Our Structure

Paul Williams, Chief Executive

Paul Williams joined Seafish as Research Director in January 2004. After gaining his PhD at the University of Manchester, Paul's career began as a research fellow at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. With over 25 years experience in research and development, he has managed a contract research company and diverse research projects in biotechnology and animal health. On joining aquaculture feed company, EWOS in 1995, he established a Bioscience Department and managed their Technology Centre.

In 2000, he became Managing Director for EWOS Innovation, based in Norway, and was responsible for providing a range of services including research, training, product development, new process implementation and regulatory support.

Jon Harman, Operations Director

Former Chief Executive of Seafood Scotland, Jon joined Seafish as Development Director in January 2003. After graduating from London University with a degree in Biology with Chemistry, Jon joined BOC Ltd where he was involved with the early development of freshwater and marine aquaculture species. Whilst at BOC he undertook a PhD at Aston University studying the effects of fish farming on the environment. He went on to work with Kraft Foods, Hillsdown and Albert Fisher. He has developed over 25 years experience in senior food production management and has covered all sectors of the seafood industry, including the pelagic, whitefish and shellfish sectors.

Janice Anderson, Finance Director

Janice Anderson joined Seafish in May 2011. Janice is a chartered accountant with significant experience as a Finance Director, most recently with Dunalistair Philip Watson, a group comprising 33 companies with interests ranging from grain to property. Janice qualified whilst working with a variety of independent firms in Edinburgh. She later became Company Accountant for City Vending for four years then took time off to start a family and worked on a self-employed basis, returning to the company Chiene and Tait and then to City Vending in the role of Finance Director in the early 1990's.

John Whitehead - Chair

John has spent his whole working life in the food industry, latterly as Managing Director of Dundee based food manufacturer Top Hat Holdings Limited. Previously the Deputy Chairman of Seafish, he has also served on the boards of other public bodies including the levy funded Meat & Livestock Commission and Food from Britain. He is currently Chairman of the Certification Council of Scottish Food Quality Certification, is a Trustee of the Food and Drink Exporters Association and has a number of non executive roles in the food industry.

Jane Ryder - Deputy Chair

Jane Ryder was the first Chief Executive of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) establishing the new regulatory regime for charities in Scotland.  She began her career in law and was a partner with specialist maritime solicitors Boyd Jameson WS, also serving as an elected Council member of the Law Society of Scotland.  She was then the Chief Executive of the Scottish Museums Council before her appointment to OSCR.  She is currently a Public Interest member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and the Chair of Arts and Business Scotland.  She is Board member of the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) a ministerial appointment with remuneration of £11,804 per annum. 

Clare Dodgson

Clare was formerly Chief Operating Officer of Job Centre Plus, Chief Executive of the Legal Services Commission and a Chief Executive in the NHS.  She has many years experience as a non-executive director and is now on the Regulatory and Disciplinary Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for Scotland.  Clare is also an external complaints reviewer for the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman, a public appointments ambassador for the Government Equalities Office, a member of the Regulation and Compliance Board  and also works as an independent executive coach and mentor. 

Peter Hajipieris

Peter is Chief Technical, Sustainability and External Affairs Officer for the Iglo Foods Group Ltd. (Birds Eye in the UK).  He has more than 28 years experience in the seafood industry and is a champion of sustainable fisheries development.  He has held various quality and commercial roles at Seafish before becoming the Business Development Manager for Fish at Sainsbury's where he subsequently held senior fresh food counter retail roles.  More recently he was UK Policy Manager for Seafood at Tesco where he initiated the first global responsible sourcing standard for fishmeal and fish oil used in aquaculture with the International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organisation.  He is a member of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council Supervisory Board founded by WWF & IDH (Dutch Sustainability Initiative). 

Philip Huggon

Philip is a non-executive Director of Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Chair of RCU Ltd. (a consultancy to further education and Government bodies), and a non-executive Director of the Business Community Institute.  He is also a trustee on the board of Sports Leaders UK and provides strategic marketing consultancy to different private and public organisations, mostly in the health and education sectors.  Prior to setting up his own company, he spent 20 years with BP, Mars and Shell in various marketing, strategy and business development roles across Europe, including leading Shell's largest ever transformational change programme across the UK businesses. 

Michel Kaiser

Michel Kaiser is Professor of Marine Conservation Ecology at the School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University. After gaining his PhD in 1991, he joined CEFAS at the Conwy Laboratory where he led a research team studying the effects of human activities (fishing and aquaculture) on the marine environment. He joined the University in 1998 as a lecturer where he has expanded these interests to encompass social and economic consequences of different approaches of managing fishing activities. Michel was awarded the Fisheries Society of the British Isles (FSBI) medal in 2004 which is awarded to early career scientists in recognition of the excellence of their research contribution to fish and fisheries research. He was awarded a personal Chair in Marine Conservation Ecology in 2006. Michel chairs Defra's Marine Fisheries Stakeholder Forum and is also a member of the Science Advisory Panel for the Marine Conservation Zones project for England.

Michael Park

Michael is Chief Executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association (SWFPA), Director and Vice Chairman of the North Sea Regional Advisory Council, a board member of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, Chairman of Box Pool Solutions Ltd., Chairman of the Scottish Fisheries Sustainable Accreditation Group, and Chairman of the UK Fishing Industry Healthcare Scheme Ltd. and Chairman of SWFPA Crew Services Ltd.  Michael was at sea from a young age and spent 26 years as a skipper and owner.  He recently received the WWF Award for Conservation Merit in recognition of his leadership and efforts in improving conservation measures in the Scottish whitefish fisheries and his work in encouraging sustainable fishing practices in Scotland and beyond. 

Stephen Parry

Stephen is Technical Advisor to Findus Group, having previously been their Technical Director.  He Chairs the Food Sector group of the Biosciences Knowledge Transfer Network and the Food and Drink Federation Seafood Group.  Stephen is Vice President of the European Board of the fish processors association (AIPCE) and a member of the Technical Advisory Board of the Marine Stewardship Council.  Having worked for over 37 years in the food industry in senior operations and technical roles for Unilever, United Biscuits and Young's Seafood, he has played an instrumental role in helping to develop the wider corporate social responsibility agenda for the Findus Group.

James Wilson

James is Director of The Menai Strait Fishery Order Management Association, Director of Bangor Mussel Producers Ltd. and Chairman of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain Mollusc Committee.  He has been involved in the extensive culture of mussels in Wales and Northern Ireland for the past decade.  A marine scientist by education, he has worked in the past for the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisation; the Irish state agency responsible fishing and aquaculture, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM); the Centre for the Economics and Management of Aquatic Resources (CEMARE) in Europe; and alongside DFO/FOC and First Nations on the Canadian Pacific Coast.  He was a Welsh Government appointee on the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee.