About | OceanAssetsGroup

On our mission to help finance healthy oceans & coastal communities,

we organise workstreams under two entities & several partnerships.

Ocean Assets Group

Research Institute

Ocean Assets Institute

(Non-profit)

Investment Banking

Ocean Assets Sàrl

Pipeline & Readiness

BlueDeals Platform

Research & Advice

For Financial Institutions

Capital Raising

BlueDeals Platform

Investment Structuring

For Impact Investors

The Ocean Assets Group

Meet the Team

Our Ocean Assets Group is a flexible team working across the globe and sectors to convene meaningful stakeholders and build pipelines that drive innovation in the Blue Economy.

CEO - Founder

D. Michael Adams

Michael founded Ocean Assets in 2015 after a 30-year career in investment banking and a lifelong passion for the ocean. Michael previously founded The Journal of Investing and Pedigree Investments, raising capital for innovative companies and funds worldwide.

For Ocean Assets, he leads investor engagement, global partnerships and pipeline development. Michael and his family lived in the Bahamas (2006-9) where they funded coral reef studies and participated in several marine ecosystem initiatives. He earned a MSc from Columbia University.

Senior Advisor

Joan Fulton

Joan leads research and partnerships for Ocean Assets Institute, plus credit analysis for BlueDeals. She brings over 25 years of international corporate banking and finance experience, combined with 10+ years of teaching diverse multinational business subjects at universities in Madrid and Geneva.

In addition, Joan has given over 15 years working with humanitarian organizations in Asia and Africa regarding strategy and finance. She holds a BA from Stanford University and a MBA from Columbia University.

Advisor - Business Development

Fred Puckle Hobbes

Fred, based in Singapore, leads our broad partnership network in Asia and the development of the Blue Foods portfolio for BlueDeals. He established the impact and communications firm, Tathva, to support the sustainable transformation of food systems in the region.

He previously was CEO of a seaweed management platform and served in HSBCs Global Markets Operations team. Fred holds degrees from Exeter University.

Advisor - Financial Analysis

Sophie Brio

Sophie is a sustainable finance consultant and Blue Economy Research Analyst, specializing in investment solutions for a sustainable ocean. With over 25 years in investment banking across London and Hong Kong, she has worked at firms like Credit Suisse and BNP Paribas.

Sophie holds a MSc in Computing Science from Imperial College London, is certified in ESG investing by the CFA Institute, and completed Cambridge University's sustainable finance course. She is also president of the environmental NGO SeaGeneration, reflecting her personal commitment to marine conservation.

Financial Analyst

Nicola Lei Ravello

Nicola led the financial and quantitative analysis for our Blue Economy Knowledge Product. He also runs White Stag Investing, providing research on sustainable investment in water and oceans.

For Ocean Assets, he provides project-based financial and economic analysis. Nicola has over 10 years experience in finance, with a MSc in Finance from University of Zurich.

Intern - Green Maritime

Benoît Kessler

Benoit is a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant at Haut Ecole de Gestion (HEG) Geneva. He did his undergraduate thesis on financing green shipping in Asia and the Pacific.

Benoit has lived and travelled extensively in Asia. He is currently pursuing a MSc degree in EurAsia business at HEG.