Alasdair is a marine conservationist working at the interface of marine protection and poverty alleviation. His organization Blue Ventures develops locally led approaches to marine conservation that benefit people and nature alike. Blue Ventures supports coastal communities and local organisations in coastal states in the western Indian Ocean and southeast Asia, working at the juncture of biodiversity conservation, human rights and sustainable food production. Al holds a PhD in marine ecology and an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. He is an Ashoka fellow, Skoll Awardee, and TED fellow.