Chris Brown is the global head of conservation, science and education at Sea Life UK for Merlin Entertainments. He has worked for the firm for over two decades, most recently as head of marine programs and engagement, where he led the conservation, welfare and engagement department in its work across the UK Sea Life Group. During his time with the company, he has been based at several of the group’s attractions, including Sea Life centres at Great Yarmouth, Loch Lomond, and Birmingham.
One person who nominated Brown said: “It is a privilege to work with such a driven, collaborative, considered and inspiring person, and I trust his influence across the public aquarium and conservation fields continues into the future.”
Another said: “Chris Brown leads the development of inspiring exhibits and animal welfare, helping others creatively develop strategies that advance many aspects of their work, driving engagement at its heart and building the foundation upon which aquariums can inspire the public. However, his drive and creative approach to delivering conservation are creating strong relationships between aquariums, NGOs and government agencies alike.”
Brown is also vice chair of BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums). This means that his extensive network within the public aquarium community creates opportunities for collaboration to share best practices and advance knowledge. His concerted focus on building combined efforts with public aquariums and government and non-government organisations has allowed him to create unique opportunities and form partnerships to study and protect marine animals and their habitats around the globe.
Between 2018 and 2020, Brown took a secondment as curator at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. He told blooloop: “I applied for a secondment here and was very lucky Merlin and Sea Life allowed me to come over here for two years. The plan was to come here and try out various projects, see how successful they were and which ones worked, which ones didn’t, and then take some of the learnings back to Europe.”