Facilitating investment in the Blue Economy
SustainaSea
Deep Dive
Thomas Egli, MSc ETH Environmental Sc.
With more than 20 years of successful engagement with coastal fisheries & communities, I have a diverse background in many areas. I was the Project Lead on all aspects of fair trade pole & line & handline tuna fishery in the Maldives, ensuring equitable development for underserved communities. I have excellent knowledge of seafood sustainability & social certification schemes, carbon calculation, supply chain analysis & data interpretation. Through my work, I have experience linking market actors with technical fisheries & aquaculture programs. As an action-oriented & communication-driven expert in Blue Economy project delivery with a focus on sustainable revenue generation I offer advice and guidance on complex project development and delivery. Having expertly liaised with multiple stakeholders; private sector, indigenous groups, industry, NGOs, government, & coastal communities in North America, Asia, the Indian Ocean, & Europe, I am well suited to cross-sectoral project delivery.
Professional Experience
Blue Alliance Marine Protected Areas
Blue Economy Vice-Director (2023)
- Member of senior management; identified & developed revenue-generating blue economy projects
- Conducted comprehensive feasibility studies encompassing impact, ecological, business & governance aspects
- Prepared detailed investment briefs & documents
- Developed compelling aquaculture business cases & models
- Identified & conducted due diligence on potential partners
- Expertly clarified funding needs & successfully engaged investors
Fondation Africa Sophia
President of the Board (2020 - Current)
- Manage all aspects of a foundation focused on the building, management, & operation of schools and health centres in Togo through philanthropy
- Project design, vetting, development, & monitoring
- Develop & manage investment portfolio of CHF 1.5 million
- Assist in designing, managing, and delivering impact-led projects in remote areas
- Collaboration with educational institutions, development workers, technical schools
Blueyou Consulting LTD
Fair Trade Program Manager (2017 - 2022)
Maldives Fair Trade USA pole and line tuna & Indonesia Fair Trade USA shrimp
- Developed & managed all facets of fair trade fishery certification
- Facilitated audits, identified gaps, proposed corrective actions, conducted follow-ups, & maintained certification throughout
- Generated & delivered EUR 300k in fair trade premiums to communities
- Oversaw recruitment, training, management & supervision of team of 4
- Improved cooperation; coordinated interventions with local seafood manufacturers, global brands, NGOs, tourist properties, & government
- Community impact; designed & executed a EUR 200k waste reduction project & raised EUR 15k for vessel monitoring system
- Saved lives: coordinated and provided dive training to tuna fishers
- Developed stock recovery and monitoring plans for yellowfin & skipjack
- Documented all aspects of pole and line fishing in the Maldives, including overnight trips & bait fish collection on SCUBA
- Contributed to Fair Trade USA & related standards development
- Secured EUR 125k from Fair Trade USA to design, develop & manage the first certified small-scale aquaculture project in Asia
Blueyou Consulting LTD
Sustainable Seafood Consultant (2017 - 2022)
Seafood Supply Chain Management
- Implemented & improved sustainable seafood value chains; established communication channels with harvesters, processors & buyers
- Forged impactful partnerships with brands & retailers, contributing to product development, packaging & marketing
- Negotiated prices, developed sourcing plans, arranged logistics
- Initiated raw material monitoring program
- Conducted value chain analyses of small-scale fisheries & aquaculture; demonstrated comprehensive understanding of industry
- Conducted in-depth product carbon footprint data collection & analysis
Kalimantan Mangrove Shrimp Project
- Designed, developed & managed a restorative aquaculture project in Indonesia combining blue carbon with certified seafood production
- Secured and managed > EUR 2.1 million in funding for implementation
- Played a pivotal role in recruiting & guiding implementation team
- Coordinated and led stakeholder engagement meetings
- Coordinated with local NGOs, government leaders & liaised with international conservation organizations
- Maintained project timeline reporting & budgeting
- Presented project at conferences, meetings, podcasts
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Heiltsuk First Nations
Fisheries Research Consultant / Dive Survey Leader (2010 - 2013)
- Contracted by the Government of Canada, First Nations communities & fishing industry to coordinate & conduct underwater fisheries surveys
- Led & managed dive teams on multi-week survey trips in remote coastal areas
- Collected population and environmental data on economically-important marine species
- Compiled & published reports for management officials
- Coordinated interventions and assessments with scientists and decision makers
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
Naturalist and Field Researcher (2002 - 2009)
- Conducted underwater ecosystem assessments & field experiments
- Developed, managed, & delivered public education programs
- Delivered eduction programs including diving in exhibits, interacting with marine mammals and sharks, interpreting behaviours
- Animal husbandry and rehabilitation
Dusky Dolphin Earthwatch Project
Research Assistant / Boat Crew (2005)
- Conducted photo-identification & behavioural research on wild dolphins
- Trained, lead, & supervised volunteers during field research
TEP Energy GmbH
Energy Analyst and Intern (2017)
- Project management; write, translate, and prepare technical reports
- Organised workshops with urban and energy planners
- Compiled, translated, delivered industry surveys
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research (WSL)
Research Assistant and Intern (2015 - 2016)
- Prepared master thesis and technical documents for publication
- Contributed to development of an E-learning project for ETH Zürich
National Geographic Student Expeditions
Trip Leader and Education Consultant (2010 - 2017)
- Developed, delivered courses in wildlife conservation & photography
- Delivered itineraries in Ecuador and the Galapagos, Namibia, and Bali
- Coordinated travel logistics and activities for groups of 25 students
Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel
International Tour Leader (2007 - 2010)
- Delivered itineraries for small groups spanning four continents
- Coordinated logistics, activities, educational content, and excursions for small-group adventure tours
- Collaborated with local agencies and individuals in a variety of locales and languages
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Field Research Assistant (2003)
- Trained, guided, and supervised research volunteers on remote beaches
- Worked closely with local officials in Spanish & English
Education
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (ETH)
2016
Master of Science in Environmental Sciences
Environmental Management and Policy
University of Zürich
2023
Certificate of Advanced Studies in Sustainable Finance
University Centre in Svalbard, Norway
2015
Master of Science in Arctic Biology
Field Course: Ecosystem Based Management of Arctic Marine Systems
Divesafe International
2011
Commercial Diver
Commercial SCUBA Diving Certification
University of Queensland, Australia
2002
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Study Abroad Exchange Program
University of British Columbia, Canada
2001
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Specialisation in Ecology
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