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Francis began his career working on coral reefs for the French Ministry of the Environment, followed by a position at the World Bank’s Environment Department in Washington, D.C., before becoming an independent consultant. For 18 months (2012/2013), he provided technical assistance to the World Heritage Marine Programme in Paris. Based in London since 2013, he founded Blue Pangolin Consulting, a consultancy dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of marine, coastal, and terrestrial resources. For the past 25 years, Francis was been involved with the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), serving as a strategic advisor to most of the governments that chaired the initiative, including the United States of America, France, Australia, Japan, and Monaco. He continues to advise the French Government’s Coral Reef Initiative (IFRECOR). Francis serves on the advisory board of the Coral Triangle Conservation Fund, based in Indonesia. He is a co-editor of the latest GCRMN Status of Coral Reefs of the World report and, in recognition of his significant contributions to coral reef conservation, received the Coral Reef Conservation Award from the International Coral Reef Society in 2024. He is also a member of the Expert Assessment Group for the Green List (EAGL) for Mediterranean Marine Protected and Conserved Areas. More recently, Francis has focused on the conservation and governance of the High Seas. He is currently acting as Technical Director for a project supporting the ratification and early implementation of the High Seas Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction – BBNJ Agreement). He is a member of the IUCN WCPA, several working groups (BBNJ, sustainable financing) for IMPAC6, a member of the DOSI Deep Sea on BBNJ working group, and numerous High Seas Alliance working Groups (including ABMT/MPAs; BBNJ financing; and, IFBs and RFMOs). In addition, he has been appointed as a member of the Programme Committee for the 2027 Ocean Decade Conference to help play a key role in shaping its vision, themes, and impact, and will serves as “Expert Advisor” for the Earthshot Prize 2026.
Kong Mukwele Sheila is a Cameroonian legal scholar, diplomat, and ocean governance expert specializing in international law of the sea, marine environmental governance, and sustainable blue economy policy. She currently serves within Cameroon’s Ministry of External Relations, where she contributes to international cooperation, maritime policy, and environmental diplomacy. Sheila holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Buea, a Master’s degree in International Relations with a specialization in international disputes, and a Diploma in Foreign Affairs from the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC). Her interdisciplinary background bridges law, policy, and international governance systems, with a strong regional focus on the Gulf of Guinea. Her research and professional work center on marine protected areas, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, ocean-climate governance, and institutional frameworks for sustainable ocean management. She has contributed to international ocean governance initiatives, including collaboration with the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), and has participated in global policy dialogues on marine conservation and climate resilience. Sheila is a recipient of the United Nations–Nippon Foundation Fellowship and the Alexander von Humboldt International Climate Protection Fellowship. She has also been a Visiting Scientist at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and a guest researcher with the OSPAR Commission. Her publications address regional ocean governance, marine biodiversity protection, and plastic pollution in African seas. Her work is driven by a commitment to strengthening legal and institutional frameworks for ocean governance in Africa and advancing globally coordinated solutions to marine environmental challenges.
Mr. Anada Tiega has 36 years of experience including: GEF programs & Project formulation and implementation, including TDA/SAP process. Policies/Strategies, Action Plan, Management Plans, Landscape Management, and Legislative Framework for: • Improvement of livelihoods and Resilience of people and ecosystems • Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) • Wetlands and Watershed Management. • Climate Change mitigation and Adaptation, including : - Assessment of Vulnerability of People and Ecosystems - Development of Action Plans, using Ecosystems-based Adaptation - Options Analysis to identify and implement realistic pilot actions • Biodiversity Conservation and sustainable use, including Forest and Wildlife management, Protected Areas Management. • Soils and Water Conservation and Restoration