Alan is Head of Marine Policy and a Marine Science Policy Adviser at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK.

He is the Alternate Head of the UK Delegation at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) and is a Co-Chair of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development. He is a member of the Advisory Panel of the UN’s International Seabed Authority (ISA) Endowment Fund and a UK Delegate at the UN’s Intergovernmental Conference on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction. Alan is the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC-UKRI) representative at the European Marine Board, where he was recently elected as a vice-Chair. 

With responsibility to deliver the NOCs National Capability National and Public Good agenda, key roles include engaging with the global marine community by way of participation at international fora, bi-lateral relationships, project collaborations, engaging with domestic and foreign government and their agencies, the UK Overseas Territories and regional organisations with an interest in marine environment.

Alan was a member of the UK technical team responsible for delivering the UK’s continental shelf submissions, in accordance with Part VI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) where he participated in the defence of submissions during meetings with the UN’s Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). He also undertook a similar role as a consultant for other countries. He also provides technical solutions to States in support of maritime delimitation along with advice relating to Marine Scientific Research and the provision of the transfer of marine technology as in accordance with Part XIII and Part XIV of UNCLOS.