TMT, the not-for-profit organisation providing fisheries authorities and international organisations with fisheries intelligence, analysis, and capacity building, has appointed Dr. Gareth Johnstone as its new executive director, effective 1st July.
‘We are delighted to welcome Gareth as our new executive director. His exceptional leadership skills, strategic insights, proven track record of driving organisation and sector growth and innovation, and broad exposure to transdisciplinary sustainable development issues made him the ideal choice to lead TMT,’ said Jan Thomas, TMT co-founder and board chair.
‘His strong commitment to trust, transparency, collaboration and impact aligns perfectly with the TMT core values, making him an excellent cultural fit for our organisation. We have great confidence in his ability to steer TMT towards a new chapter of success.’
Gareth Johnstone comes to this new role with experience as director general at CGIAR/WorldFish, where he successfully shaped a new 2030 vision and influential global agenda on aquatic food systems. He also served as an observer in the UN FAO Committee of Fisheries, as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Steering Committee on 2030 Sustainable Aquaculture, and as a scientific adviser and contributor to the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. He serves as the Vice-Chair of the OCEAN Expert Committee for the UK Government’s Blue Planet Fund.
He takes over from TMT co-founder and outgoing executive director Duncan Copeland, who steps down at the end of June 2024 to pursue other professional and personal endeavours.
‘We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Duncan for his enormous role and leadership contribution since the founding of TMT in 2013. As co-founder and the first executive director of TMT, Duncan successfully steered TMT through its initial start-up challenges, forging important partnerships, raising funds, creating the institutional structure, and building a talented team committed to reducing illegal fishing and improving ocean governance globally,’ Jan Thomas said.
‘We wish him every success in the future and look forward to his continued contribution as an incoming TMT Board member in 2025.’
Gareth Johnstone aims to focus on building on the start-up success of his predecessor to boost partnerships and collaboration, consolidate growth, support organisation development and strengthen the impacts of TMT’s work on ocean communities, ecosystems and economies.
‘I am honoured and excited about the opportunity that I have been given to lead such a unique impact-driven organisation like TMT. The complex social, economic and environmental threats that illegal fishing and associated crimes pose on ocean-based communities, global food and nutrition security, climate change, human rights, blue economy, and the sustainable governance of our ocean, make it a challenge of the utmost importance,’ Gareth Johnstone said.
‘In this regard, I cannot think of a better organisation through which to make a meaningful contribution to this cause than TMT. I look forward to working closely with the Board and the talented team at TMT and continue to deliver exceptional value and impact for our partners, funders and stakeholders.’
