Dr. Arun Padiyar is a fisheries and aquaculture specialist with 24 years of field experience in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. He has worked extensively to promote better management practices for sustainable and responsible aquaculture development. His experience includes advancing cluster farm management through the promotion of small-scale farmer organizations and various aquaculture technologies to improve production efficiencies. Dr. Padiyar also focuses on diversification through species and systems and supports governments in policy and program formulation and budget and investment planning. This includes developing fisheries master plans, fish seed master plans, scaling and dissemination plans, bankable business plans, and socially and gender-inclusive aquaculture programs.

Dr. Padiyar has a strong track record of successfully managing field programs in the fisheries sector for various international organizations. He is dedicated to building partnerships with public and private sectors, NGOs, and community-based organizations to achieve rapid scaling and impactful results. He has significant experience in rehabilitating the aquaculture sector in the aftermath of natural disasters, such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and cyclones, as well as in post-conflict and war zones.

He has earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in fisheries sciences from the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India, and a PhD in aquatic animal health management from Deakin University, Australia.