2026 speakers

Plenary speakers:

Hon Shane Jones

Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Resources, Associate Minister of Finance, and Associate Minister for Energy.
Barry Bragg

Chair of Ngāi Tahu Farming since 2019 and currently Chair of Pegasus Health Charitable Limited, Lyttelton Port Company Limited and Quarry Capital Limited and leading Awarua Rūnaka interests in aquaculture in their takiwā.
Aaron Endacott

As General Manager – Seafood for Ngāi Tahu Holdings, Aaron leads the commercial operations of Ngāi Tahu Seafood and has played a key leadership role in advancing strategic growth initiatives, including the development of the Hananui Aquaculture Project.
Thomas Hildebrand

For the past nine years, he has led the Hananui Aquaculture Project. This has involved identifying the site, evaluating the site’s potential, managing technical experts and developing the applications for the RMA, COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 and Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
Sara Meymand

Divisional Manager, Trade Policy and Negotiations at MFAT. Sara is responsible for developing and advancing New Zealand's trade policy objectives across the multilateral, plurilateral, and bilateral trade agendas.
Conor Foster

Chief Commercial Officer - Scale AQ Seabased. Rising from fish farm technician to CCO, he has held leadership roles across some of the sector's most prominent companies, including Marine Harvest, Nutrimar, and ScaleAQ.
Alexander Tups

Associate Professor Alexander Tups is a neuroscientist at the Centre for Neuroendocrinology at the University of Otago and Chief Scientific Officer of Aroma New Zealand and co-founder of a novel bioactivity testing facility for natural products, the Zealife Institute.
Cath McLeod

Chief Science Officer at Cawthron Institute, where she leads Cawthron's research and consultancy groups, including its Aquaculture Group, as well as Cawthron Laboratories
James Palmer

James has been Chief Executive of Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) since March 2026. He previously served as Chief Executive of the Ministry for the Environment and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.
Penetaui Kleskovic

General Manager of Te Aupouri Fisheries Management Ltd and an elected member of the Far North District Council (FNDC).
Ole Kristian Sivertsen

CEO of AKVA Digital, the software business unit of AKVA group that builds digital platforms for the global aquaculture industry.
Michelle and Zarn Reichardt

Founders of The Kutai Guy, an award-winning, family-owned business producing premium smoked New Zealand green-lipped mussels.
Stephen Toplis

Stephen is BNZ’s Head of Research and regarded as one of the leading economic and political spokespeople in New Zealand.
Hon Chris Bishop

Chris Bishop is the Attorney-General, Minister of Housing, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Minister of Transport, and Associate Minister of Finance. He is the MP for Hutt South.
Melissa Clark-Reynolds

Melissa is a street-smart futurist and tech entrepreneur who helps leaders cut through noise, tackle change head-on, and build clear pathways to tomorrow.
Julia Jones

We are fortunate to have Julia joining us again as our MC this year. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience across agribusiness, banking, financial markets and strategy, including roles with ANZ, KPMG, NZX and AWDT, Julia combines deep industry expertise with natural curiosity, sharp insight and a healthy dose of humour.
Ian Jacob

Ian is an engineer and international business leader who this year founded StratoChill, a patented low cost packaging solution for temperature control during airfreight.