APC Board Officer: See our board officer with their contact information

PRESIDENT – Dr. Jie Huang

    

Dr. Jie Huang (Term ends 2026)

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 2025)

a Laureate Engineer in Agronomy, specialized in Marine Environment and Aquatic Resources (Tunisia)           

Email:  bastileila@gmail.com

Dr Leila Basti is a Laureate Engineer in Agronomy, specialized in Marine Environment and Aquatic Resources (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, now under MEXT). She then was appointed Assistant Professor in Ocean Science at TUMSAT (2015–2020), under a governmental program, funded by MEXT, TUMSAT and JSPS. In 2022, she was asked to join UAEU as an Assistant Professor (Ocean Science, Fisheries and Aquaculture), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to help with the academic program and research in Aquaculture and Aquaponics (currently Academic Program Coordinator). Leila Basti research interests span the fields of Coastal Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Food and Water security. 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 is also 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. 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 has been publishing several peer-reviewed papers and book chapters in leading journals, has been a presenter at over 50 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. She has been an invited researcher, scientist, and professor to several world-leading universities and institutions in USA, Europe, Africa, and Asia. 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.    

PAST PRESIDENT  – Dr. Imad Saoud

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

 

Dr. Imad Saoud (Term ends 2026)

 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

Sujit Krishna Das (term ends 2028)

Technical Officer under the Technical Advisory Services Division of INFOFISH, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Email:  sujitims@gmail.com

Sujit Krishna Das has accomplished master’s degree (M.Sc. in Aquaculture) obtaining 1st Class securing 5th Position from the Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Currently, he is serving as Technical Officer under the Technical Advisory Services Division of INFOFISH based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. INFOFISH, an Intergovernmental Organization (https://v4.infofish.org/) and an active member of the FAOFishInfoNetwork (FAO-FIN) since 1981 and provides technical advisory and trade promotion services within fisheries and aquaculture sector in the Asia Pacific Region and beyond. He has more than 15 years of solid experience in handling and execution of projects related to responsible aquaculture value chains since 2006. Having adequate knowledge, he managed the development projects independently prioritizing gender focus, nutrition sensitive and climate smart concepts. Prior joining to INFOFISH, He has been serving as Key Aquaculture Professional and hold top positions in the leading national and multinational organizations such as SQUARE GROUP, Bangladesh, AABT GROUP, India and DFID, UK funded projects. Through his long professional journey, he has gained hands-on experience in the ‘Aquatic Blue Food’ production value chains including commercial breeding, intensive nursing and farming protocols, species-specific feed formulation, and
managing aquatic animal health of the major tropical aquaculture species. Furthermore, he familiar with seafood trade and markets, certification, developed high value-added commodities, assessed post-harvest loss and contributed to the circular economy through valorization of aquatic by-products. Over the time, he has also acquired practical knowledge on the major aquaculture species such as Shrimps and Prawns, Tilapia, Seaweeds, macro and micro algae; and other marine fin fishes with a view to promote mariculture through IMTA and LTA while working in South and Southeast Asian countries. Moreover, he is bearing strong organizational and administrative skills; and capable of coordinating and organizing the technical seminars, workshops and conferences at national, regional and international levels. In addition to that, he is proficient in English, having background in elementary German and Bahasa Malaysia and Bengali is my mother tongue. He has been invited in various global conferences such as World Seafood Congress, 2023, Portugal and Global Fisheries Conference 2023, Gujarat, India, 5th INFOFISH World Tilapia Trade and Technical Conference & Exhibition, 2025, Bangkok and World Seafood Congress 2025, Chennai, India. He regularly contribute articles to the INFOFISH International Magazine (bi-monthly) and provide editorial support to Fish Inspector (Quarterly Newsletter on fish hygiene, food safety and post-harvest technology) and Fishing Technology Digest (Quarterly Newsletter on Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology being the Technical Editor. He competent in basic IT including Microsoft Offices TM, MS Outlook TM and internet applications. In conclusion, he is self-motivated, coordinated, and bears positive attitude and accustomed to working with an interdisciplinary, multicultural environment and can cope with different time zones. He believes in and understands the position duties and responsibilities that he applies for. If he could be entitled to this position, he hopes to manage the business affairs of society with the fullest confidence.

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

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.