Tiago Pitta e Cunha 

Oceano Azul Foundation 

CEO

Tiago Pitta e Cunha has been working on ocean policies for two decades as an advocate of the strategic importance of the oceans and seas both for Portugal and for Europe, in Lisbon and in Brussels and was former counsellor for Environment, Science and Maritime Affairs to the President of Portugal. For this work he received the European Parliament Award of European Citizen of the Year in 2016. As a policymaker, he was a member of the Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs (2004 to 2010), working as the Coordinator of the European Commission for the development of the new EU Integrated Maritime Policy. He currently works as Chief Executive Director for the Oceano Azul Foundation.