Prof. John Siddorn
Biography
Prof. John Siddorn is the Chief Executive of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), where he leads the organisation’s mission to gain a deeper knowledge of the ocean to address major challenges facing society and the natural world.
Under his leadership, NOC is delivering on our vision to gain deeper knowledge of the ocean to help every living thing flourish through world, leading science, driving innovation in digital ocean technologies, autonomous systems, and data-driven approaches for the benefit of society and the planet, positioning the UK at the forefront of global marine research and environmental resilience.
John is an Honorary Professor at the University of Southampton, an Honorary Fellow at the Met Office.
He is Head of the UK Delegation to the International Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and has led the formation of Marine Science UK, the umbrella organisation, which he Chairs. He has national and international representative roles and responsibilities including serving on the Governing Board for the National Partnership for Ocean Prediction, the UN Decade Digital Twins of the Ocean (DITTO) Advisory Board and the Ad Hoc Committee supporting the development of OceanObs ’29.
Before becoming Chief Executive, John served as NOC’s Chief Scientist, where he guided the organisation’s research. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at the Met Office, including Head of Ocean Forecasting R&D, and began his research journey at Plymouth Marine Laboratory as a biogeochemical modeller.
Committee Memberships
International
Head of the UK Delegation to the IOC-UNESCO from 2024
European Marine Board Board Member from 2024
Partnership for Observing the Global Ocean Board Member from 2024
Digital Twins of the Ocean DITTO Advisory Board from 2024
National:
Chair of Executive Committee of Marine Science UK from 2026
National Research Organisations (NRO) from 2026
Marine Science UK Executive Committee Chair from 2025
National Partnership for Ocean Prediction Governing Board from 2024
Previously:
Head of the UK Delegation to the IOC-UNESCO from 2024
European Marine Board Board Member from 2024
Partnership for Observing the Global Ocean Board Member from 2024
Digital Twins of the Ocean DITTO Advisory Board from 2024
National:
Chair of Executive Committee of Marine Science UK from 2026
National Research Organisations (NRO) from 2026
Marine Science UK Executive Committee Chair from 2025
National Partnership for Ocean Prediction Governing Board from 2024
Previously:
Digital Twins of the Ocean DITTO Steering Committee 2020 – 2024
CoastPredict Steering Committee 2020 – 2024
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Steering Committee 2019 – 2024
Alan Turing Institute Co-Director Research and Innovation Cluster: Digital Twins 2022 – 2023
WMO Study Group on Ocean Obs and Infrastructure Systems 2021 – 2022
UK Integrated Marine Observing Network 2019 – 2022
Weather and Climate Science for Services (India) Science Lead 2019 – 2021
Mercator Ocean International Management Board 2017 – 2021
OceanPredict Advisory and Sponsors Board Chair 2017 – 2021
IMarEST Operational Oceanography Special Interest Group 2017 – 2021
EuroGOOS Science Advisory Working Group 2015 – 2021
EuroGOOS Members Committee 2014 – 2021
National Partnership for Ocean Prediction Executive Committee Chair 2014 – 2021
North-West Shelf Ocean Observing System Steering Committee 2009 – 2018
ICES Planning Group for Op Oc for Fisheries and Ecosystems Chair 2010 – 2012
OceanObs’09 and OceanObs'19 Programme Committee 2009 / 2019
Healthy and Biologically Diverse Seas Evidence Group 2006 – 2010
GOOS Action Group 2004 – 2006
CoastPredict Steering Committee 2020 – 2024
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Steering Committee 2019 – 2024
Alan Turing Institute Co-Director Research and Innovation Cluster: Digital Twins 2022 – 2023
WMO Study Group on Ocean Obs and Infrastructure Systems 2021 – 2022
UK Integrated Marine Observing Network 2019 – 2022
Weather and Climate Science for Services (India) Science Lead 2019 – 2021
Mercator Ocean International Management Board 2017 – 2021
OceanPredict Advisory and Sponsors Board Chair 2017 – 2021
IMarEST Operational Oceanography Special Interest Group 2017 – 2021
EuroGOOS Science Advisory Working Group 2015 – 2021
EuroGOOS Members Committee 2014 – 2021
National Partnership for Ocean Prediction Executive Committee Chair 2014 – 2021
North-West Shelf Ocean Observing System Steering Committee 2009 – 2018
ICES Planning Group for Op Oc for Fisheries and Ecosystems Chair 2010 – 2012
OceanObs’09 and OceanObs'19 Programme Committee 2009 / 2019
Healthy and Biologically Diverse Seas Evidence Group 2006 – 2010
GOOS Action Group 2004 – 2006
