APC Board Officer: View our Board Officers and their contact information

PRESIDENT – Dr. Jie Huang

    

Dr. Jie Huang (Term ends 2027)

A Senior Researcher at Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute (YSFRI), Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS).

Email: j8888h@live.com; huangjie@ysfri.ac.cn

Dr Jie Huang is currently a Senior Researcher at Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute (YSFRI), Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS). He just finished his five-year term serving as the Director General of the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) (2019-2024). Before May 2019, Dr Huang served as a Chief Scientist on Disease Control in CAFS, a Designated Expert of World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) Reference Laboratories on White Spot Disease and Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis, the Vice President of WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Standards Committee (2012-2015), and an Expert of Iridoviridae and Roniviridae Study Groups of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.  He is presently serving as the president elect of WAS/APC.

PRESIDENT ELECT – Dr. Leila Basti 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Leila Basti  (Term ends 2027)

Academic, Senior Scientist, Expert, Scientific Advisor

Email:  bastileila@gmail.com

Dr Leila Basti is a Laureate Engineer in Agronomy, specialized in Marine Environment and Aquatic Resources from the first Engineering Institute established in Africa (INAT, Tunisia). She obtained her Master of Marine Science and Doctor of Marine Science from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT) as a MEXT Scholar, in Japan where she is permanently residing. She was a Strategic Young Researcher at TUMSAT, and a JSPS International Research Fellow at the National Institute of Fisheries Science (Fisheries Research and Education Agency; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries). She then was appointed Assistant Professor in Ocean Science at TUMSAT (2015–2020), under a governmental program, funded by MEXT, JST, TUMSAT and JSPS; making her the first Arab and African woman to hold such an academic position in Japan. In 2022, she was asked to join the United Arab Emirates University (UAE University) as an Assistant Professor (Fisheries, Aquaculture, Food Security), Abu Dhabi, to support the academic program and develop research in Aquaculture and Aquaponics (Academic Program Coordinator, Principal Investigator, Laboratory and Research Station Manager).

She has been conducting inter-disciplinary research, with international experts, on the environment-aquaculture interactions and environment-fisheries interactions, within the contexts of anthropogenic pressures and climate change, to improve the sustainability of aquatic food production systems. She served lso as a subtheme lead in a food security project in UAE and is building research on sustainable aquaculture production systems, integration of AI in aquaculture production, IMTA as well as sustainable aquafeed. She was selected as an Expert for a National Program on Seafood Safety (Private Sector) and served as a Delegate and a Reviewer for the National Strategy on Sustainable Marine Environment and Fisheries (including Aquaculture), MOCCAE (Gov.), UAE, ahead of the Year of Sustainability. She has also led projects in Asia, Africa and the Pacific in Sustainable Aquatic Food Production and Climate Change (Gov. UK and World Bank) at the CGIAR Centre in Malaysia.

She has been publishing several peer-reviewed papers and book chapters in leading journals, has been a presenter at over 60 International Events in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and is on the editorial board of several journals, including Reviews in Aquaculture (Australia). She has been an invited researcher, scientist, and professor to several world-leading universities and institutions in USA, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. She also served as a keynote speaker, an invited expert speaker, an invited consulting speaker, and an invited guest to conferences, governmental and continental union events as well as world forums. And is currently an Expert and Scientific Advisor for a UNEP Regional Seas Program and UNESCO and has been contributing to reviewing flagship publications of the IPCC and IPBES.

Dr Leila Basti was a member of the Asia-Pacific Aquaculture Committee and served as an International Program Chair (2017–2022) for World Aquaculture Singapore 2022 (WAS/SFA). She previously served as a Director for WAS APC (2024-2026).

Her research interests span the fields of Coastal Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Food and Water security.

PAST PRESIDENT  – Dr. Imad Saoud

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

 

Dr. Imad Saoud (Term ends 2027)

 Proffesor of aquatic science and aquaculture at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Email: is08@aub.edu.lb

Dr. Imad Saoud,  a professor of aquatic science and aquaculture at the American University of Beirut. He earned a PhD in Fisheries and Aquaculture and his post doc was in aquatic animal nutrition both at Auburn University. Imad’s research focuses on the eco-physiology of aquatic organisms especially under aquaculture conditions. Dr. Saoud has worked with shrimp, oyster and fish aquaculture both in fresh and salt water. He is the world authority on rabbitfish aquaculture and one of the few experts on arid land aquaculture. Lately, his researched has focused on circular economy in aquaculture and on environmental concerns related to water productivity. He has also diversified into water conservation using aquaculture to improve water productivity. Imad’s work has taken him to the USA, Latin America, West Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. He has previously served on the board of the Asia-Pacific Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society and has served in various committees of WAS. He is presently serving as the president elect of WAS/APC.

TREASURER – Dr. Lilian Wong

Dr. Yeong Yik Sung (Sunny) Term ends 2027)

The esteemed Director of the Institute of Climate Adaptation and Marine Biotechnology (ICAMB) at University Malaysia Terengganu
Email: Yeong Yik Sung <yeong@umt.edu.my>

Yeong Yik Sung is the esteemed Director of the Institute of Climate Adaptation and Marine Biotechnology (ICAMB) at University Malaysia Terengganu. His extensive research focuses on aquaculture, shrimp immunology, and live food production. Throughout his distinguished career, he has supervised and mentored over 25 postgraduate students, nurturing the next generation of experts in marine biotechnology and aquaculture.

Prof. Yeong has successfully secured and led numerous local and international research grants from various organizations, contributing significantly to advancements in his field. His prolific publication record includes over 150 papers in high-impact, peer-reviewed international journals, reflecting his commitment to scientific excellence and earning him an H-index of 24. In addition to his research and leadership, Prof. Yeong is an active contributor to the academic community. He serves on the editorial boards of journals such as OLAR, SJST, and the Can Tho University Journal of Science. He has also been invited as a Guest Editor for several special issues in prominent Frontiers journals.

His expertise and reputation have led to prestigious appointments as a Visiting Professor at Tianjin Agriculture University, Ocean University of China, and Universitas Airlangga in Indonesia. Currently, he holds the position of Chair of the International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium (IAAC) under NACA and serves as Secretary of the ASEAN Fisheries Education Network (ASEAN-FEN). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field and international collaboration, Prof. Yeong was recently honoured with the Royal Decoration “Order of the Crown - Rank Officer” by the King of the Belgians.

DIRECTOR – Dr. Denny Leonardo 

Denny Leonardo is the CEO of Pandora Aquatech and a young Indonesian aquatechnologist, he dedicated to shaping a sustainable, scalable, and thriving blue economy within Indonesia’s aquaculture sector. Drawing from hands-on experience across the entire value chain—from hatchery operations, farm system design, and animal health management to downstream processing, he leverages his multidisciplinary background to drive meaningful impact in this vital industry. His work extends well beyond Pandora Aquatech. He serves as Director of Tequisa and co-own Prima Larvae Bali and UKSMA,

further deepening my engagement in hatchery, farming, and supply-chain advancements. His involvement as an Independent Commissioner of PT Agro Bahari Nusantara Tbk, a public-listed shrimp farming company, reflects his commitment to high-level governance and long-term industry growth. Additionally, his participation as Secretary of Shrimp Club Indonesia (SCI) and co-leader of PMI allows him to foster dialogue among stakeholders, ensuring knowledge transfer and collaborative problem-solving across the sector. Central to his vision is forging connections—bridging the gaps between farmer organizations, associations, and international networks of young entrepreneurs. By engaging with groups like HIPILINDO, APCI, ASTI, and others, he helps translate challenges into opportunities, aligning diverse interests toward common goals. He believes that building these foundational relationships is critical to addressing Indonesia’s multifaceted aquaculture hurdles, from market development and production efficiency to certification standards, data-driven decision-making, and strategic investments. His involvement in multiple initiatives and advisory roles such as the Hatch innovation studios cohort, Growth Advisor at TeOra (focused on biotechnology solutions), and advisor for GoodTom and Delos enables him to integrate cutting-edge technologies and best practices into local contexts. As a partner in Tathva, he also works on the ground to structure investment deals, encouraging capital flow into promising aquaculture ventures. Meanwhile, as a co-organizer of the Shrimp Summit 2025 through TCRS, he helps set the stage for critical discussions, knowledge exchange, and strategic alignment within the industry’s future direction. Ultimately, he believes that aquaculture holds immense potential to contribute to global food security and environmental stewardship. By harnessing innovation, fostering collaboration, and ensuring access to the right resources, he aim to lay the essential building blocks for an aquaculture sector that is both resilient and impactful.

DIRECTOR – Sujit Krishna Das

Mr. Sujit Krishna Das (term ends 2028)

Technical Officer, Technical Advisory Services Division, INFOFISH,  Malaysia

Email:  sujitims@gmail.com

Sujit Krishna Das has successfully completed a Master’s degree (M.Sc. in Aquaculture) with First Class and Distinction, securing 5th position at the Institute of Marine Science, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. He currently serves as a Technical Officer under the Technical Advisory Services Division of INFOFISH, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. INFOFISH is an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) that has been an active member of the FAO FishInfoNetwork (FAO-FIN) since 1981. It plays a vital role in providing technical advisory support and promoting trade in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. He has over 15 years of extensive experience in managing and implementing projects related to responsible aquaculture value chains, dating back to 2006. He has independently led and managed a diverse range of development projects, with a strong emphasis on technology and innovation and the integration of gender-responsive, nutrition-sensitive, and nature-based approaches.

Prior to joining INFOFISH, he served as a leading aquaculture professional, holding senior positions in prominent national and multinational organizations, including SQUARE GROUP (Bangladesh), AABT GROUP (India), and DFID, UK-funded projects. Throughout his extensive professional career, he has gained substantial hands-on experience across the entire ‘Aquatic Blue Food’ production value chains, encompassing commercial breeding, intensive nursery and farming practices, species-specific feed formulation, and aquatic animal health management for major tropical aquaculture species.

He has also developed extensive expertise in analyzing seafood trade dynamics and market trends, developing value-added seafood products, evaluating post-harvest losses and waste, advancing certification and food safety and advancing circular economy approaches through the sustainable valorization of aquatic by-products. Throughout his career, he has gained substantial practical experience and technical proficiency across a diverse range of aquaculture species, including shrimp and prawns, tilapia, seaweed, and various marine finfish species.

Moreover, he possesses strong organizational and administrative skills, with the ability to effectively coordinate and organize technical seminars, workshops, and conferences at national, regional, and international levels.

In addition to his professional expertise, he is proficient in English and has a background in elementary German and Bahasa Malaysia, while Bengali is his mother tongue. He has been participated in several prominent international conferences, including the World Seafood Congress 2023 in Portugal, the Global Fisheries Conference 2023 in Gujarat, India, the 5th INFOFISH World Tilapia Trade and Technical Conference & Exhibition 2025 in Bangkok, and the World Aquaculture 2026 in Singapore as invited speaker and moderator. As a contributing editor of the INFOFISH International Magazine (bi-monthly), he regularly contributes technical articles and provides editorial support. He also serves as one of the Technical Editors for Fish Inspector (a quarterly newsletter focusing on fish hygiene, food safety, and post-harvest technology), as well as Fishing Technology Digest (a quarterly publication covering fisheries and aquaculture technology).

Mr. Das strongly supports the Blue Transformation Strategy advocated by the FAO and is committed to contributing to regenerative, circular, and climate-adaptive aquatic food production systems that advance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

DIRECTOR – Dr. Richard Le Boucher

Dr. Richard Le Boucher (term ends 2028)

Research Director at Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL)

Email:  richard@tll.org.sg

Richard Le Boucher is Research Director at Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) in Singapore, where he founded the Precision Aquaculture Department in 2020.

In collaboration with government agencies and farmers, his team advances sustainable aquaculture through:
•Fish nutrition: Valorizing food industry sidestreams (e.g., food waste, SCP, insect meals) and applying low-tech processing and extrusion to improve digestibility.
•Farm system optimization: Investigating feeding strategies, fasting, and stocking density to enhance productivity, metabolism, and welfare in intensive RAS.
•Fish health management: Developing non-antibiotic hatchery treatments, including non-lethal heat shock, immune diets, additives, and recombinant peptides.

He serves as Lead Principal Investigator of the AquaPolis Program, which coordinates multi-institutional efforts to advance food security through efficient and scalable aquaculture systems. He is also an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore.

Dr. Le Boucher began his career after earning an agronomy engineering degree in aquaculture from ENSAR–ENSAIA, followed by a PhD in quantitative genetics and nutrition at AgroParisTech–INRA–Ifremer. He worked as a geneticist for the French Aquaculture breeding syndicate (SYSAAF), designing and deploying selective breeding programs for oyster, sturgeon, barramundi, shrimp, and turbot.

In 2013, he founded Genotop, the first independent private company dedicated to aquaculture genetics, providing SMEs in Asia and the Middle East with access to applied breeding programmes for improved growth, product quality, and disease resistance.

Following the acquisition of Genotop by IMV Technologies Group in 2015, a global leader in animal reproduction biotechnologies and ultrasound systems, Dr. Le Boucher led the group’s aquaculture sales, marketing, and R&D activities. He introduced large-scale cryopreservation practices and precision vision-based egg sorting technologies in salmon hatcheries across Norway, Chile, Iceland, and Canada.

As Head of the Disruptive Innovation Department, he spearheaded the development of advanced technological platforms, including microfluidic cell scanners, sperm bioencapsulation gels, antibiotic-free extenders for fish reproduction, high-speed egg sorters for salmonids, and automated straw-handling systems.

Driven by a strong commitment to sustainable food systems, Dr. Le Boucher has devoted his career to developing innovative, resilient, and industry-relevant solutions that support global food security and responsible aquaculture development.

STUDENT DIRECTOR – Laura Klatt

Ms. Laura Klatt (Term ends 2029)

PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne

Laura Klatt Current is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne researching resource use efficiency in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems. Having previously worked as an aquaculture engineer and project manager in Germany, she brings a combination of industrial experience and academic focus to this role. Her leadership experience includes serving as the President of a PhD student association at the University of Melbourne, where she represents more than 250 graduate researchers. She is eager to apply her skills in community building and project management to further the objectives of the WAS-APC and to strengthen the connections between our student members, research institutions, and the commercial sector.

Her journey into aquaculture began at home. She grew up surrounded by livestock, but fish always stood out as the most compelling. This fascination led her to pursue a Master of Fishery Science and Aquaculture. She now undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne within the AquaS group. She views her decision to pursue a PhD at this stage of her life as a strategic asset. She arrives with years of industry experience and a clear understanding of the practical challenges facing our field.

Before returning to academia, she served as a project manager for an aquaculture construction company and subsequently joined the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin. There, she was tasked with redesigning existing infrastructure to meet research standards, which included the rebuilding of two Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) dedicated exclusively to research.

She currently leads a student association representing more than 250 PhD candidates. In this position, she also led the organising team for the SAFES Graduate Researcher Conference, which brought together almost 100 attendees. These tasks reinforced my belief that leadership is about implementation. She highly organised, punctual, and believe in the power of a well-prepared plan to navigate complex projects.