Robert Wakeford

Robert became Managing Director of MRAG in 2021 and is responsible for the development and management of the core business areas and functions of the company as well as managing a large portfolio of projects with experience in programme management, particularly of large EU framework projects. Between 2006 and 2010 he was Technical Director of MRAG Americas, where he was responsible for developing and implementing a range of projects in the USA and Caribbean region. Over the past twenty years, he has gained extensive fisheries management experience spanning high latitude industrial fisheries, such as those within Europe and the South Atlantic, to artisanal fisheries within the Caribbean, Africa and Southeast Asia. Robert has provided technical advice to the UK South Atlantic Fisheries Commission on the status of shared squid and finfish stocks between Argentina and the Falkland Islands in addition to contributing to the ICES and CCAMLR Fish Stock Working Groups.

Robert has been Project Director for a number of European Commission studies under several framework contracts including the provision of scientific advice for fisheries beyond EU waters and the retrospective and prospective evaluations on the Common Fisheries Policy. He has managed teams under several World Bank funded projects, including the West African Regional Fisheries Programme (WARFP) and more recently South West Indian Ocean Fisheries (SWIOFish) Programme.  As MSC Fishery Team Leader, Robert has led numerous global pre-assessments and full assessments under the Marine Stewardship Council and has become responsible for extending the business into the development of a wide range of Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) in many parts of the world including South America, Caribbean and SE Asia.