid Federation International (MFI), which vows to promote and support the integrity and diversity of living mermaids through high-standard education and code of conduct. Rox developed the MFI professional mermaid training system. She believes the spirit of “Heart in The Ocean”, and that the mermaid concept encourages women’s independence and their pursuit of selfawareness, to discover the power of love and personal growth.
Anika Wang
Hong Kong
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
Anika is not a fan of fairytales where princess and prince lives happily together. But Little Mermaid is another story of a strong lady, it is about love, compassionate, and sacrifices. With broad knowledge being an ocean lover, freedive and mermaid instructor, fitness trainer and yoga teacher, Anika devotes herself to professional mermaid education system, with vision of ocean conservation, underwater coherence and female affection.
Deva Harris
Indonesia
Mermaid Speaker (2019)
A dancer since the age of four, Deva’s mastery of dance has evolved from traditional dance, modern dance to fusion and now dancing underwater as a mermaid. Her career as a dancer skyrocketed when she joined Orange Production, the largest dance company in Bali, as a professional dancer 16 years ago. Based in Bali, she has been touring Asia since 2007. An accomplished director, show conceptualiser and costume designer, Deva started Mermaid Deva in Bali two years ago. Mermaid Deva not only makes mermaid tails, they provide and groom mermaid talent by providing mermaid courses as well.
John Wright
New Zealand
Freediving Speaker (2019)
John Wright is the godfather of New Zealand’s freediving scene. John has always been involved in sport and played rugby league for New Zealand in the 1970s. He eventually setup and owned a PADI 5 star IDC centre and was a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. He started freediving in 1998, taught by Tanya Streeter, and began teaching in 2000, writing his own programmes back in those days before the big agencies appeared on the scene. John is an AIDA AI Judge, Padi Master Freedive Instructor and Apnea International Instructor. He spends much of his time coaching and training budding, up-and-coming freedivers.
Beth Neale
South Africa
Freediving Speaker (2019)
Beth Neale is from South Africa and is a three-time freedive champion, master dive instructor and ocean conservationist. A modern mermaid at heart, Beth spends her time in the water using her iconic mermaid leggings with fins. Beth creates unique courses, based on building confidence as well as teaching freedive skills. She is known for her “one breath adventures”, inspiring children & adults to fall in love and care for the ocean. For the 25th anniversary of ADEX, Beth will teach up to 50 Children the dolphin kick in the ADEX Pool, using Finis Mermaids fins that can be kept. The children will also be issued a certificate by Beth.
H.E Nancy Lynn Mcdonald
Canada
High Commissioner of Canada to Singapore
Guest of Honor (2019)
Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, Ms. McDonald is a graduate of the United World College of the Atlantic in the United Kingdom (IB, 1987) as well as of the University of Toronto’s Trinity College (BA High Distinction, International Relations & Economics, 1991) and Faculty of Law (LLB, 1994). She was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1995 and joined Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) in 1996. During her time in Ottawa, Ms. McDonald worked in the Legal Bureau, the Trade Law Bureau, and the Trade Policy Bureau of DFAIT. In her most recent assignment at DFAIT headquarters, she served as the Director of the Intellectual Property Trade Policy Division (TMI) where she oversaw the negotiation of the intellectual property provisions of Canada’s bilateral and multilateral trade agreements (2011-2014). Her positions overseas have included as legal advisor at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland (1999-2002) and Counsellor and Head of the trade policy section at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C. (2005-2009). Her most recent assignment abroad was as Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao (2014-2016). Ms. McDonald is married and has two children.
Ace Wu
Taiwan
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Ace Wu is a 40-yearold photographer from Taiwan currently residing in Ho Chi Minh City. He loves underwater photography, specializes in wide angle underwater photography and casting his subjects against inky black backgrounds for dramatic effect.
Michael Aw
Australia
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Michael AW is a wildlife photographer, explorer and a conservationist. He has authored 35 books about the ocean. His accolades include more than 66 international photographic awards and being named as one of the world’s most influential nature photographers by Outdoor Photography magazine. His essays and pictures have been published in BBC Wildlife, GEO, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Nature, Ocean Geographic, Asian Geographic, Nature Focus, Times, and Discovery to name but a few. In 2018, he was awarded the Award of Excellence by Our World Underwater in Chicago.
Tobias Friedrich
Germany
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Tobias Friedrich lives in Germany and started taking pictures with a DSLR underwater in the year 2007. Since then his images have been published in prestigious scuba diving magazines and newspapers around the world. Several underwater photographic competitions, have honoured his work, resulting in over 50 awards with nearly 30 1st places. Lately he has been named “Underwater Photographer of the Year 2018” in the prestigious UPY London competition and “German Photographer of the Year 2019” in Germany. All waters, from zero to 30° Celsius, are attractive for him, at least there is something to photograph. He is SEACAM equipment for his Canon EOS 1DX Mark II and 5D Mark II DSLR. He is leading expeditions and workshops around the world, where everybody can join.
Scott Tuason
PHILIPPINES
ADEX SINGAPORE VOO JUDGE 2019
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Scott was first handed his underwater camera at the age of 16. Decades later, his passion for photography has brought him on amazing journeys. From throwing himself into a feeding frenzy to dangling off a line in open water at night, his photography has been recognised by the Palme D’or at Antibes festival for his book Anilao, which he co-authored in 2000. His latest books, Blackwater and Open Blue, have won awards and are sold out worldwide.
Markus Davids
Germany
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
German born Markus Davids is an award winning filmmaker and photographer. His surf documentary “BoardRoom” screened at film festivals all over the world.He is the owner and creative director of the company CineBags, a company that designs specialty bags for cinematographers. He recently launched a new line of bags specifically designed for underwater photographer: CineBags Underwater.
Gerald Nowak
Germany
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
An instructor trainer at the CMAS Germany (FST) dive association and Instructor at Scuba School International (SSI), Nowak is a photo instructor in several associations, Trimix and Rebreather divers, as well as an impassioned ice-, wreck- and cave-diver. He has worked continuously for the German and international diving press for many years and is a regular photographer of the magazines Tauchen, Unterwasser, Silent World and Divemaster. He has won prizes in several national and international photography competitions.
Stephen Frink
USA
ADEX SINGAPORE VOO JUDGE 2019
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Stephen Frink is among the world’s most frequently published UW photographers, with a career spanning four decades. He arrived in Key Largo, Florida Keys in 1978 to open a small studio, primarily renting underwater cameras and processing E-6 slide film; but he soon began to receive assignments to photograph and write articles for the consumer dive publications of the day. He worked as a photojournalist for Skin Diver magazine for 17-years, covering much of the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Florida Keys for the publication. Subsequently he worked as the Director of Photography for Scuba Diving magazine. Most recently, and for the past 8 years, Stephen has been the publisher of Alert Diver Magazine, a beautiful coffee-table collectible magazine for the members of Divers Alert Network.
Stephen teaches a Master class in underwater photography each summer in his home waters of Key Largo, Florida. Clients for assignment photography over the past 3 decades have included Scubapro, Victoria’s Secret, Aqualung, Oceanic, Canon, Nikon, Mercury Marine, Jantzen, R.J. Reynolds, Henderson Aquatics, American Express, Hanes, and Club Med. Rolex Watch Company has also engaged Frink for both endorsement and product photography.
Other Frink enterprises include a dive travel company, WaterHouse Tours, and a stock photo agency, Stephen Frink Collection. Stephen Frink Photographic is the North American distributor for SEACAM underwater photo equipment. His studio and photo gallery are located at Mile Marker 101, Bayside, in Key Largo, Florida.
Indra Swari W
Indonesia
ADEX SINGAPORE VOO JUDGE 2019
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Through her photography, Indra hopes to share not just the beauty of the underwater world, but to reflect the natural behavior of marine creatures and raise awareness of how fragile the environment can be. Her passion for wildlife was ignited at an early age by Sir David Attenborough, whom she finally got to meet in person when she won the underwater category of the BBC/Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Amanda Cotton
USA
ADEX SINGAPORE VOO JUDGE 2019
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Award winning Underwater Photographer and Expedition Leader Amanda Cotton melds the human element with the beauty hidden within our oceans in an effort to educate and empower others to become personally involved in the fight to maintain our precious, yet highly fragile aquatic ecosystems.
Christian Vizl Mac Gregor
Mexico
ADEX SINGAPORE VOO JUDGE 2019
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Christian Vizl was born in México City and has been a photographer for over three decades. He has won dozens of international professional awards including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, International photographer of the year and Sony World Photography awards. He has served as judge in several international underwater photography contests and his images have been published in numerous outlets including Scuba Diver Ocean Planet, National Geographic and Ocean Geographic.
Laurent Ballesta
France
Ocean19 Speaker (2019)
Laurent studied marine biology, which culminated in a Master’s degree. He discovered a species of fish hitherto unknown in the Western Mediterranean. Combining his passion for underwater photography with his work as a biologist, Laurent has won numerous awards, and has been featured in international publications.
Yvonne Press
Indonesia
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Yvonne Press is currently the only female TDI Instructor Trainer and Advanced Trimix instructor in Southeast Asia. She is a PADI TecRec instructor and has been managing Two Fish Tech in Amed, Bali, Indonesia since late 2015. She started diving in Scotland in 2003, going full time into diving in 2010. She became a tech diver in 2011, moved to Bali in 2014 and became a tech instructor and cave diver in early 2015 in Thailand. She qualified as a TDI IT in late 2016.
Anne K Adijuwono
Indonesia
Ocean Artist
Art and Music Speaker (2019)
Anindia is an artist from Indonesia who grauated from Staatliche Zeichenakademie in Germany. She has won many international underwater photography and videography competitions. She also published a photobook with images taken by a compact carmera. Today, she promotes her coungtry through her paintings, not only on canvas but also on fabric.
Kaeshi Chai
USA
Bellyqueen
Artistic Director
Art and Music Speaker (2019)
Kaeshi Chai is an NYC based artist who integrates dance, theatre and teaching to empower and shift consciousness through performance projects such as “Ocean Stories” and PURE (Public Urban Ritual Experiment). She produces the annual PURE Conference focused on topics like Love, Peaceful Warrior and the 5 elements. She is the artistic director of Bellyqueen, the school and dance company, and facilitates creative labs in which participants generate full-length theatrical dance shows in 3-4 days.
Mary Sayre
USA
Ocean Artist
Art and Music Speaker (2019)
Artist Mary Sayre is known for her sea life and waterscape paintings. Her love of the ocean is illustrated in oils on canvas and acrylics on marble. Her innovative art form utilizes the veins of the crystalline in the marble creating an elegant yet organic canvas. Her works are exhibited and collected internationally. Scuba diver, sailor, avid traveler and passionate artist, Mary recently traveled to Indonesia serving as “Artist of the Exhibition” with the Ocean Geographic Elysium – Heart OF The Triangle Expedition.
Ernest Goh
Singapore
Art and Music Speaker (2019)
Ernest Goh is a photographer and visual artist whose work looks at natural history and ecological relationships. His animal portraits have been published in The Fish Book (2011), Chickens(COCKS 2013), and The Gift Book (2014). In 2015. Ernest presented Breakfast at 8 Jungle at 9, a participatory artwork interpreting the great British naturalist and explorer, Alfred Russel Wallace’s time in Asia. His work has been commissioned by and installed at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Singapore, collected by the Multimedia Art Museum Moscow, and also resides in corporate, public and private collections internationally.
Michelle Ooi
Singapore
Freediving Speaker (2019)
Michelle started freediving in 2011 and has never looked back since. An ex competitive swimmer, triathlete, underwater rugby player, rock climber and certified rescue scuba diver, she feels that freediving is the only sport to have had such a profound effect on her personality and lifestyle. Although she enjoys the challenge of training and competition, Michelle’s favourite part of freediving is spending time in the water connecting with other ocean inhabitants, which gave rise to her interest in marine conservation. She enjoys teaching and helping other people discover the joys of freediving.
Suzy Lim
France
Freediving Speaker (2019)
Suzy is a sino – Cambodian active lady, born and raised in France and now living between Hong Kong, France and the Philippines. She is a former Scuba-diving Instructor, competition swimmer, Scientist and Pharmacist. She is Professional freediver – Freedive school Owner, Instructor, Competition organizer, Judge, Safety and Athlete freediver. In 2012, Suzy started freediving and became, at this moment, the co-founder of Freediving Planet, a name dedicated to provide worldwide quality freediving education and top freediving equipment. Suzy, is the only English speaking Master Freediver Instructor in Hong Kong and has created one of the first freediving club there. In 2017, Suzy started her journey as an athlete freediver, traveling to compete in the International scene under France or Hong Kong flag. So far, she has won 2 gold medals and hold 3 Women Hong Kong record in depth disciplines. Suzy’s love of the Ocean and its inhabitants began during her youth. As a grown up, she is combining her background in communication and science to her freediving skills, to collaborate with different NGO and foundations engaged in the conservation of the biodiversity, reef and ocean.
Jonathan Chong
Singapore
Freediving Speaker (2019)
A competitive freediver, Jonathan currently holds all the Singapore national records in freediving and is a master freediver instructor. Jonathan also formed the Apnea Association of Singapore, an organisation focusing and supporting the growth of Freediving in Singapore. Armed with a background in multiple competitive sports, a Master’s in Psychology and the Singapore Freediving Academy, Jonathan’s goal is to help develop freedivers and the sport in Singapore.To Jonathan, freediving is more than just a sport, it is a gateway to understanding oneself and overcoming inner barriers.
Oli Christen
Switzerland
Freediving Speaker (2019)
Oli Christen is a Freedive Instructor Trainer and Author of Education Materials for AIDA, Molchanovs and PADI Freediver. He is the owner of Freedive Flow Indonesia, a renowned freedive school on Gili Air specialized in professional development.
Steve Lewis
Canada
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Born in the UK but Canadian by choice, Steve Lewis is a diver, writer, columnist, speaker and coach with an over-riding interest in diver safety, and my guest in an upcoming episode of the ADEX Pixel Virtual Expo series of, “Conversations with …” presentations – to be broadcast live via Zoom – on Thursday 3rd September.
An early convert to technical diving as a valid tool for cave and wreck exploration, Steve is a recipient of the prestigious, ‘International Sheck Exley Award’ for Cave Diving Safety; a Staff Instructor and Member of the Training and Advisory Panel for TDI; Director of Diver Training for RAID, and a proud Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
With an impressive number of diver training manuals to his credit, as well as several books (his 2018 book, ‘Death In Number Two Shaft’, provides a philosophical must-read glimpse into the mindset of exploration divers) Steve Lewis is one of modern diving’s most accomplished practitioners; a person whose experiences above and below the surface extend far beyond the ordinary.
Simon Pridmore
Indonesia
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Over the last 25 years, Simon Pridmore has pioneered mixed-gas deep diving in Asia and been involved in technical diver training, exploration and equipment manufacturing. Today, he writes books for divers, most recently “Scuba Exceptional – Become the Best Diver You Can Be” and “Dining with Divers – A Taste for Adventure”.
Beatrice Rivoira
Italy
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Beatrice is an Italian vocational diver with a Master Degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography. With 20 years of diving experience, she has worked around the world as a CCR & OC instructor and participated in biological and archaeological underwater projects.
From 2013 she has joined “Zero Emissions” with which she continues to teach and educate, as well as training herself in different environments. She co-authored the book “Biodiving”, translated and contributed to several other diving texts. Her hope is to inspire more and more young people to protect and discover the natural beauties of our underwater world.
Pete Mesley
New Zealand
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Pete has made his passion into a full time career in the dive industry spanning over 27 years now. Moving to New Zealand in 1994, Pete has worked his way into becoming one of the Southern Hemispheres most experienced tech divers and Instructor Trainers. His career has taken him exploring over 26 different countries in search for WWI and WWII shipwrecks, cave systems and big animal sites. His company Lust4Rust Dive Excursions has been dedicated to taking technical rebreather divers to remote locations diving some of the worlds most sort after wrecks. Petes total focus on diver safety led him to pave the way to having Medical support on all his trips. Member of the Explorers Club, lover of Shiraz!
Randy Thornton
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Randy Thornton, is a prolific explorer with an interest in cave and wreck diving. As CEO of SubGravity, Randy is intimately involved with the design of closed circuit rebreather systems as well as other technical diving equipment. As an instructor trainer for over 20 years, he travels extensively to offer training in various disciplines of technical diving. Randy currently serves as a member of the TDI Training Advisory Panel and is in demand as a presenter at various technical diving conferences and events worldwide, including TEKDiveUSA of which he is a founding member.
Paul Toomer
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
A working instructor trainer and expedition diver with a wealth of diving experience and an inexhaustible arsenal of yarns, my next guest in the ADEX Pixel Virtual Expo series of, “Conversations with …” presentations – broadcast live via Zoom on Thursday 13th August – is, Paul Toomer, the President of, RAID, the newest and most innovative of the international diver training organisations.
Discovering, in technical diving, his true passion, Paul has dived wrecks and caves all around the world, safely planned and executed dives to depths deeper than 100-metres, and been a valued member of numerous wreck and archaeological expeditions.
A ‘fireside chat’ that promises equal measures of info-tainment tempered with good advice, this will be a session well worth watching.
Matt Carter
New Zealand
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Matt is the leading technical diving maritime archaeologist in Australasia and is passionate about combining maritime archaeology and technical diving. Matt has worked on and led maritime archaeological projects in 12 different countries and is an International Fellow of the Explorers Club and the Research Director for the Major Projects Foundation. Most recently, while undertaking his PhD, Matt was a specialist presenter on the television series ‘Coast: New Zealand’, a spin-off from the BBC-produced UK series ‘Coast’.
Mark Messersmith
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Mark is the C.O.O. of Halcyon Dive Systems and a Board of Directors member of Global Underwater Explorers. He has nearly 50 years of dive experience and three decades of diverse business experience. As an avid cave explorer, he has “added line” to many systems in both Florida and Mexico. He is an accomplished entrepreneur creating and leading companies in locations around the world. He has contributed to articles and photographs in assorted publications such as Avian Biology, Time/Life and National Geographic magazine. Mark now lives in North Florida with his wife and dogs, where he continues to teach cave diving and jump out of perfectly good airplanes when given the opportunity.
Alex Santos
Philippines
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Alex is a commercial and technical diver. He and his PHILTECH team work in harsh and peculiar environments. Their unusual profiles allow him to study predispositions to DCS and develop in-water recompression methods for rapid treatment.
Alex also does deep recovery work for valuable objects and victims of drowning. His experience in body recovery has been called upon many times during disasters at sea, and he has trained recovery teams from the Philippines and from overseas.
Cave diving however is his true passion. He is a member of the Filipino Cave Divers, individuals who apply their diverse academic backgrounds in the study and preservation of underwater caves.
Gideon Liew
Singapore
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Gideon Liew has been diving since 1984. He began his experience in awe of the diverse environments to be found in Southeast Asia, from pristine reefs to mysterious wrecks. In 1994, he began pursuing a career in the diving industry, working with different operators, developing experience guiding and teaching from liveaboards and land-based centres. His desire to dive beyond the limits of recreational diving led him to seek further education, to explore new environments, especially deep wrecks in the South China Sea.
Dharshana Jayawardena
Sri Lanka
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Dharshana Jayawardena is a pioneering solo underwater explorer in Sri Lanka. He is the author of Ghosts of the Deep – Diving the shipwrecks of Sri Lanka and has identified the origins of several mystery wrecks in Sri Lanka and discovered its first underwater cave system.
Gareth Lock
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Gareth has been involved in high-risk work since he left school in 1989. He spent 25 years in the RAF in a variety of front-line operational, research and development and systems engineering roles which has given him a unique perspective. In 2005 he started his dive training with GUE and is now an advanced trimix diver (Tech 2) and JJ-CCR Normoxic trimix diver. In 2016 he formed The Human Diver with goal of bringing his operational, human factors and systems thinking to diving safety. Since then he has trained more than 350 people face-to-face around the globe, taught nearly 2000 people via online programmes, sold more than 4000 copies of his book Under Pressure: Diving Deeper with Human Factors, and produced ‘If Only…’ a documentary about a fatal dive told through the lens of Human Factors and a Just Culture. His goal, bring human factors practice and knowledge into the diving community to improve safety, performance and enjoyment.
Gabriel Pineda
Canada
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Gabriel earned BSc in Chemistry, BBA in International Business and MBA degrees from Harding University. He started diving in 1990 and is currently certified as a TDI Advanced Trimix Diver and dives a rEvo rebreather. Gabriel works as Shearwater’s Marketing Manager.
Nathalie Lasselin
Canada
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Nathalie Lasselin is a multi-award winning underwater cinematographer. As a technical diver and instructor, she has filmed and explored deep wrecks, caves and body of water in more than 50 countries including the arctic. Nathalie pursues better understanding of our planet through documentation and shares her concern for our fresh water resources through her films, articles in international magazines, and with event lectures. Her drive is to bring people together and empower them through better relations with their own environment ultimately for a higher quality of life. Her latest project Urban Water Odyssey embraces all her goals and philosophy.
David Street
United Kingdom
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
David is a British engineer and the MD of Dive Systems Ltd. He started diving in 1985 when he was living and working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and switched to rebreathers in 2008. He is a PADI and SSI Instructor, and the Dive Systems ITT.
Since 2009 David has lived and worked in Madagascar with the marine conservation NGO Blue Ventures, as well as Italy and Malta while developing his technical deep diving skills.
Not entirely happy with traditional technical CCR bailout options, he then set about designing and building his own experimental bailout rebreather.
Undeterred by the inevitable ‘close calls’ along the way, the R&D and test diving in Malta became a journey of faith, commitment, and determination which finally produced the seminal Proteus P2, a compact, modular, multi-purpose mCCR.
Today we will find David relocated to Cologne as his passion continues the development of a wider range of modular backmount, sidemount, chestmount and bailout rebreathers. David’s other companies, Reb-Tek, Reb-Tek Medical and a new joint-venture in India, are servicing recreational, technical, commercial, military, and medical markets while also continuing the development of other innovative bespoke life support solutions for use above and below the surface.
Alexis Chappuis
China
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Alexis Chappuis is a French marine biologist, National Geographic Explorer, technical scientific diver and amateur photographer. He has conducted various marine ecological studies worldwide during his career, logging hours on and under the sea. After spending more than 4 years living and working in Indonesia for an environmental consulting company, he recently co-founded the French-based non-profit organisation UNSEEN (“Underwater Scientific Exploration for Education”). He uses close-circuit rebreathers for the exploration and study of poorly-known underwater ecosystems, particularly Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs).
Ben Reymenants
Belgium
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Belgium Ben Reymenants is probably best know for his deep dives, his work in the diving medicine field and cave explorations. His career spans close to 3 decades under water and his exploits and teaching style makes him popular for technical courses. He owns a dive centre in Phuket Thailand where he runs technical instructor workshops and deep cave courses in the jungle. He is a fellow of the explorers club and he was part of the initial cave rescue team in the North of Thailand for which he was decorated.
Claus Rasmussen
Denmark
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Working as an instructor or dive center manager in Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand, Claus Rasmussen has been involved in the Asian dive industry since 2002. The last few years he has been working with Blue Label Diving in Phuket teaching technical and cave diving courses. He holds Instructor and Instructor Trainer ratings with PADI, SSI, TDI and DDI. In 2018 Claus was part of the team of international divers helping bringing 13 children out of a cave in northern Thailand.
Richie Kohler
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Richie Kohler is an author and shipwreck explorer whose 40 years of diving experiences have taken him to all corners of the globe. These exploits have been detailed in documentary films and in a NY Times best-selling book, Shadow Divers, by Robert Kurson. Kohler hosted fifty-six episodes of the popular History Channel program “Deep Sea Detectives” and numerous other television programs detailing his explorations on some of the most famous shipwrecks in the world, including the Andrea Doria, RMS Titanic, and the HMHS Britannic. Utilizing submersibles and cutting-edge diving equipment, Kohler’s focus in underwater exploration has been on the human aspect of shipwreck tragedies, correcting fractured or missing history and in doing so, providing answers and closure to family members. Locating and identifying lost warships such as the USS Murphy, USS Lagarto, U-215 and U-869 and reaching out to these people has been the real reward in shipwreck exploration. Kohler’s recent work on a forgotten WWII submarine battle helped bring posthumous recognition to American Naval Captain in an award ceremony at the US Pentagon.
A fellow in the Explorer’s Club, Kohler continues to lead expeditions worldwide in search of lost ships and the mysteries they hold. He has written numerous magazine articles about shipwrecks, deep diving and diver safety and in 2017, published his first book, Mystery of the Last Olympian detailing a decade of work on Titanic’s sister ship Britannic. Over the years he has made numerous presentations at schools, libraries, diving conventions and symposiums promoting diving safety, education and awareness.
Jill Heinerth
Canada
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
Jill Heinerth is a veteran of over thirty years of filming, photography and exploration on projects in submerged caves around the world with National Geographic, NOAA, and television networks worldwide. She is the Explorer in Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, recipient of Canada’s prestigious Polar Medal and the diving world’s highest award from the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. Partnering with Penguin Random House in Canada and Harper Collins in the US, Jill will soon be releasing four new major-market, non-fiction and children’s books.
Michael Menduno
USA
Tekdive Speaker (2019)
An award-winning reporter and technologist, Michael has written about diving and diving technology for 30 years. He coined the term “technical diving.” His magazine aquaCORPS: The Journal for Technical Diving (1990-1996) helped usher tech diving into mainstream sports diving. He produced the first Tek, EUROTek and ASIATek conferences, and organized Rebreather Forums 1.0 and 2.0. He received the OZTEK Media Excellence Award in 2011, the EUROTek Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the TEKDive USA Media Award in 2018.
Mik Jennings
England
Worldwide Dive and Sail
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Originally from the north of England, Mik moved to Phuket in 2003 to become a dive instructor and has never looked back. After spending almost 8 years as a cruise director in Thailand, Burma, and the Andaman Islands he hung up his professional fins and joined Worldwide Dive and Sail in 2011. After joining the company to look after bookings on Philippine Siren, Mik climbed the ranks and now oversees all the commercial activity both for and within blue o two Dive Travel and WWDAS.
Schannel Van Dijken
Samoa
Marine Progamme Director, Conservation International
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Director of Marine Programmes for Conservation International’s(CI), Schannel grew up in New Zealand and earned his Master’s of Science degree from the University of Auckland. At CI, Schannel participated in the Marine Rapid Assessment Programme in New Caledonia, identifying a new species of fish and coral not previously recorded in those wates. Before joining CI, Schannel was a senior marine biology field, laboratory, research and teching technician at Auckland University.
Ronny Roskosch
Germany
Consultant, Diving & Sports
CEO/Senior
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Ronny Roskosch is a Diving Professional, deep sea comercial diver with almost 9000 working hours, sports diving professional pioneer as dive center owner, course director, examiner and handicapped diving with more then 30 years of experience and serves today as business consultant to mayor players and to the DEMA association.
Roberts Scales
Canada
PADI Master Instructor/Co- Founder, Ceningan Divers
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Robert Scales is a Canadian living in Bali since 2011. He is the co-founder of Ceningan Divers and Ceningan Resort, a Green Fins eco-friendly PADI 5 Star Dive Resort based on a small island located on the east coast of Bali. Scales is a former media executive and college professor. He is passionate about sustainable development and conservation. Robert is a repeated ADEX speaker, over the past years he has shared his sustainable tourism and best business practices knowledge with our audience. He is the co-founder of the Trash Hero Ceningan chapter, they conduct weekly street, beach and mangrove clean ups. He describe himself as a simplicity expert, resort owner, scuba diver, dungeon master, renaissance man & bon vivant!
Charles Cao
China
Sublue Sales Director
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Armed with a Master’s in Science from Loughborough University, Charles amassed over 10 years of overseas experience in marketing & sales in information technology and consumer electronics, particularly in West Europe and the USA, making great breakthroughs in his career with Huawei, DJI, puppyrobot and more. He joined Sublue as the Sales Director to develope the global market for the company.
Corinna Davids
Austria
SSI International Training Director
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Born in Austria, Corinna Davids has been no stranger to the scuba diving industry since an early age. After cultivating her skills as diving instructor in Turkey and Egypt, she joined Scuba Schools International (SSI) as Regional Manager for the Philippines and Support Manager for the SSI operations in Asia Pacific.
Now she is based in South Africa and opened her own Swim and Mermaid business, called Flow Rebels, but still travels a lot for SSI and keeps on supporting the Asia Pacific region.
As SSI Instructor Certifier and International Training Director for SSI Swim, water safety has always been one of her passions. In 2017 Corinna was invited to be a leading developer for SSI’s Mermaid program.
Jean-Claude Monachon
Switzerland
SSI Vice President
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Jean-Claude Monachon, most commonly called JC, Swiss who considers himself as man of the world, started his diving professional career in 1986 in the Maldives.
1986 was the moment where he decided to follow his passion and leave the 9-5 job that was not fulfilling him. Yes, diving gave him the chance to travel the world, meet different cultures and enjoy some of the most fantastic places in the world above and under the surface.
JC is a visionary and always search for the best alternative to support the Training Centers and the Pros with programs that sometimes make the community smile, like the SSI Mermaid program who positioned the SSI brand on the top in China for example.
He considers himself as a field person, you can’t understand the market demand if you are not close to your customers, therefore he has always privileged the human and personal contact. So 60% of his time (before Covid) was dedicated to travel, meet and greet professionals of the industry.
In 2020, the World changed, then his best statement is that there is always an opportunity and that “Imperfection is better than Inaction”. Under his guidance, he created the SSI Digital University to bring all the knowledge on how to leverage social medias for the business. First he learns daily new skills so that he can bring them across to other people, then as a team person, he motivated the staff and the SSI Service Centers to apply what is applied in marketing today.
And here you go, thousands of professionals could enjoy a strong support while meeting him and his team virtually during the past 18 months. Over 300 virtual seminars where held in 25 languages.
Now, JC is keen to restart traveling and coming back to his ADEX friends
Paul Tanner
United Kingdom
PADI Asia Pacific Director
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Paul Tanner, affectionately known as Tosh, is the Director of PADI Asia Pacific. Paul started his career in the Dive Industry over 20 years ago as a PADI Dive Instructor. Since then he has been a PADI Examiner, PADI Course Director and a PADI Regional Manager. Throughout his career he has worked in several exotic locations in the Caribbean and Asia.
Peter Stone
USA
CEO, DiveSilver
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Diver, world traveller, television personality, and CEO, Peter’s passion for the sea, tempered by his journey across the world, inspired him to produce DiveSilver, his diverse and stunning sterling silver and gold jewellery lines, created exclusively for dive and aquatic enthusiasts worldwide. The pieces embody the spirit of oceanic life and underwater beauty.
Mikko Paasi
Finland
Thai Cave Rescue
Koh Tao Divers CEO/Founder
Conservation Speaker (2019)
For the last 18 years Mikko has been the owner of Koh Tao Divers, the first dive centre on Koh Tao, Thailand. He has expanded his diving business to Malta, Europe, working in both places seasonally as a CCR Technical diving instructor and organising technical diving expeditions. In the last 10 years, he has also been mapping World War II deep sea wrecks around the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysian waters. Mikko is currently a member of Suratthani rescue and was one of the key rescue divers in the Thai Cave Rescue operation.
Hazel Oakley
United Kingdom
Tropical Research And Conservation Centre (TRACC) Managing Director
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Hazel Oakley is the Managing Director of Tracc, the Tropical Research And Conservation Centre. Based on Pulau PomPom, Sabah, Malaysia, Tracc works principally on reef restoration, rebuilding the ecosystem shattered by bomb fishing. They also advocate widely for shark and turtle conservation, sustainable fisheries and alternative livelihoods. Hazel says “All waste leads to the sea. The diving community is united in its commitment to clean seas and that must extend to making low waste choices a way of life.”
Stanley Sradaputta
Indonesia
Indonesian Freediving Association Founder
Official Country Partner Speaker (2019)
Stanley has been diving since high school in 1990. He fell in love with the ocean and became a PADI and CMAS Scuba Instructor to share his passion. He started freediving in 2013 when he joined his first depth competition in Bali. After that competition, he is going deeper and deeper while breaking national records every year. Today, he is still the deepest Indonesian freediver. As an Aida, SSI and Molchanov Freediving Instructor he owns a freediving school and training centre and organises depth competitions in Indonesia.
Abi Carnadie
Indonesia
Indonesia Tourism Ministry, Marine Tourism Development and Acceleration Team
Official Country Partner Speaker (2019)
Abi Carnadie was born in 1972 in Belitung Island, Sumatra, Indonesia. Started diving in 1986, and becoming PADI Instructor in 1996. ABI is the co founder of Bubbles Dive Center in Jakarta. He holds Instructor rating from various reputable training agencies. For more than 20 years as a diving professional he has been actively supporting the Indonesia diving industry: Chairman of Raja Ampat Dive Resort Association; Member of Indonesia Tourism Ministry for Marine Tourism Development and Acceleration Team; and since 2016 he acted as PADI Industry Consultant, serving Indonesia, indisputable one of the worlds best diving destinations for marine diversity.
Leilani Gallardo
PHILIPPINES
Regional Communications, Coral Triangle Center
Conservation Speaker (2019)
A communications and project coordination specialist with a decade of experience in leading outreach, capacity building, and network development for development projects in the Asia-Pacific region, Leilani is a Fulbright Scholar with a Master of Arts in Journalism from New York University. She has worked on critical environmental issues and has taken lead roles in results-based project management, donor reporting, and evaluation tasks for various multilateral and bilateral donors such as USAID, the US Department of the Interior, and the Government of Canada.
Lauren Sparks
Canada
Nomads Diving Penida
Founder
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Lauren Sparks is a dive instructor, marine conservationist, and marine educator living in Indonesia. She is the owner of Nomads Diving and founder of conservation foundation Indo Ocean Project and The Great Ocean Log, an application launching this year for marine citizen scientists to contribute and have access to a worldwide survey database connecting citizen scientists across marine parks.
Roni Ben-Aharon
Israel
Atlantis Resorts
ADEX Dive Destination Speaker (2019)
The Philippines archipelago, in the heart of the coral triangle, offers diverse divers the chance to immerse in incredibly diverse diving. From Whale Sharks to Pygmy Squid, pristine reefs and dramatic drop offs, critter diving and Japanese WWII wrecks, between over 7000 islands, we have it all!
Join to learn where we dive with various sharks, frog fish and more among the Philippines dive destinations.
Escaping the corporate world to chase sand grains around the world, Roni has guided divers, and held marketing and management roles in various aquatic nations of Caribbean, Central America, SE Asia and the Pacific.
Roni leads Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboard Philippines partnerships in Asia and Europe, and resides in Visayas, Philippines.
Bill Ziefle
USA
Divers Alert Network (DAN) President/CEO
Official Dive Safety Speaker (2019)
President and CEO of Divers Alert Network (DAN). Ziefle first became associated with DAN in 1989 and served for 11 years as a volunteer before joining the board of directors. He has served as a director of various DAN affiliates including DAN, The DAN Foundation (Director Emeritus), IDAN, DAN Services, Accident & General Insurance Company and DAN Risk Retention Group. Over the years, he has provided legal counsel and fundraising support to prominent ocean conservation organisations.
Ran Mor
Iran
MyDivePro & DiveAndMore
Co-Founder
Conservation Speaker (2019)
An underwater photographer, Ran travels the world, exploring the amazing underwater world and sharing his love for the ocean with fellow divers. After joining his brother Tal in 2014 at Mozaik Underwater Cameras as an underwater photographer and helping others start their own journey, he discovered a new passion in life – teaching underwater photography and sharing his experience with others. Along with his lovely wife Danielle, they started Dive and More, taking avid divers and photographers on exciting scuba diving adventures around the world.
Terry Cummins
Australia
Dive Queensland
President
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Terrence (Terry or TC) Cummins; President of Dive Queensland, is a prominent figure in the global dive community. He is known as a diver, photographer, writer, and as a senior executive of diver training agencies. Terry currently sits on several Government and NGO advisory committees relating to diving, tourism and business sustainability. He is now in the final stages of a PhD in dive tourism. Terry has a long list of prestigious awards and accomplishments, including appointment as a Fellow of the Explorers Club of New York and an ‘Order of Australia Medal’ for his contribution to scuba diving.
Chocho Lee
China
Guangzhou Seamaid Cultural Communication
Director of International Marketing
Conservation Speaker (2019)
A scuba diving/freediving instructor, a doctor of animal Medicine and Director of International Marketing for SMD Brand, Lee’s professional experience in animal medicine research has given her understanding of underwater biology than ordinary people. At the beginning of SMD, she did the underwater testing for each product. At the same time, as a professional manager of SMD’s marketing department, she is committed to the promotion of Chinese original underwater clothing in the world.
Jim Standing
United Kingdom
Fourth Element
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Jim Standing is the co-founder of fourth element, and along with Paul Strike, has spent the past 20 years building a company and brand dedicated to improving divers’ thermal protection and apparel. In recent years, the company has undergone a shift to develop products with a greater focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, beginning with the OceanPositive swimwear line, progressing to wetsuits made from plant based materials. The company actively supports conservation projects around the world, dedicated to sustainability and the preservation of the environment.
Ngiraibelas Tmetuchi
Palau
Palau Vistors Authority Board Chairman
Conservation Speaker (2019)
After finishing his post graduate studies in Economics from Yamaguchi University, and Bachelors degree in Business Economics from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, in the United States, Ngiraibelas served as Vice President of Operations and Director at Palau SDA School Alumni before becoming a Real Estate Developer at RT Management & Realty and Pacifica Development Corp. He was Special Assistant to the President of the Republic of Palau from
2009 to 2012.
Samantha Craven
United Kingdom
Reef-World Foundation Project Manager
Conservation Speaker (2019)
A marine biologist, Samantha has been diving the reefs of Southeast Asia for over 17 years. In 2012, she turned her hobby into a career with The Reef- World Foundation. As Programmes Manager, she trains and supports governments and NGOs across nine countries to drive sustainability within their diving and snorkelling industries through the UN Environment initiative, Green Fins. Sam believes the diving industry can role model sustainability and champion healthy coral reefs with healthy businesses.
Mark Rausch
USA
Professional Handicap Dive Instructor
Conservation Speaker (2019)
A Michigan native, Mark started to travel the world, putting the Handicap Scuba Association (HSA) programme into the lives of the people so that they can in turn enrich the life of another disabled individual through the recreational sport of Scuba Diving after Mark’s son was born with disability (and subsequent passing). An old man once told Mark when he was diving in the Maldives: “A person can do great things, if they don’t care who gets the credit.” In Mark’s case it’s definitely true.
Dr. Trust Lin
Taiwan
Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Singapore Office)
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Appointed as the Section Chief of International Affairs, TTB in 2005, Director of Los Angeles office in 2008, Director of East Coast National Scenic Area in 2015; I am now serving as the director of TTB Singapore office since 2017 under the nation’s New Southbound Policy, managing over 20 markets including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and Middle East countries.
My precise marketing strategies have implemented the policies of “Letting the world to see Taiwan and Letting Taiwan to walk towards the world”, and won dozens of prizes for TTB. During my time in Singapore, I have been actively expanding the markets and set new records for numbers of visitors from target markets. We also established new tourism information centers in India, New Zealand and Australia in line with the overseas expansion policy of Executive Yuan. We have won dozens of prizes in trade shows and from media in India, Singapore and Dubai, and we also won advertisement design awards, in the United States and Italy.
During my time directing East Coast National Scenic Area, I lead the team and won the first place of TTB’s Innovation Award. We represented Ministry of Transportation Communications and received Government Service Quality Award from Executive Yuan. We initiated East Coast Land Arts Festival, Moonlight Sea Concerts, and King Kong Marathon. During the protest in Green Island regarding Napoleonfish, I was mediating between different parties and the dispute was solved.
During my time serving in the LA office, we have won an Emmy award through videos of Taiwan Lantern Festival. We have collaborated with Major League Dodgers and invited the Hollywood star, Rob Schneider, to visit and promote Taiwan two times.
Max Ammer
Netherlands
Founder of Papua Diving
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Born in the Netherlands and raised in Nigeria, Max first visited Indonesia when he was 29 and not long after made Raja Ampat his permanent residence. Now as the Director of PT Papua Diving – Sorido Bay Resort and Kri Eco Resort, and Director of Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (RARCC), Max has been introducing and upholding conservation and community-related projects in Raja Ampat since Papua Diving was founded in 1993. In his legacy, there is also Kayak4Conservation, Frontier Aviation, Batanta Education Center and many families supported, besides healthier reefs, preserved culture and natural environment.
Adam Broadbent
United Kingdom
Zublu CEO
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Adam Broadbent is the co-founder of ZuBlu, a travel platform helping scuba divers and marine enthusiasts discover and book their next underwater adventure in Asia. With its unique search tool, over 150+ eco-friendly resorts and liveaboards to choose from, and a commitment to conserving the marine environment, ZuBlu helps you explore the blue and dive green.
David McCann
IRELAND / MALAYSIA
Conservation Speaker (2019)
The Conservation Manager for Scuba Junkie SEAS on Mabul Island, Sabah, Malaysia, David hails from Ireland where he gained his BSc Marine Biology and MSc Environmental Management & Conservation Biology at Queen’s University Belfast. He spent more than a decade working in conservation in Ireland, New Zealand and Malaysia. A former divemaster for Scuba Junkie, he has over 7,000 dives logged in SE Asia, including thousands as a guide at Pulau Sipadan. His current work includes raising awareness of marine conservation issues, as well as developing and implementing solutions.
Judi Lowe
Australia
Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Judi Lowe is a marine science PhD candidate at Southern Cross University, New South Wales, Australia, with an unusual background. Using her experience as a diver, accountant and international lawyer, Judi’s research takes a fresh approach, solving practical, real-world problems in the conservation of coral reefs, fish and the marine megafauna we love to dive with.
Chloe Harvey
United Kingdom
Director, Reef World Foundation
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Chloe Harvey is a professional diver and marine biologist who has supported businesses from all segments of the diving industry on environmental considerations since 2008. As manager of the UK Charity Reef-World and in partnership with the UN Environment, she has developed the Green Fins initiative
for sustainable diving. Through this, she provides over 500 business owners and national authorities with the tools and support needed to drive a sustainable industry across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Palau, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Bruce Dudley
Globe Series Senior Vice President
Keynote Speaker (2019)
Bruce is a senior consultant with Delphi’s Sustainability Services where his primary responsibilities involve providing high-level strategic advice to public and private institutions on various facets of sustainability and carbon management. Bruce is also Senior Vice President for Accelerating Sustainability Events Management Inc., which operates the GLOBE™ Series of Conferences. His primary role is to design the strategy for the Innovation Expo and B2B activities while providing engagement and moderating support for the events.
Rili Djohani
Indonesia
Coral Triangle Centre Executive Director
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Rili has worked for over 25 years to improve the management and financial sustainability of marine protected areas and to reduce unsustainable fishing practices in Southeast Asia. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Coral Triangle Center (CTC), a learning centre of excellence on coastal and marine resources management based in Bali. Rili is one of the lead convenors of the six-nation Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) Task Force on Sustainable Marine Tourism.
Thirach Rungruangkanokkul
Thailand
United Nations Sustainable Ocean Ambassador Executive Director
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Thirach is the Executive Director of Sustainable Ocean Ambasador (SOA– the multi-stakeholder partnerships for Ocean Sustainability since 2017 at United Nations Ocean Conference, Sustainable Ocean Ambassador was initiated by AFMA in collaboration with the United Nations. Agriculture and Food. He is also the former Chairperson of Responsible Consumption and Production Taskforce, Business Advisory Council to the United Nations ESCAP.and the founder and former director of Art for Ocean Society, other Social Enterprises and Civil Society Organizations
Louise Hardman
Australia
Plastic Collective CEO/Co-Founder
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Louise Hardman is an Environmental Science/Chemistry teacher who started Plastic Collective in 2016 to provide waste plastic solutions for remote and islands communities through education, technology and empowerment. Her goal is to provide Resource Recovery micro-enterprises for the 4,000 inhabited islands throughout Asia-Pacific region where waste plastic pollution is prolific.
Pete Ceglinski
Australia
Seabin Project CEO/Co-Founder
Conservation Speaker (2019)
A keen surfer with an instilled respect for the ocean from an early age, combined
with over 11 years as a high performance boat builder, Pete has witnessed marine pollution firsthand from over 26 countries around the world. The Seabin Project has provided Pete with the perfect platform to create a positive impact for the environment and also ensure a better future for our next generation
via the Seabin Foundation, which focuses on educational programmes like STEM learning.
Dr. Merrin Pearse
New Zealand
Sustainability Strategist & Advocate
Conservation Speaker (2019)
A sustainability advocate and strategist, Dr Merrin Pearse is passionate about business being a force for good. He has lived the last decade in Hong Kong where he heads Coordinate4U, his own sustainability consulting firm. With his wide international experience working for international companies, government departments, NGOs, SMEs and his surveying and engineering expertise, he has come up with alternative solutions for projects such as the recycling and waste minimisation strategies at the Volvo Ocean Race Hong Kong Stopover.
Cyril Castello
France
IADYS Sales director/ Partner
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Cyril is the sales director and partner in charge of sales development of IADYS, the French company behind the Jellyfishbot, a marine robot that collects floating waste and hydrocarbons in marinas. A graduate of the ISC Paris Business School, Cyril embarked on a career in international business development for the French Chamber of Commerce helping French companies to export overseas. After six years, he moved to the consumer electronic sector. He now heads up Chaxam, a company specializing in mobile phone accessories.
Dr. Voranop Viyakarn
Thailand
Marine Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2019)
An associate professor and head of the Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, Dr. Voranop Viyakarn’s research interest include conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems and the impact of climate change and marine debris in both tropical and polar regions. He is one of the Thai researchers who first succeeded in coral restoration using sexual propagation technique in Thailand. His research work on Arctic-Antarctica and coral reefs has been well known and has inspired Thai and young people on the value of polar and coral reef ecosystems.
Dr. Suchana Apple Chavanich
Thailand
Marine Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Currently an associate professor at Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, Dr. Suchana Apple Chavanich has a broad base of ecological research interests that involve the study of nearshore species from tropical to polar regions. Her research focuses on conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems particularly on coral reefs and polar regions. She has received theExplorer Award by National Geographic Magazine, Thailand in 2018, the UNESCO- IOC/ WESTPAC Outstanding Scientist Award in 2014, and was selected as one of the 100 Most Inspiring People in Thailand in 2013.
Laura Francois
Canada
ANEWKIND Chief Sustainable Officer
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Laura Francois is a leading environmental creative based in Singapore. She is the country coordinator of global non-profit Fashion Revolution in Singapore, co founder of Clothing The Loop and ANEWKIND. Both are empowering organisations which globally to think circularly and holistically about social and environmental impact. Laura has been featured on BBC News, Forbes and The Ellen MacArthur Foundation Disruptive Innovation Festival.
Yanitza Grantcharska
Belgium
Save The Plastic Founder
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Yanitza is a marine conservationist and is the founder of Save The Plastic. Since 2013, she has devoted her life to protecting the ocean with the New Heaven Reef Conservation Programme in Thailand and Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii. With an Ocean Policy degree from the University of Hawaii, she has decided to combine, develop and apply her experience to follow her heart and spread her knowledge and respect for the ocean by giving communities the skills they need to implement change. “Marine plastic pollution alleviation” is her motto!
Thomas Peacock-Nazil
United Kingdom
Seven Clean Seas Founder
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Founder of Seven Clean Seas, Tom has lived in Southeast Asia for six years and travelled extensively off the beaten track. Having encountered shocking amounts of marine pollution seemingly everywhere, it was clear that he needed to join the fight against ocean plastic. Seven Clean Seas has removed over 12,000kg of plastic from the marine environment to date and is just getting started.
Alex Rose
USA
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Alex Rose is a biologist, diver, musician, and underwater photographer. She is the Science Editor of Ocean Geographic magazine, the Managing Editor of Ocean Geographic Explorers, and founder of ocean conservation company Blue Ring. Her driving goal is to find ways to protect our world’s precious marine habitats through diving, writing, photography, education, and research.
Sarah-Jo Lobwein
Australia
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Sarah-Jo Lobwein is an avid SCUBA diver, marine scientist, volunteer, teacher and traveller. As a passionate conservation educator, she has globally experienced first hand the beauty and pressure fragile marine and coastal environments face, and believes education is essential for attitude and behaviour change. Founder of Ocean Tidings, and the Australian non-profits Plastic Free Sutherland Shire and SO Shire, she promotes and advises initiatives to increase the sustainable practices of businesses and individuals in their journey in waste and pollution reduction.
Dr. Neil Hutchinson
United Kingdom
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Dr. Hutchinson has worked as a marine ecologist in the Asia- Pacific region for almost 20 years. He is based at James Cook University in Singapore, coordinating the environmental science program and conducting research on coastal marine ecosystems. Currently he studies near-threatened sharks and raises awareness of their status in Singapore.
Wayne Sentman
USA
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Wayne Sentman is Oceanic Society’s director of conservation travel programmes and an experienced naturalist. He has a diverse background in the recovery of threatened and endangered species, and researching marine plastic pollution. In 2013, Wayne completed his master’s degree in Sustainability and Environmental Management at Harvard University. At Oceanic Society, Wayne designs missiondriven expeditions that support conservation and research of marine species and habitats.
Dr. Andrew Chin
Australia
James Cook University Researcher
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Born and raised in Singapore, Dr Andrew Chin is a researcher at James Cook University, Australia. He has won many awards for research excellence and science communication. The current president of the Oceania Chondrichthyan Society, Andrew is a contributor to SportDiving Magazine, and the editor for Pacific Conservation Biology, a scientific journal. Andrew’s research covers shark and ray biology, ecology and conservation. He’s spent the last two years tagging hammerhead sharks and is the programme director of Shark Search Indo-Pacific.
Monica Chin
Malaysia
Ara Dinawan Research Education Conservation Centre Conservationist
Conservation Speaker (2019)
Exposed to the ocean since young, Monica is an avid scuba diver diving for 19 years. After two years volunteering with Trash Hero Borneo, now she has set herself onto a bigger platform – Marine & Environmental Research, Education & Conservation Centre at Dinawan Island. As an influential Women Diver in North Borneo and conservationist, she wants to inspire more people raise awareness to protect the underwater world and educate the young generation.
Gary Stokes
United Kingdom
OceansAsia Founder
Conservation Speaker (2016)
Born in the UK, raised in the Mediterranean but currently based in Hong Kong. Gary is best known for his work exposing the shark fin industry over the past 12 years. His images and videos have appeared on tabloids and news networks as well as in several movies. He is known for his no compromise, no BS approach to conservation issues. At the start of 2019 he established OceansAsia a new not for-profit based in Asia for Asia to directly investigate and address local ocean conservation issues in the region.
Clement Lee
Malaysia
Member of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame
Dive Speaker (2019)
Clement Lee started his diving career in 1983 and was one of the pioneers who introduced PADI professional certification in Sabah, Malaysia. He retired in 2012 and was appointed as the Malaysia Diving Advisor the following year. He served for two years before being reappointed as the Malaysia Dive Ambassador, which he still is today. In 2016, Clement, who was one of the first Malaysian PADI Course Directors in 1991, was appointed by PADI as PADI Dive AmbassaDiver
Dan Orr
USA
Member of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame
Dive Speaker (2019)
Dan Orr, President of Dan Orr Consulting, provides expertise to the global diving community. Retired from the position of President of Divers Alert Network, he has authored over 200 articles, books and manuals. He is the recipient of the NOGI Award and a member of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.
Faisal Jawad Hassan
Iran
Guinness World Record Holder fastest 10km Scuba Dive (paraplegia)
Dive Speaker (2019)
A diver with disability (paraplegia), Faisal overcame depression following his disability from a horrible car accident to start Alfaisal Universal Centre – the biggest health institute in the field of physiotherapy in terms of vision and concept. In August 2018, he became the Guinness World Record holder for the fastest 10 km scuba dive with an amazing time of 5 hours and 24 minutes. His triumph rebuilt his confidence and made him a motivational speaker and trainer.
Changkwanyuen Pichamon
Thailand
Celebrity Speaker (2019)
Pichamon Changkwanyuen is a professional photographer, television producer and also Narinthorn’s assistant. She has a personal group with Narinthorn, named “Rock for Life”, which is a concert project to bring in income to help charity over many years. When the “13 wild boars event” occurred, she volunteered to help the Thai Navy SEALs because her brother is a cave diver who has connection with many cave divers and people with diving equipments.
Na Bangchang Narinthorn
Thailand
Celebrity Speaker (2019)
One of Thailand’s most famous entertainers, Narinthorn loves helping her community and regular helps with social work. She has a personal group named “Rock for Life”, which is a concert project to bring in income to help charity over many years. When the “13 wild boars” event occurred, she volunteered to help the Thai Navy SEALs because she has a connection with press, airline and cave divers.
Puri Hiranprueck
Thailand
Celebrity Speaker (2019)
The ocean has been a part of Puri’s life for as long as he can remember. A scuba diver for over 20 years ago, he created Viewfinder Thailand, a television programme, to further explore his passion for the ocean. With over 15 years of experience in underwater videography, Puri wanted to share his love of the underwater world with his audience and spread awareness of the plight of our oceans, and the impact of global warming and pollution on arguably the world’s most important natural resource.
Patty Lee
Taiwan
Celebrity Speaker (2019)
A rising star in Taiwan, Patty is a popular actress who has starred in popular idol dramas such as Mermaid Whispering, and Midnight Food Store. She has been hosting her own travel diving show UnderWater 30 Meters, for the past three seasons since 2016. Besides accumulating more than 500 cylinders, she was nominated by Taiwan’s Golden Bell Awards for Best Presenter, Best Live Programme in 2017.
Marc Crane
United Kingdom
Hailing from the sunny south coast of England, Marc learned to dive while on work experience from school, after immediately getting addicted he joined the local scuba club. Turning Pro in 1996, Marc has spent more than 2 decades diving and teaching globally, with primary focus on all things rebreather since 2005. He is an SSI XR International Training Director as well as TDI IT, he teaches throughout Asia from his home on Bali. Marc has been involved in a variety of deep reef and cave expeditions in Indonesia, and has been with Unseen Expeditions since their inception
Zena Holloway
United Kingdom
Zena Holloway (1973) is a self-taught, British photographer best known for her
distinctive images of people and animals in underwater environments.
Her photographic career spans the last thirty years and features in a wide range of publications including National Geographic, Dazed&Confused, Paris Match, How to Spend it, Harpers Bazaar, GQ, Vanity Fair, The Observer, 125, Stylist, Quintessentially Magazine, JFW, Twill, Vision, Neon, Schon, Cent magazine and The Sunday Times.
Her underwater photographic projects have a common narrative that connect
people to water and increasingly promote environmental awareness and
conservation. In the Hidden Rivers series she explores the ugly truth of pollution
and over-extraction in rivers across Europe, whilst in Seawomen she celebrates the unique knowledge and deep understanding that the haenyeo of South Korea have for the oceans they harvest.
As a keen climate activist, Zena is interested in material science and the biological products and processes that are set to shape our world in the future. In Rootfull she has pioneered a method of cultivating grass to grow in moulds – carved from beeswax. The process channels grass root into patterns that become speculative coral sculptures. It’s an ongoing, green-art, project created in a bid to expose the beauty and vulnerability of coral and to highlight the devastating bleaching events that are killing vast areas of coral reefs around the planet.
Zena lives in London with her husband and their three children in a converted
MOD torpedo testing centre.
Jimmy Choo
Singapore
Jimmy Choo started his diving career during his national service in the Naval diving Unit back in 1990. After he graduated from his basic diving course, he decided to join the Naval diving unit as a professional diver. In 1992 he was chosen to train with one of the toughest special Force unit in the world – the US Navy SEAL. During his service, he was called upon for one of the most massive underwater search and recovery tasking in 1997 – Silkair flight 185. During his service in the force, he has been chosen to work with different diving units worldwide. Jimmy is also an Instructor Trainer in the Naval Diving Unit and has been training both Naval Diver and Special Force diving team.
As for his recreational diving experience, Jimmy started with SSI as an instructor, and then he works his way up to SSI Technical Instructor Trainer. He didn’t stop pursuit diving education and soon he becomes an instructor trainer at all levels with SSI, IANTD, TDI, RAID, and PSAI. Currently, as a diver he has more than 9000 logged dives under his belt and he is a GUE Tech 2, Cave 2, and a GUE Instructor. He has been teaching mostly GUE since he became a GUE Instructor. He is also a specialist in wreck diving.
Jimmy Choo chooses mainly to teach the GUE course is because he like the GUE system due to its holistic approach toward diving safety. Jimmy always believes that “Diving isn’t a course or a lesson. It’s more than that: Diving is a method, a philosophy, a way of life”.
Jeffrey Glenn
Australia
Jeff Glenn is an instructor trainer with the three largest dive agencies on the planet. With an illustrious resume as a PADI Course Director, a TecRec Instructor Trainer, a TDI Instructor Trainer to Advanced Trimix, a TDI Advanced Wreck, TDI Full Cave and JJ-CCR/SF2 CCR Instructor and a RAID Instructor trainer as well, Jeff is easily one of the most qualified PADI Course Directors in Asia. Jeff has been diving since the early 90’s, starting his professional career as a PADI Divemaster in Airlee Beach, Australia and has logged thousands of dives worldwide. Jeff has focused the last 15 years of his career on the professional and technical diver and instructor development and is extremely passionate about technical diving in particular.
Bernie Chowdhury
USA
Bernie Chowdhury is the founder and co-publisher of The International Technical Diving Magazine. A world-class diver, Explorers Club Fellow, an author, and a recognized expert on extreme sport diving, he also makes documentary films and is a frequent lecturer.
Peter Symes
USA
Hailing from Denmark, with a Master’s degree in Biology and Media & Communication, Peter Symes is a former research scientist specialising in aquatic ecology and ecosystem modelling and restoration, and is the founder, editor-in-chief and publisher of X-Ray Magazine and AquaScope Media
Richard Nicholls
Australia
Dive store owner, former equipment wholesaler, and Underwater videographer, Australian-based, Richard Nicholls is a PADI Course Director, and one of the handful of pioneers who helped popularise the recreational use of Nitrox, SCR’s, and Technical Mixed gas diving in Australia in the early 90’s.
An active proponent of the need for increased marine protection, he was a key driver in establishing Cabbage Tree Bay, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, as a No-Take Aquatic Reserve, a place described by both locals and visitors alike as being one of the world’s premier shore-diving sites.
NGO KA-NIN
Hong Kong actor
Hong Kong
Ngo Ka-Nin is an avid ocean lover and is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of our oceans and their marine life.
He is a renowned Hong Kong actor, host and full-time artiste of TVB, winning numerous awards over the years and is perhaps best known for his role as Chiang Bit-man in the 2009 drama, Rosy Business which earned him the Most Improved Actor award and a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2009 TVB Anniversary Awards. His popularity got a further boost when he delivered a sterling performance as Tong Gat in No Regrets.
NGO KA-NIN
Hong Kong actor
Hong Kong
Ngo Ka-Nin is an avid ocean lover and is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of our oceans and their marine life.
He is a renowned Hong Kong actor, host and full-time artiste of TVB, winning numerous awards over the years and is perhaps best known for his role as Chiang Bit-man in the 2009 drama, Rosy Business which earned him the Most Improved Actor award and a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2009 TVB Anniversary Awards. His popularity got a further boost when he delivered a sterling performance as Tong Gat in No Regrets.
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