Sam Seward

President of Quark Expeditions

Sam Seward has an extensive experience in active and experiential group travel, having previously led Travelopia’s Adventure Travel division. Sam Seward will share insights into the future of polar tourism and Quark’s approach to shaping it.

Karin Strand

Vice President of Expedition Development, HX Expeditions

Karin serves as Chair of AECO’s Executive Committee. She brings over 20 years of experience in the expedition cruise industry in both the Arctic and Antarctic, primarily as an Expedition Leader and later as an Operations Manager.

Lars Fause

Governor of Svalbard

Lars Fause has served as the Governor of Svalbard since June 2021. Lars Fause has a longstanding interest in Arctic governance and policy and will share seasonal update and perspecitves from the Governor’s office. (Photo: Trygve Olsen)

Andreas Østhagen

Research Director at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute

Professor Andreas Østhagen is a renowned expert on Arctic security and international relations. He will talk about the shifting geopolitical landscape of the Arctic, raising questions about cooperation, competition, and the role of global powers in a rapidly changing environment.

Frigg Jørgensen

Executive Director of AECO

Frigg Jørgensen brings over30 years of experience in Arctic tourism and is a leading voice for sustainable and responsible practices in the region. Before becoming Executive Director of AECO, she held key roles with Visit Svalbard, the Governor of Svalbard, and helped establish the Svalbard Tourism Board.

Geir Wing Gabrielsen

Senior Research Scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute

Professor Geir Wing Gabrielsen is senior research scientist in environmental pollutants at the Norwegian Polar Institute and holds an adjunct position at UNIS.

Gyða Guðmundsdóttir

Head of Community Engagement at AECO

Gyða Guðmundsdóttir is responsible for AECO’s community engagement program. She brings broad experience from the cruise industry, having worked across destination marketing, port agency, and logistics across the Arctic.

Joshua Jones

Oceanographer at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego

Dr. Joshua Jones is an with expertise in the use of passive acoustic monitoring for the study of marine mammals and ocean environments, with a research focus in the Arctic. His research has involved a combination of underwater passive acoustic recordings and satellite remote sensing data, as well as collaboration with Indigenous communities and non-governmental organizations.

Christopher Gerlach

Manager, Tourism Development, Government of Nunavut

Christopher Gerlach has devoted nearly 20 years to the tourism industry. His journey began in 2005, gaining valuable experience in luxury hotels across South America and onboard cruise ships in the UK. In 2016, he transitioned to a role with the Government of Nunavut.

Ronny Brunvoll

CEO of Visit Svalbard

Ronny Brunvoll is responsible for the overall efforts of on behalf of the 80ish member companies in Svalbard Tourism Council. Main focus is responsible marketing, corporate responsibility and destination sustainability and development.

Salik Hard

Senior Advisor, Ministry of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice and Gender Equalityes

Salik leads the Greenland Government tourism strategies, legislation, business development and concessions. He has more than 30 years of senior-level experience in various tourism companies and institutions in Greenland.