Welcoming Per Christian Kaels: Waitt Institute's New Aquaculture Manager

Join us in welcoming Per Christian Kaels to the Waitt Institute as the Aquaculture Manager. In this role, Per Christian leads the Waitt Institute’s efforts to develop and implement aquaculture strategies in countries where they can support sustainable ocean economies and local livelihoods.

He brings more than 30 years of international experience across aquaculture and the broader Blue Economy.

Per Christian has worked across the United States, Brazil, Norway, the Middle East, and Asia, combining technical expertise in aquaculture science with private-sector leadership. He has also founded and led Spring Genetics, developed joint ventures, and advised governments, the World Bank, and UNDP on aquaculture.

His areas of expertise include business and project development, strategy and implementation, and building cross-sector partnerships that deliver long-term, sustainable results.

Per Christian holds an MBA in Business and Managerial Economics from the Norwegian School of Economics and a BSc in International Business & Economics from Copenhagen Business School. He also speaks Norwegian, Danish, English, and Portuguese and is proficient in French and Spanish.