The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Board of Trustees has appointed serving Board Member, Giles Bolton, as its new Chair. Mr Bolton will take up his role as Chair from 1 February 2024, when the current Chairman, Dr Werner Kiene, retires after more than a decade leading the MSC Board. Mr Bolton’s appointment comes after the sudden and tragic death of Chair Elect, Dr Hart Schafer, in May 2023.
Giles Bolton has over 15 years’ experience in strategic leadership positions focused on sustainable, responsible and ethical sourcing with Tesco plc. His final role for the company was as its Group Sustainability Director, where he was internationally recognised as a global leader in food sustainability. Mr Bolton’s earlier career was in senior international aid and trade roles for the UK government. Author of 'Aid and Other Dirty Business' (2007), a book designed to help grow support for increased trade and aid in Africa, he also holds an MA Hons in Politics from the University of Edinburgh.
Alongside his expertise in food sustainability and ethical sourcing, Bolton has wealth of experience of multi-sector engagement and collaboration. His track record includes building partnerships and collaborations with NGOs, notably establishing a groundbreaking partnership with WWF (to halve the environment impact of food) during his tenure at Tesco. His engagement with intra-governmental organisations such as the UN, World Bank, IMF, African Union, and the European Commission underscores his knowledge of global cooperation and diplomacy. His firsthand understanding of developing economies, having lived and worked in Africa, and extensive experience of collaborating with suppliers, industry fora, and governments throughout Asia, the Middle East and South America, will inform MSC’s strategic objective of scaling the program’s engagement with fisheries in emerging economies and the impacts its partners are delivering internationally.
Strongly committed to the MSC and its mission, Mr Bolton was first appointed to the MSC Board in 2019.
“MSC’s impact on marine sustainability to date is truly extraordinary, and I am delighted and humbled to take up the role of Chair of MSC’s Board of Trustees,” said Mr Bolton.
“Having served on the Board for five years, I know how important MSC’s contribution is to healthy and sustainable oceans, and how many passionate stakeholders it has. I am excited by the opportunity to make a bigger a contribution to the organisation at a vital stage of its development. MSC’s mission to safeguard seafood supplies for future generations has never been more important, nor more complex as our oceans face challenges including climate change and the demands of a growing global population. I look forward to working with the MSC’s Board, Executive, staff, governance bodies, partners and all stakeholders over the coming years to meet these challenges.”
“I would also like to say how grateful I am for Dr Werner Kiene’s brilliant example to me as Chair, and his willingness to pass on his expertise as I take up the role.”
Werner Kiene, welcoming Mr Bolton to the role, said, “As a multi-stakeholder collaboration of business and conservation interests, committed to working with the market to promote and reward sustainable fisheries through economic incentives, the MSC makes an important contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. What began as a small but ambitious program, has flourished and grown over 25 years into the real catalyst for change in the seafood market we see today.
“I have been honoured to serve the MSC as Board Member and Chair, and I am delighted that Giles is taking on this role and recognises our program’s crucial part in safeguarding ocean health. As I now retire from the Board, I would like to reiterate my acknowledgement and thanks to the Board members with whom I have served over the past decade, as well as the MSC’s Executive team and staff, who have provided invaluable counsel and support to me throughout my time as Chairman.”
Rupert Howes, MSC Chief Executive, said: “Werner Kiene has been Chair of the MSC Board for more than 10 years. The insights and integrity that Werner has brought to the MSC during his term have been invaluable: he is without doubt a true statesman. I am very grateful that Werner agreed to remain as Chair after the tragic and untimely death of our Chair Elect, Hart Schafer, to see MSC through a significant transition in its governance and launch of latest Fisheries Standard. I have very much enjoyed working with Werner over the past decade, and I will miss him greatly when he steps down.
“We are fortunate that, as we progress to the next stage of our evolution as an organisation, Giles Bolton has accepted this important role. His experience and understanding of our organisation at this critical time, as well as his wider knowledge and expertise, will be invaluable. I look forward to continuing to work with Giles in his new role as Chair, and with our diverse Board of Trustees, in the delivery of MSC’s strategic ambitions.”