Speaker — Neptune Forum 2026
Leticia Reis de Carvalho
Secrétaire générale, Autorité internationale des fonds marins
Secretary-General, International Seabed Authority (ISA)
Leticia Reis de Carvalho became, on 1 January 2025, the fourth Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), following her election in August 2024.
A seasoned United Nations diplomat, she has extensive experience in environmental governance, multilateral negotiations, and the regulation of offshore activities. Prior to her appointment, she served as Special Adviser to the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for freshwater ecosystems, having previously led UNEP's Marine and Freshwater Branch. In that role, she championed the sustainable management of marine resources and the development of the blue economy.
A specialist in offshore environmental policy, particularly in the oil, gas, and mining sectors, she has worked on environmental impact assessments, risk management, and marine pollution response plans. She has served as negotiator and presiding officer for numerous international agreements relating to the law of the sea and environmental conventions, and has led marine ecosystem protection initiatives at the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment. A trained oceanographer, she holds a master's degree in sustainable development from the University of Brasília.
