Global Engagement and Ocean Policy Manager
Margaux Monfared is a marine biologist and ocean policy specialist working across global engagement, international advocacy and coral reef resilience. At Blue Pangolin Consulting, she supports governments, international initiatives and partners to align science, policy and inclusive engagement in support of effective ocean governance. She previously served as International Policy and Advocacy Director for the International Coral Reef Initiative, where she played a leading role in shaping high-level policy priorities for coral reefs, including the development of global policy asks, contributions to international biodiversity frameworks and support to countries in multilateral negotiations. Her work bridges field-based experience in coral reef research and restoration with international policy processes, and is underpinned by a strong commitment to inclusive, science-based and community-responsive approaches to ocean conservation.
Margaux works on Global Engagement and Ocean Policy for Blue Pangolin Consulting and previously served as the International Policy and Advocacy Director for the International Coral Reef Initiative. An experienced marine biologist and policy specialist, her career has been driven by a deep passion for coral reefs and their vital role in ocean health. From hands-on coral reef restoration to shaping international biodiversity frameworks, Margaux has worked across science, policy, and community engagement, connecting local action with global advocacy.
She holds an MSc in Applied Aquatic Biology and has led research and education programmes in the Maldives, Cambodia, and Honduras before transitioning to international policy roles. With several years of field experience, Margaux has focused on enhancing coral reef resilience to climate change through collaborative research, community outreach, and cross-disciplinary teamwork. More recently she has focused on key policy initiatives, including the development of the Key Policy Asks for Coral Reefs and the first IUCN Motion on coral bleaching. Margaux also supported Fiji in shaping and negotiating the UNEA-7 resolution on promoting the climate resilience of coral reefs, providing technical and policy expertise to ensure it was grounded in the latest science and responsive to the needs of reef-dependent communities.
She serves on the Advisory Board of the Coral Restoration Consortium and is also a member of Leading Women for the Ocean, a global network that empowers women’s voices in ocean conservation, and the CBD Women’s Caucus. Through these and other platforms, she actively contributes to advancing more inclusive and effective ocean governance.
Previously, Margaux managed coral propagation programmes in the Maldives, leading the out planting of over 100,000 coral fragments, and developed spawning research that informed best practices across reef systems. In Cambodia, she coordinated reef health assessments and established training and monitoring frameworks in collaboration with local communities and NGOs. She has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on coral reef ecology and contributes to global efforts such as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration task-forces. Margaux also sits on the advisory board for the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Coastal Regions Worldwide (TROPICAL ADAPT) project led by the Ecologic Institute on behalf of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV).
Margaux is an active member of ICRI’s ad-hoc committees including Reef Restoration and Adaptation, and she is committed to fostering inclusive, science-based marine policy that drives lasting impact for coral reef ecosystems.
Through these and other platforms, Margaux actively contributes to advancing more inclusive, equitable, and effective ocean governance.
*These authors contributed equally to this work.
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