Pedro Zapata is an international leader in ocean conservation with more than two decades of experience advancing sustainable fisheries, marine policy, and blue economy initiatives. He currently serves as Associate Vice President for Global Oceans Strategies at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where he guides high‑level global engagements, shapes ocean governance priorities, and leads strategies supporting climate‑resilient fisheries and coastal communities. His career spans senior roles at EDF, Oceana, WWF, and the World Bank, where he has built and led multidisciplinary teams across Latin America and Asia, secured major philanthropic investments, designed national and international fisheries reforms, and delivered measurable conservation outcomes—including rights‑based management advances, transparency reforms, and ecosystem‑based policy innovations. Trained in political science and sustainable development, Pedro holds an MSc in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and a BA in Political Science from Universidad Iberoamericana. He is also a published author in leading scientific journals, contributing research on fish mislabeling, fisheries management, and policy effectiveness.