Jo Ruxton - Speaker







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Jo Ruxton MBE, marine conservationist and film producer, is an experienced and engaging speaker who has addressed audiences from schools to corporations, in parliaments and government establishments and to audiences throughout the world after screenings of the Netflix documentary she produced 'A Plastic Ocean'. 

Following the launch of the film, Jo has been invited to speak at screening events around the world. Her expertise on this subject have grown as she has travelled to the centres of 3 oceans and witnessed the problem in 22 locations around the world, met with scientists who have dedicated their lives to studying the effects of plastic on wildlife and ultimately ourselves. She has met with innovators and those striving to find a way to cope with the issue, and those designing alternatives to single-use plastic.

As the founder of Ocean Generation, Jo also focuses on raising awareness and encouraging people to take action to protect our Ocean from all human threats by inspiring them to fall in love with Ocean, its importance and wanting to protect it. 

Speaking Topics

  • Environment Filmmaking & Documentaries
  • First hand experiences of Ocean Plastic Pollution 
  • How to improve your sustainability practices as a team or company
  • How individuals, companies and governments can play a role in stopping Ocean threats
  • The Power of the Ocean: for our world, for our own wellbeing
  • Building the resilience to follow your dream career/pathway

Awards & Achievements 

 

Testimonials 

  Jo is a powerful and engaging public speaker with a credibility and authenticity that makes her the perfect trusted guide on an audience's journey of inspiration, revelation and understanding about the ocean and our relationship with it.  Jo's credibility as a prescient thought-leader in marine conservation is respected worldwide. Ever since she started talking about the urgent issue of plastic pollution a long time before many of her peers.  Hearing Jo speak with her customary down-to-earth passion for the ocean and her own experience of a powerful ocean connection, her warm, positive authenticity is self-evident - and infectious.  Add to that a seasoned storyteller who has travelled the world's oceans, seen amazing things and met the most inspiring people, Jo has a treasure trove of insights and anecdotes that will delight and engage any audience." - Tim Scoones, former BBC Executive Producer

We had the pleasure of  inviting Jo to speak to the AspenTech employees for Earth Day. Her story was inspiring and eye opening, providing many light bulb moments for those who attended.  The session gave the team a renewed vigour in terms of the  actions they could take to make a difference.  I would encourage everyone to listen to Jo’s story and see what they can do to make a change to impact the world we live in." - Michelle Noble, Aspen Tech 

 Jo's love and passion for the ocean empowers her to effectively reach out and connect with any audience.  Her unique ability to communicate her message, be it through regular public speaking engagements or her successful film productions, not only informs but also inspires all those listening.  Having had the opportunity to work with Jo on numerous occasions since the production Planeta Azul I, I have only seen her enthusiasm and commitment to protect the ocean grow.  Following her more recent production of A Plastic Ocean, I have invited Jo to speak at a wide range of festivals and conferences.  No matter the diversity of her audience, she never fails to make an impact and inspire action.  Outside of her public presence, Jo is also a pleasure to work with behind the scenes and in the field. Despite the circumstances and many challenges inherent to filming and production, she is always admired and appreciated for her professionalism and enduring positive attitude." - Juan Romero, CEO Fundacion Azul Marino 

    Bio

    Jo Ruxton is a passionate campaigner for the Ocean. After achieving her BSc Hons in Biological Sciences from the London University her career in conservation took off in the ‘80’s when she started the first marine programme for WWF in Hong Kong, where she lived for 14 years.  During that time, she was a key advocate for the establishment of the first marine protected areas there. 

    She was a lead member of the BBC Natural History Unit’s diving team for many years and has been producing and directing underwater sequences since the first days of filming on the award-winning Blue Planet series in 1997.  During her 12 years at the BBC she was involved in numerous underwater films from Antarctica to the pristine reefs of the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean for the BBC and the Discovery Channel. 

    Recognising the need to increase the conservation messages in the BBC films she worded on, Jo decided to leave to work independently. When she started to hear about the devastating problem of plastic waste in the ocean, she knew she had to tell the story of the ocean as it really was, and not how the beautiful wildlife documentaries portrayed it to be.  She began to raise the funds needed to make the film, A Plastic Ocean which took 2 years just to get the filming going.  The more she learned about the subject the more determined she was to tell the story as research was revealing a much bigger problem than she had ever imagined.  It was 8 years before her multi-award-winning film, A Plastic Ocean, was finally released in 2017 in more than 70 countries and in 15 languages.

    Jo is the Founder of Ocean Generation (UK registered Charity No. 1139843 (formerly Plastic Oceans). Ocean Generation exists to restore a healthy relationship between humanity and our Ocean. We are empowering a global movement to tackle Ocean threats through science and storytelling. Our Youth Engagement Programmes empower young people from 5 to 25 years old to fall in love with our Ocean and find their own unique way to safeguard it in their daily lives and throughout their careers.

     

    Media

    Jo is often invited to speak at events as well as live on news both TV and radio including Sky and BBC. She has also been involved in several brand ambassador and influencer campaigns with companies like Longchamp and Guess. Here is a selection of other interviews she has taken part in as well as presentations she has given:

     

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    Author: Melanie Vella

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