EMB is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kate E. Larkin as incoming EMB Executive Director, made official at the recent EMB Autumn Plenary meeting on 27-28 October, hosted by EMB member GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany. Dr. Larkin attended the meeting in person to meet the Board and Secretariat.
Dr. Larkin is a marine scientist (Ph.D. 2006) and science-policy professional with over 20 years of experience in the marine knowledge domain. She is currently Head of Secretariat for the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) and Lead, Marine Knowledge at Seascape Belgium. In her current role, she works directly with EMODnet’s 133 partners from 33 nations to deliver the operational EU marine data service. She also leads EMODnet’s partnerships across research, policy, the blue economy and society, on topics spanning the marine knowledge value chain, from ocean observations to data services and the European Digital Twin Ocean. Her work to-date has spanned National (NOC, UK) and European (EU projects, contracts and professional Secretariats at EMB, EMODnet), set in an international context.
Dr. Larkin will officially take up her post as Executive Director of the European Marine Board IVZW on 18 January 2027, and we very much look forward to welcoming her. She is replacing outgoing Executive Director Prof. Sheila Heymans who leaves the role at the end of 2026.
Photo by Ilka Thomsen, GEOMAR