"Bringing Katherine's knowledge, experience, energy, and vision to what we do is going to make it even more meaningful, more impactful, and definitely more fun," Aqua-Spark wrote on LinkedIn about its new signing.
Photo: Aqua-Spark.
The Netherlands-based aquaculture impact investment fund Aqua-Spark today announced the appointment of Katherine Bryar, former Global Marketing Director of Danish aquafeed group BioMar, as its new Director of Strategic Partnerships.
The company emphasized that this appointment comes at a pivotal moment for sustainable aquaculture, given that, as the sector matures, it is entering a more complex and demanding phase. "One that calls for discipline, deep industry knowledge, and closer collaboration across the value chain," Aqua-Spark's statement read.
Therefore, the fund is strengthening its team with senior industry expertise to deepen partnerships across the value chain, and, according to the announcement, bringing Bryar into the team reflects that focus: drawing on deep industry expertise to strengthen the partnerships and relationships that will matter most in the years ahead.
"I've spent my career working across the aquaculture value chain, and what stands out about Aqua-Spark is its long-term commitment to the operators and ecosystems doing the real work," the fund's new Director of Strategic Partnerships said, commenting on her appointment.
"Connecting capital to that work, thoughtfully and patiently, is exactly where I want to be focused. I'm excited to join the team at such a pivotal time for the industry," Katherine Bryar added.
As highlighted in the release, Bryar joins Aqua-Spark with extensive experience and a deep understanding of the producers' perspective, having held leadership positions in the aquaculture sector, most notably her role as Global Marketing Director at BioMar, a position she held for almost nine years. Then, last October, she announced that in January she would leave the aquafeed company to return to her native Australia to lead the premium Aquna Murray Cod producer's global growth strategy.
Her return home, however, has been brief. As she concluded her post announcing her new position on her LinkedIn profile today: "...going home will just need to wait a little bit longer." Previously, Bryar said that the interesting thing about her new role is that it comes "at a pivotal time in aquaculture as we convert the last 10 years of innovation from proof-of-concept to commercialisation."
"Aqua-Spark has been there from the beginning and Amy Novogratz and Mike Velings have taken time to truly understand the needs of our industry. I'm honoured to join them on this exciting new phase of growth and transformation," she added.
In its release, the Netherlands-based global investment fund noted that at the time of its launch, it stood largely alone in deploying patient capital to sustainable aquaculture. Today, more than 200 funds operate in this space, which has brought greater attention to the sector and, with it, a clearer recognition that building a resilient aquaculture industry is a long-term work that requires patience.
The company, which was forced to reduce the valuation of its assets after the implosion of the Indonesian aquaculture technology startup eFishery, has overcome that difficult time and, after the first closing of its Africa fund in March, is back in the spotlight.
In a public written statement published via LinkedIn in early April, Aqua-Spark founders Amy Novogratz and Mike Velings directly addressed the matter, acknowledging that the case had prompted them to examine their own assumptions as investors, including how they assess founders, verify performance data, and monitor governance standards across their portfolio. Thus, in announcing Katherine Bryar's appointment now, the company claimed it enters this new chapter "from a position of deliberate readiness."
"After more than 15 years working alongside entrepreneurs, farmers, and partners to build the foundations of a more sustainable aquaculture industry, the firm spent the last cycle right-sizing its team to match the realities of the market - disciplined, deliberate, and protective of its long-term thesis," the statement read.
The company said that, in her new role as Director of Strategic Partnerships, Bryar will focus on strengthening collaboration between producers, technology providers, processors, investors and other key players in the industry, ensuring that innovation translates into practical impact and significant progress for the sector.
"Katherine's integrated approach and deep focus on relationships are deeply aligned with how we operate and what we believe sustainable aquaculture needs at this inflection point," said Amy Novogratz.
"As the industry enters its next phase of growth and transformation, we are excited to work alongside her," Aqua-Spark's cofounder added.
The world's first sustainable aquaculture impact investment fund concluded its announcement by saying that it maintains its focus on transforming aquaculture by investing in companies that improve the sustainability, efficiency, and resilience of what it called "one of the world's most vital global food systems."