Paul Cox Keynote Speaker

Paul Cox is a leading voice in ocean stewardship and one of today’s most compelling interpreters of shark science. As CEO of the Shark Trust since 2015, he has elevated the charity from a UK-centric NGO to a globally recognised catalyst influencing fisheries policy, trade rules and consumer behaviour on every continent. Operating from a modest base in Plymouth, his small team now shapes international treaties, partners with business on sustainable supply chains, and mobilises mass digital campaigns for the planet’s 1,200-plus shark and ray species.

Cox’s journey began in London’s financial sector. Inspired by Sylvia Earle’s Sea Change, he left investment banking in the late-1990s to earn a BSc in Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth and an MSc in Science Communication. Joining the National Marine Aquarium, he spent 15 years designing programmes on habitat restoration, plastic pollution, sustainable seafood and informal education, eventually serving as Director of Conservation and Communication where his initiatives attracted more than £750 k in external funding and reached millions of visitors.

Under his leadership, citizen-science projects such as the Great Eggcase Hunt have flourished—celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2023 with over 440,000 eggcase records from 30 countries, data now guiding nursery-ground protection worldwide. Cox also convenes international coalitions that unite NGOs, aquaria, industry and policymakers to negotiate science-based catch limits and end unsustainable trade.

In 2024, Cox spearheaded the Shark Trust’s Oceanic 31 art exhibition, a two-year touring collection that culminated at the Royal Geographical Society in London. The exhibition, featuring 31 artworks by 31 artists, was auctioned to support the Trust’s Oceanics Programme.

On stage, he blends humour with hard science, showing audiences how conservation psychology and compelling narrative can turn apathy into action. Whether addressing corporate boards, government agencies or schoolchildren, he equips listeners with practical tools to safeguard the blue planet—and reminds them why sharks matter to us all.