By Marine Conservation Institute | December 10, 2025
Marine Conservation Institute is thrilled to welcome José Escaño Roepstorff as our new Global Development Director. A Balearic-born ocean strategist and former marine biologist, José brings a unique blend of scientific grounding and entrepreneurial leadership, shaped by years of working at the intersection of marine conservation, impact finance, and global partnership building.
José began his career as a marine biologist before founding and scaling an ocean-tech venture across more than 24 international markets. His track record spans large-scale restoration initiatives—including the launch of MedGardens in Spain —and securing investment for blue-economy innovation. He joins Marine Conservation Institute with a clear mandate: to align business models and donor engagement systems to secure predictable, long-term growth for our ocean's future.
In his new role, José will lead the global development strategy required to expand durable funding and partnerships. He is tasked with translating scientific necessity into investable opportunities for major donors, foundations, and corporate partners. His work will directly support the expansion of the Blue Parks network and the Marine Protection Atlas (MPAtlas), accelerating progress toward the Global Biodiversity Framework (30x30). José enters this role with a conviction that science requires robust capital to scale.
As he notes:
“Marine Conservation Institute has spent 30 years defining the science of protection; the next decade is about validating the valuation. We are moving beyond traditional aid to managing the world's most critical biological assets. The ocean needs more than sympathy—it demands sovereign-grade protection and blue-chip investment. I look forward to building the partnerships that turn 'paper parks' into permanent planetary capital.”
Marine Conservation Institute's president, Lance Morgan, underscored this leadership moment stating:
“Our success has been built on a foundation of rigorous science, but to achieve our conservation goals requires matching that science with equally strong financial architecture. José’s experience in impact finance and global partnerships will be essential as we scale our programs to meet the challenge of 30x30. We’re fortunate to have him join us at such a pivotal moment.”
His appointment comes at a pivotal moment as the Institute enters its 30th Anniversary year. We also extend our sincere thanks to Angela Nardo-Morgan for her leadership as Development Director, who will continue supporting the Institute in a consulting capacity during this transition.
We are honored to welcome José to the Marine Conservation Institute team and look forward to what we will achieve together in the decade ahead.