Alan is Head of Marine Policy and a Marine Science Policy Adviser at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK.
Alan's key roles include engaging with the global marine community by way of participation at international fora, bi-lateral relationships, project collaborations, engaging with national and foreign governments and their agencies, the UK Overseas Territories and regional organisations with an interest in marine environment.
Alan was a member of the UK technical team responsible for delivering the UK’s continental shelf submissions and was a member of the UK Delegation during meetings with the UN’s Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. He provides advice relating to Marine Scientific Research in accordance with Part XIII of UNCLOS, as well as enabling the provision of the transfer of marine technology, as in accordance with Part XIV of UNCLOS.
Alan is the Alternate Head of the UK Delegation at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) and is Chair of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development. He is a technical expert on the ISA Partnership Fund Board, supporting NOC CEO as the Board Member, as well as an Advisory Board Member of the the ISA/UN-OHRLLS Women In Deep-Sea Research Project (WIDSR). Alan supports the UK Government as a member of the UK Delegation at the UN’s Intergovernmental Conference on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction and is the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC-UKRI) representative at the European Marine Board, where he is a current vice-Chair. He is also a member of the UK National Decade Committee.
