Our Governance

Independence, transparency, impartiality and multi-stakeholder consultation are central to the MSC’s values and commitment to continually maintain and strengthen world-leading standards.

We work hard to ensure our standards, strategy and decision-making take account of the views, expertise and experience of a wide range of stakeholders, from academia and government, the fishery and market sectors, and the environmental NGO community.

Our governance structure involves a wide range of stakeholders with different perspectives to ensure that the MSC’s decisions are balanced, reflecting many sectors and interests.

In addition to our governance groups, stakeholders are invited to participate in consultations on our standards and requirements, and are encouraged to participate in independent fisheries assessments.

In addition to our governance bodies, standing and ad hoc working groups may be established by the Board, Technical Advisory Board or Stakeholder Advisory Council to address specific regional or topical issues. Their members come from the MSC Board, Technical Advisory Board and Stakeholder Advisory Council, and may include other independent experts who are invited to advise the MSC.

The Board of Trustees is also supported in its work by a number of Board Committees, which meet throughout the year to reflect in detail on specific areas of the MSC’s activities and operations. Their membership is primarily drawn from the Board of Trustees.

If you are interested in participating in the MSC’s stakeholder consultations, or if you have any questions about our governance structures and processes, please contact the MSC’s governance secretary.

The MSC Board of Trustees

The MSC Board of Trustees is our governing body. With advice from the Technical Advisory Board and Stakeholder Advisory Council, it sets the strategic direction of the MSC, monitors progress and ensures the MSC meets its objectives.

The Board of Trustees meets 4 times a year and has a maximum of 15 members.

Main activities

Ensuring the MSC meets its charitable aims
Setting the strategic direction of the MSC, and monitoring progress in delivery of strategy
Ensuring that the MSC is financially secure
Publicly accounting for expenditure and income
Ensuring the MSC operates in a legally compliant manner in relevant jurisdictions
Appointing new Board members and key MSC staff
Appointing members of the Technical Advisory Board and Stakeholder Advisory Council

Leadership

The Chair of the Board of Trustees leads the Board and is elected for a term of three-years, and may serve up to three terms. Another trustee may be elected as Vice-Chair.

Appointments

Trustees are chosen for their knowledge, expertise and support for the MSC. Membership is balanced with representatives from different sectors and geographical regions (as well as other relevant demographic criteria) to reflect the broad mix of stakeholders who have a stake in the MSC's mission.

Potential new Board members are identified by existing members, and following a review process, suitable nominees are approached for interview. Favourable references must be provided, and there must be consensus amongst all Board members on the appointment of a new candidate.

Trustees are nominated by the Board in a personal capacity, not as representatives of their organisations. They serve a maximum three-year term and may stand for reappointment.

The Chair of the Technical Advisory Board and both Co-Chairs of the Stakeholder Advisory Council have a seat on the Board to ensure that these important governance bodies are represented in Board decisions. The Chair of the MSCI Board is also an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees.

MSC Board trustees

Dr Werner Kiene - Chair

Werner Kiene Commenced appointment as Chair in July 2013, Dr Werner Kiene has over 40 years' experience in key strategic positions in global development, leading international multi-stakeholder initiatives in the fields of food security and sustainable resource management. He has a background as an agricultural economist and previously served as Chair of the World Bank Inspection Panel and as Chair of the Compliance Review Panel of the Inter-American Development Bank. He has been involved in Fairtrade Certification and held leadership positions in the UN World Food Programme, the Ford Foundation, and German International Cooperation-GIZ.

Prof Simon Jennings - Chair of the Technical Advisory Board

Dr Simon Jennings Chair of Science Committee at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in Copenhagen; expertise in ecosystem impacts of fishing and marine environmental management.

Mr Paul Uys - MSCI board chair

Mr Paul Uys, MSCI board chair Appointed July 2015. Paul Uys is a senior executive with 40 years global retail experience specialising in brand creation, product development & sourcing. He was recruited from Woolworths South Africa to join Loblaw Companies, Canada’s largest supermarket, to head the emerging product development department of their control brands. In his latter days he spearheaded its sustainable seafood procurement initiative and played a key role in establishing their responsible sourcing position "Food for the Future." In 2013 he retired from Loblaws, and now advises various organisations, including WWF-Canada on strategic ocean industry matters. He became Senior Director, External; heading up the University of Guelph's Food Institute, Canada’s food university. He currently is a board member of both Ontario’s Livestock Research Institute and The Ontario Farm Agenda for Sustainable Agriculture.

Mr Eric Barratt - Finance Committee chair

Mr Eric Barratt, Finance Committee chair Appointed January 2014, Mr Eric Barratt was Managing Director of Sanford Ltd from 1998 until he retired in December 2013. He had been a Director of Sanford Ltd since 1986. He is also a former Chairman and a Director of Seafood New Zealand Ltd and Chair of the Korea New Zealand Business Council, and also acts as Iceland's Honorary Consul in Auckland. Mr Barratt has had extensive involvement in the development of the New Zealand industry and the Quota Management System.

Mr Peter Trott – Stakeholder Advisory Council Co-Chair

Mr Peter Trott, Stakeholder Advisory Council Co-Chair Appointed in October 2014. Mr Peter Trott is co-founder of the sustainable seafood consultancy, Fishlistic and previously led work for WWF-Australia's fisheries programme. Peter acts as a conservation member on the Australian Tropical Tuna Ministerial Advisory Committee, and sits on the Commonwealth Fisheries Research Advisory Board and the Great Australian Bight Trawl Ministerial Advisory Committee. Before joining WWF, Peter worked in fisheries management with Australian state fisheries agencies, and has over 15 years of experience in fisheries management, resource sharing and ecosystem principles. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Management and Aquaculture and an Honours degree in Aquatic Sciences (aquaculture systems and disease).

Ms Christine Penney – Stakeholder Advisory Council Co-Chair

Ms Christine Penney, Stakeholder Advisory Council Co-Chair Appointed July 2017. Christine Penney is Vice-President, Sustainability and Public Affairs for Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership, North America’s largest shellfish company, based in Nova Scotia, Canada. She is responsible for Clearwater’s government and industry relations including regulatory affairs, fisheries management, trade policy issues, and also manages the company’s fisheries research and sustainability programs. Christine sits on the Board of Directors for several Canadian industry associations.

Ms Lynne Hale

Commenced board appointment in July 2013. Ms Hale is Senior Marine Conservation Fellow at the Nature Conservancy’s Global Marine Initiative, and formerly acted as Director of the initiative. It has major organisational marine initiatives in 22 countries with a focus on sustainable fisheries, integrated ocean management, and habit protection and restoration. She has previously held senior positions with the Coastal Resources Centre (University of Rhode Island) LZH Associate Consulting, and the Alaska Native Foundation; and has published extensively on coastal resources and management issues.

Mr David Mureithi

Commenced board appointment in July 2013. Mr Mureithi was an experienced senior executive within Unilever’s leadership team in West Africa, and now works as a Director at Vivo Energy. Mr Mureithi was formerly Managing Director of Unilever West Africa, and previously held positions as MD Unilever East & Southern Africa; MD Unilever Kenya, Supply Chain Director for Unilever East Africa and Chief Engineer of Unilever Francophone West Africa. Other roles include founder chair of the Business Action against Chronic Hunger (Kenya), former Vice-Chair of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and former Chair of the Kenya Shippers Council.

Mr Jean-Jacques Maguire

Appointed July 2014. Jean-Jacques Maguire is currently a consultant in fishery science and management. He has acted as chair of the advisory committee of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES); and has been invited to participate in a number of review panels including a review of the performance of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, and a review of the performance of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Mr Maguire has extensive experience with stock assessments and has worked as a senior fisheries scientist at the Canadian Department of Fisheries and at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Mr Jim Leape

Appointed December 2015. Mr Jim Leape has worked in conservation for more than three decades. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Jim began his career as an environmental lawyer: bringing environmental protection cases in the United States; advising the UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya; and co-authoring the leading American text on environmental law. Mr Leape joined WWF-US in 1989, and led their conservation programmes around the world, serving ultimately as Executive Vice President. From 2001 to 2005, he directed the conservation and science programme of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, one of the largest philanthropies in the US. In 2005, Jim was appointed Director General of WWF International, serving as the chief executive of WWF International and leader of the global WWF Network. He held that position until 2014. He is currently the Cox Consulting Professor in the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University.

Mr Felix Ratheb

Appointed December 2015. Felix Ratheb is the chief executive of Sea Harvest Corporation. Mr Ratheb joined Sea Harvest in 2003 and held the positions of commercial manager and sales and marketing manager before being appointed CEO in 2014. He holds an electrical engineering degree from Wits University, a diploma in international trade and an MBA from the University of Cape Town. Following a career as an international metals trader, he successfully operated his own trading business in South Africa and acted as a visiting lecturer (business strategy) at the University of Cape Town for five years. Mr Ratheb also worked as an International Trade Executive working in various locations in the Far east.

The MSC Technical Advisory Board

The Technical Advisory Board advises the MSC Board of Trustees on technical and scientific matters relating to the MSC Standards, including developing methodologies for certification and accreditation and reviewing the progress of fisheries certifications.