About Us
Bringing together senior leaders from the global groundfish industry since 1992.
About The International Groundfish Forum
The International Groundfish Forum is a unique global meeting place where senior leaders from the groundfish industry come together. The Forum brings together executives from companies directly engaged in harvesting, processing, marketing and supplying groundfish products, creating a trusted environment built on continuity, shared knowledge and long-standing industry relationships.
The purpose of the Forum is to strengthen understanding of long-term developments in groundfish resources, supply, utilisation and markets. Discussions address industry trends, international trade, product disposition, and developments affecting the harvesting, processing, marketing and distribution of groundfish products worldwide.
The Forum is built on active participation and continuity among its members, encouraging informed dialogue, professional exchange and long-term engagement across the industry. Participation is by invitation only and is limited to senior industry executives.
All Forum discussions take place within a professional environment fully aligned with international competition and antitrust principles.
The Forum’s scope covers the major groundfish species traded internationally, together with selected farmed finfish species relevant to global supply and markets.
The International Groundfish Forum is a non-profit organization registered in Canada and has a maximum membership of approximately 300 members.
The story behind
The first Groundfish Forum was held in Hamburg, Germany, in October 1992. What began as a small gathering of senior industry representatives has developed into a unique international meeting place for leaders across the global groundfish sector.
The Forum is held annually each October, traditionally in Europe, with every fifth meeting hosted outside Europe to reflect the international nature of the industry. Over the years, the Forum has met in cities including Copenhagen, London, Madrid, Reykjavik, Auckland, Cape Town, Seattle and, most recently, Tokyo in 2025.
Its strength has always been continuity: long-standing participation, trusted relationships and a shared commitment to better understanding developments across the global groundfish industry.
Executive Committee
The International Groundfish Forum is guided by an Executive Committee of senior industry leaders representing different regions and areas of the global groundfish sector.
Executive committee
Felix Ratheb
CEO
Sea Harvest Group
South Africa
Felix Ratheb
Chairman of the Board
Felix is Chief Executive Officer of Sea Harvest Group and Chairperson of the Groundfish Forum.
He has more than 20 years of experience in the seafood industry and has led Sea Harvest’s growth through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Prior to becoming CEO in 2013, he held several senior leadership positions within the company.
He holds a degrees in Electrical Engineering and Business Administration.
Paul Jewer
CEO
High Liner Foods
Canada
Paul Jewer
Treasurer
Paul is President and Chief Executive Officer of High Liner Foods. He joined the company as Chief Financial Officer in 2014 and was appointed CEO in 2023. Prior to High Liner Foods, he held senior finance leadership roles with Sobeys Inc. and in the technology sector.
Paul is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA), holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.
Vala Pálsdóttir
MA in Global Marketing Communication and Advertising
MA in Curatorial Practice
BA Business Administration
Vala Pálsdóttir
Secretery General
Vala is Secretary General of the International Groundfish Forum. She has more than 20 years of experience spanning corporate communications, investor relations, strategic advisory, media and public policy. Her previous positions include Head of Investor Relations at Íslandsbanki, Political Adviser to Iceland’s Minister of the Interior, and senior roles in television journalism.
Vala has had close ties to the seafood industry throughout her life. She grew up on a salmon farm, worked from an early age in her father’s fish-processing business, and continues that connection through her own family, with the next generation already working at sea.
She serves on the board of the Vestmannaeyjar Pension Fund and previously chaired the Icelandic government committee responsible for developing the country’s first national food policy. She also served for several years as Chair of the Independence Party’s National Women’s Organisation.
A curator and art collector, Vala holds two master’s degrees—one in Global Marketing Communication and Advertising and another in Curatorial Practice—as well as a BSc in Business Administration. She has lived and worked across Europe and North and South America.
David Jiang
CEO
Unibond Seafood International
United Kingdom
David Jiang
David is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Unibond Seafood International Ltd., a leading UK-based seafood processor and supplier.
Since founding the company in 1995, he has grown Unibond into a major supplier of whitefish products across the UK, Europe, and North America.
He holds an MSc in Marine Engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University and an MBA from the United Kingdom.
Joe Bundrant
CEO
Trident Seafoods
USA
Joe Bundrant
Joseph (Joe) is Chief Executive Officer of Trident Seafoods Corporation, North America’s largest vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company.
A lifelong member of the seafood industry and son of Trident founder Chuck Bundrant, Joe has helped lead the growth of the family-owned business into a global seafood leader with operations spanning harvesting, processing, and distribution.
Knut Hallvard Lerøy
Managing Director
Lerøy Seafood
Norway
Knut Hallvard Lerøy
Knut is Head of Operations at Lerøy Seafood AS. He has more than 30 years of experience within the Lerøy Seafood Group, having held a variety of leadership and operational roles throughout his career.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of San Francisco and an Executive MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).
Lisa Webb
Vice President of Operations & McDonald’s Business Unit
Gorton’s, USA
Lisa Webb
Lisa oversees Procurement, Supply Chain, and the McDonald’s Business Unit at Gorton’s. With more than 38 years of experience in the seafood industry, she has developed extensive expertise in sourcing, supply chain management, and operations.
She has led significant improvements in productivity and manufacturing effectiveness and has championed lean business practices throughout her career. She holds a BS degree in Food Science and Technology.
Ricardo Alves
CEO
Riberalves
Portugal
Ricardo Alves
Ricardo is Chief Executive Officer of Riberalves, the world leader in ready-to-cook codfish products. With more than 20 years of experience at the company, he was appointed CEO in 2022 after holding a variety of leadership roles.
He holds a degree in Food Engineering and has dedicated his career to advancing the seafood industry through innovation, operational excellence, and international growth.