CEO Manifesto
Today I announce that I am stepping into the role of CEO at Your Devocean—this company, which I co-founded with Robert Kornfeld on a simple conviction: The Ocean = Life. That belief isn’t a tagline; it’s our operating system. It guides how we build products, how we partner, and how we will scale a business that regenerates Our Ocean while creating durable value for companies.
Why now
In the past year, momentum around ocean health has accelerated—and so has fragmentation. Brilliant actors are working in silos: companies seeking credible impact, researchers producing breakthroughs, project developers building solutions, communities protecting biodiversity, and investors looking for bankable pathways. The pieces exist; the connectivity does not.
Your Devocean exists to close that gap. We unite the ecosystem and build viable, trusted pathways for companies to invest in impact and ocean regeneration—at scale.
Why me
My career has been spent at the intersection of communication, organisational science, public governance, leadership, team-building, operations, and product. Over the past five years on the start-up scene, I’ve learned how to turn vision into repeatable systems—how to move from a compelling story to a working engine.
I’m also a climate nerd with a heart that beats for the ocean. I translate complexity into action, convene unusual allies, and build teams that deliver. That combination—systems and soul—is what Your Devocean needs for the next chapter.
What we’ll focus on
Our strategy is straightforward and execution-first:
Unite the ecosystem
Build the connective tissue across corporates, NGOs, science, policy, and project developers. We’ll make it easier for serious actors to find each other, align incentives, and move.Trust & standards by design
Impact efforts stall without credibility. We will embed rigorous verification, transparent data, and governance frameworks so companies can act with confidence and regulators, customers, and communities can trust the outcomes.Investable pathways & products
Translate ocean regeneration into clear corporate pathways—programmes and products that are practical to deploy, simple to explain internally, and auditable externally.Evidence, learning, and feedback loops
Treat every deployment as a learning system. Capture evidence, shorten feedback cycles, and improve cost-effectiveness and ecological outcomes over time.Narrative that mobilises
Stories change behaviour. We will elevate the ocean from “nice-to-have” to “non-negotiable infrastructure for life and the economy,” giving leaders the language and confidence to act.
How we’ll lead
Partner-centric: We won’t try to do everything. We’ll be the integrator that makes everyone better.
Product-led: Clear user journeys—from first conversation to signed programme to verified impact.
Operational excellence: Crisp processes, strong controls, and transparent reporting.
Human at the core: High-trust culture, diverse expertise, and values that hold under pressure.
The first 90 days
Listen & align: Sit down with partners across science, community, policy, finance, and industry to sharpen where we add the most value.
Gather the “minimum viable coalition”: We have identified the smallest set of actors required to unlock tangible regeneration in priority areas—now we formalise those collaborations.
Launch pilot pathways with lighthouse partners: Prove the model with a handful of corporates ready to lead, creating templates others can follow.
Publish our impact and governance framework: Make our standards and verification approach public and invite critique.
Recruit for scale: Add mission-critical roles across partnerships, product, and operations to meet demand without compromising quality.
Our promise to customers and partners
Clarity over complexity.
Credibility you can defend in the boardroom and the community hall.
Compounding impact—ecological, social, and economic—measured and shared openly.
A word of thanks
Robert, thank you for the foundation we’ve built together and for your continued partnership as we enter this phase. To our early collaborators: your belief and contributions have carried us from spark to structure. Now we scale—with care.
An invitation
If you lead sustainability, strategy, operations, procurement, brand, or innovation—and you’re serious about turning commitments into credible ocean impact—let’s talk. If you’re in science, policy, community stewardship, or project development and want a stronger route to market, we’re here to build with you.
A vision born from the heart can change the currents. The work ahead requires discipline, data, and deep collaboration. At Your Devocean, we’re bringing all three.
The Ocean = Life. Let’s act like it.