Dr. Nigel Preston served as the Director General of WorldFish from 2015 to 2016.

Prior to this role, he held several senior positions at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, including Program Director for Aquaculture Research, Acting Director of the Food Futures Program, and Theme Leader for Breed Engineering.

With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Preston has authored more than 90 scientific publications covering coral reef ecology, fisheries ecology, aquaculture biology, genetics, nutrition, and environmental management.

He holds a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Sydney and a BSc from Bangor University in North Wales.

I first met Nigel in 1971 when we sailed together on the Southampton Castle—he was a cadet, and I was serving as Extra Second Officer. We both left that ship within a couple of voyages of each other, only to find ourselves sailing together again shortly afterward on the Pendennis Castle.

We stayed in touch and spent quite a bit of time together in 1972, after he had left B&C and I was studying for my Master's Certificate.

Nigel was my best man at my first wedding in 1973.

The photo shows the two of us in the grounds of Launceston Castle during his visit in 2019—both a little older, and me a little wider.