Volker Kuntzsch

Growing up in the dry climate of Namibia, and focusing his M.Sc. in Zoology on the behavioural ecology of bat-eared foxes in South Africa, didn’t exactly set Volker Kuntzsch up for an ocean-related career.

However, life took an unforeseen turn early on, and this kickstarted a journey that took Volker across five continents over the next 30 years, working for seafood companies around the globe in jobs ranging from quality assurance and production management to leading organisations in Namibia, the USA and New Zealand. He cites a proud moment as a fish buyer for Unilever in Europe, where he worked with the New Zealand hoki fishery to attain Marine Stewardship Council certification — the first major fishery in the world to do so.

For his leadership in the global seafood industry and his commitment to connecting value creation with a strong focus on sustainability, Volker received the Intrafish Media Person of the Year Award in 2017 and the Rabobank Australasia Leadership Award in 2019. Volker’s current role as CEO of Cawthron, New Zealand’s largest independent research institute, connects his professional background with his passion for the ocean. He applies world-class science and mātauranga Māori to bring about a better future for our aquatic environments and the communities that surround them.

His six children limit Volker’s time for much else, but inspire him to promote the need and urgency to secure a desirable future through the blue economy wherever he can.