Matthew Tan

Professor Matthew Tan is currently serving as Professor - Principal Research (adjunct) at Tropical Futures Institute. He was previously an adjunct Senior Research Fellow and Associate Professor (Aquaculture) with Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture (CSTFA) - College of Science and Engineering - James Cook University, Australia and also holding the joint appointment of Associate Director - Research at Tropical Futures Institute - James Cook University Singapore.

Prof Tan is also a Sustainability Specialist that specializes in Aquaculture carbon credit incubation & sequestration with regards to regenerative & restorative activities in the areas of biodiversity, CSR aquaculture and use of climate smart technologies with the aim to develop true impact projects to reduce carbon emissions, plastic waste, protect biodiversity, and drive investment into local communities.

He is also currently the Chief Executive Officer, Asia of Assentoft Aqua Asia Pte Ltd.

Assentoft Aqua A/S is one of the world's leading Aquaculture Engineering companies and the team at Assentoft Aqua has been involved in RAS development since the very beginning of the recirculation aquaculture industry; thus learning from both successes and failures from existing plants, including salmon plants. Assentoft is second to none in having the lowest possible footprint RAS that saves space, pipes, buildings etc, rapid installation time by using steel tanks as our basic component, having the best available water treatment within the industry, low investment per produced ton of fish and deep knowledge about salmon, trout and tropical pelagic fish production in land-based RAS-systems.

Assentoft Aqua is technically the direct offshoot of now in-active Inter Aqua Advance - IAA A/S (IAA). Inter Aqua Advance A/S was founded in 1978 and was the first company in the world supplying commercial recirculation plants for the aquaculture industry in Europe, U.S.A., Asia and Oceania.

During this time, more than 200 plants ranging from production capacities of 10 tons/year to 2,000 tons/year per module have been delivered. IAA has since its start always been in the forefront of research and development and over the years, other suppliers of recirculation technology have followed in IAA’s footsteps.

Prior to this current appointment, he was previously the Group Chief Technology Officer of Oceanus Group and CEO & Director of Oceanus Tech Pte Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oceanus Group – One of the world’s largest land based aquaculture company which is listed on the main board of the Singapore Stock Exchange.

A veteran in the aquaculture industry, he was responsible for the development of Oceanus Group's Risk Management framework and farms' operational protocols and oversaw the development and implementation of the company farm’s Bio-security plan which includes the validation & adoption of sustainable technologies, implementation of water monitoring system, animal nutrition & feed formulation and possible use of Recirculating Aquaculture technologies in their land based farms (42 farms with a total combined of area of about 100 sq. km, 40,000 breeding tanks which is spread over 300 km and a 5,000 floating cage facility).

He was also part of the new management team that spearheaded the restructuring of the company in 2015 and was instrumental in proposing the major changes to their business model and restructuring of operations which saw a 60% reduction in overheads and expenses subsequently. The restructuring efforts paid off and the company turned profitable in 2020. Note that the company was saddled with huge debts and defaulted on a totalling debt of S$94 million in 2014 and had a negative net asset position of approximately S$66 million.

Subsequently, he was seconded and promoted to CEO & Director of Oceanus Tech Pte Ltd which was setup by the group to spearhead the group expansion.

On the national front, he is currently Singapore’s Representative (Private Sector) to APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security (PPFS) and is also the incumbent APEC Chair - Expert Group for Sustainability (EG1), PPFS; where he convenes senior officials, APEC economies, and industry leaders to advance collaborative approaches that harness innovation, technology, and shared resources for sustainable food security across the region.

His career is defined by advancing transformative strategies that help governments and industries transition through Agri-Tech 4.0—positioning food systems to be more resilient, efficient, climate-smart, and future-ready. As an Agri-Tech domain specialist, he has pioneered carbon-neutral strategies that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, reduce operational footprints, and enable organizations to transition toward climate-resilient and sustainable models that bridges strategy and execution, ensuring that initiatives deliver measurable outcomes in food production and processing systems.
His recent achievements include spearheading scope 1,2 & 3 frameworks for agri-food technology projects, embedding sustainability into business models, and forging strategic partnerships with governments, NGOs, and industry stakeholders. These efforts have accelerated systemic solutions that balance productivity, profitability, and environmental responsibility.

Beyond policy and investment, Prof Tan also instructs and mentors startup in Deep Tech Translation, where he equips future leaders with practical tools to drive innovative transformation in global food systems. Known for making complex concepts accessible and actionable, he empowers the next generation to champion sustainable change worldwide.

Through his multifaceted roles in policy, industry, investment, and academia, Prof Tan continues to shape the global food security agenda—driving sustainable growth, advancing carbon-neutral practices, and leaving a lasting impact on the Agri-Food Tech ecosystem

Prof Tan is also graduate of SEAFDEC (Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre) – Asia’s leading fishery institution; where he received a Training Fellowship under a Government of Japan – Trust Fund Programme in Abalone hatchery and grow-out, sea weed and Benthic Diatom culture and production.

Current external appointments:

1. Singapore Representative (Private Sector): APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security (PPFS) is a collaborative platform that brings together governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders from APEC's 21 member economies to strengthen food security across the Asia-Pacific region. PPFS promotes sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and innovative food systems by facilitating policy dialogue, public-private partnerships, technological innovation, and capacity building. Its priorities include strengthening agricultural and fisheries productivity, enhancing food supply chain resilience, promoting sustainable resource management, improving food trade connectivity, and addressing challenges arising from climate change. Through regional cooperation and knowledge sharing, PPFS seeks to ensure that the Asia-Pacific region has access to a stable, safe, nutritious, and affordable food supply while supporting long-term economic growth and environmental sustainability. Established in 2011, PPFS is guided by the APEC Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030, which emphasises six areas: digitalisation and innovation, productivity, inclusivity, sustainability, public-private partnerships, and measurable outcomes. About APEC PPFS : https://apec.org/Groups/Other-Groups/Policy-Partnership-on-Food-Security.aspx

2. Chair – Expert Group for Sustainability - APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security : In line with APEC PPFS Terms of Reference (2026–2029), the Expert Group has been formed to provide stakeholder-driven input and practical support to PPFS in advancing sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and innovative agri-food systems across the APEC region. Our work will focus on identifying common regional challenges, undertaking collaborative projects to develop practical solutions and policy options, and delivering studies, workshops, PPP funding for innovations & our stakeholders, advancing digitization and best-practice sharing initiatives to support capacity building. The Expert Group will comprise of eminent members from across the agri-food ecosystem, including agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, climate technology, carbon-neutral expertise, finance, logistics, academia, NGOs, and international organizations, with public-private partnership as a core pillar of this effort.

3. Senior Principal Consultant - Olam Agri - Olam Agri is a leading global agri-business with deep capabilities across origination, processing, trading, logistics, distribution and risk management. With operations across more than 30 countries, over 60 manufacturing and processing facilities, 10,600 customers, and a team of more than 10,000 employees, Olam Agri plays an important role in global food, feed and fibre supply chains. In this role, I will be assisting with Olam Agri’s planned expansion into West Africa’s aquaculture sector, with a focus on strengthening aquaculture capabilities across the value chain. This includes supporting the expansion of its feed programme, aquaculture training, the setting up a broodstock and selective genetic breeding programme, the development of commercial hatchery capabilities, and the establishment of an aquaculture training academy.

4. Senior Strategic Advisor - Artesian Venture Partners - Artesian is a global alternative investment manager specialising in early-stage venture capital, impact-aligned mandates, and our proven Venture Capital as a Service (VCaaS) platform. We bridge public priorities with private capital, empowering governments, corporates, and research institutions to convert strategic challenges into investable opportunities.

5. Consultant - Sustainability. Agri, Climate & Food Track - National GRIP Programme - The National GRIP (Graduate Research Innovation Programme) is Singapore's national initiative transforming cutting-edge research from our Autonomous Universities (AUs) and Research Institutes into market-ready deep tech startups. Established with the strategic vision of positioning Singapore as a global innovation hub, this programme bridges the critical gap between scientific discovery and commercial application. Launched by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and executed in partnership with Singapore's leading academic institutions — National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) — National GRIP builds on Singapore's world-class research infrastructure and talent pipeline.

   6.  

   Advisor (HON) - Centre for Aquaculture and Veterinary Science, School of Applied Science, Temasek Polytechnic - Established in 2016, the Centre for Aquaculture and Veterinary Science (CAVS) is a specialised research, innovation and training centre supporting Singapore’s aquaculture, veterinary, biomedical and agri-tech industries. The Centre focuses on applied research in aquaculture nutrition, fish health and disease management, breeding and genetics, sustainable farming systems, and water quality management. Through industry partnerships, multidisciplinary R&D and professional training, CAVS facilitates technology development, knowledge transfer and practical solutions to enhance aquaculture productivity, sustainability and food security.
   

   7.  
   

   Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board – Arianetech Pte Ltd - Arianetech is a leading Agri tech company in the region that specialized in cutting edge Agri-tech research & development, turnkey solution for Urban vertical farms and the supply of manufacturing of modern agricultural technology and equipment. The founders of the company have 40 years of combined experience in this field and is involved in the setup of more than 50% of the vertical farms in Singapore. The company supports urban farmers to build highly efficient, energy-saving, and climate smart  advanced vertical farms that produce higher quality crops with high productivity.
   

   8. 
   

   Member – Advisory Board, Aquaculture Domain : PT Terra Baru - Indonesia's Leading Biochar and Carbon Credit Specialists. Terra Baru drives sustainable innovation by transforming waste into valuable capital, powering a net-zero future and delivering measurable impact across the planet, society, and the economy. Terra Baru is a seasoned team of global executives united by a single mission— to address Indonesia’s 250 million tons per year agricultural waste problem. With a diverse background encompassing expertise in resource development, sustainable practices, ecosystem and biodiversity conservation, environmental law, and investment banking, Terra Baru is uniquely positioned to create transformative solutions. By impacting communities, soil, air, and water, and transforming waste and emissions into capital, we build a world where carbon emissions and soil degradation become valuable resources to fund environmental and social sustainability.. From 2022 to present.

   Past external appointments:

   1.     Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board - Singapore CrawFish Pte Ltd - Singapore Crawfish (SGCF) is Asia leading freshwater crawfish aquaculture farm. With their technological breakthrough in controlled spawning, SGCF has built the world’s first, large scale and sustainable crawfish hatchery which will provide farmers globally with quality, sustainable  and quantifiable source of crawfish fries to ensure sustainable farming. SGCF utilize a combination of various state of the art systems such as the recirculating aquaculture system and chemical free hydrocavitation technology amongst many others to rear crawfishes healthily and sustainably.

   2.     Member of Technical Advisory Panel - Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) - A*STAR - The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), is a research institute of the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Established in September 1997, IMRE has been building strong capabilities in materials analysis, characterisation, design & growth, patterning, fabrication, synthesis and integration. IMRE is an institute of talented researchers equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to conduct world-class materials science research to improve lives and capture economic value for Singapore. IMRE develops core competence and interdisciplinary teams in critical technology areas, enable fundamental new discoveries and develop advanced materials that lead to new commercial products.

   3.     Expert Member (Aquaculture) - National Mirror Working Group for ISO TC 281  -  SMF Standards Development Organisation. As a national standards body, SPRING Singapore administers the Singapore Standardisation Programme under the guidance of an industry-led national Standards Council. Singapore Standards are developed on a consensus basis, and are promoted for wide acceptance and adoption by industry and key stakeholders. The Standards Council advises SPRING on the directions, policies, strategies and priorities for the Singapore Standardisation Programme. It also approves the establishment and withdrawal of Singapore Standards and Technical References. Currently, it has 12 Standards Committees (SCs) to lead standards development and implementation in various industries / technical fields.

   4.     Principal Consultant/ Chief Sustainability & Technology Officer Designate – On site survey and measurement for carbon sequestration potential, carbon credit development and mangrove aquaculture CSR in Indonesia for Singapore/ Indonesia entity. This project involves Mangrove, peatland & coastal restoration plus possible CSR planning for regenerative Aquaculture for the indigenous people. June 2022 to 2024

   5.     Member - Scientific Advisory Board – Carbon Neutral Prawn Project – An APEC reference project. A carbon-neutral prawn aquaculture system through the development of sustainable aquafeed and the adoption of a green circular economy. The fruition of this project will create a massive disruption to the aquaculture & feed industry as it will create a sustainable aquaculture industry that minimizes its environmental impact while providing high-quality and carbon neutral seafood to consumers. Dec 2022 to present.

   6.      Advisor (Sustainability) - Frederiksdal Pte Ltd. Frederiksdal is one of the world’s largest cherry vineyard and also the only one in the world that produces wine from cherries according to the same principles that have been used in centuries of production of grape wine. Providence of net zero and carbon neutral advisory and recommendations for the implementation of carbon mitigation strategies and re-evaluation of the wine Life Cycle Analysis re. carbon neutrality – July 23 to present.

   7.     Member of Advisory Board – One of the world’s leading cell based cultured seafood company that utilizes tissue formation methods to produce healthy and tasty seafood meat. June 23 to present.

   8.  Chairman – Scientific Advisory Board - SEA Aquaculture. Development of a vertically integrated 10,000 Metric Ton production per year Atlantic Salmon RAS facility in Vietnam. This is a key food security project in Asia – An APEC Project. Total project value US$100m – 10 HA footprint.

   9.  Member - Scientific Advisory Board - Pebble Labs, Inc :A USA based biotechnology company developing solutions to safely and sustainably increase natural crop yield and food security. Its mission is to develop breakthrough disruptive technologies that address the greatest agriculture, aquaculture, and environmental challenges facing the globe. Pebble Labs is committed to urgently solving these challenges.

   10.  Member - Peer Review Group : Global Livestock and Aquaculture Policy Project - Funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) - CHATHAM HOUSE - The Royal Institute of International Affairs. From 2019 to 2020.

   11.  School Advisory Committee member - Republic Polytechnic - Republic Polytechnic will launch a brand new Diploma in Marine Science and Aquaculture (DMAC) in June 2014 which will put student on track to protect the world’s precious ocean assets through marine conservation and sustainable aquaculture. Students will be immersed in the various areas of marine conservation and oceanography and will  learn about topics such as seafood species, production systems, aquatic harvesting, and the management of marine and aquatic health. The programme’s hands-on approach will help them understand, protect, and manage diverse marine ecosystems as they get up close with all sorts of aquatic life. You will also have opportunities to develop valuable real-world skills through internships with a wide range of marine and aquaculture-related industries and research institutes. Oct 2012 to Sept 2018 

   
   

   Track Records - Completed and Ongoing Projects

• Principal Consultant/ Chief Sustainability & Technology Officer Designate – On site survey and measurement for carbon sequestration potential, carbon credit development and mangrove aquaculture CSR in Indonesia for Singapore/ Indonesia entity. This project involves Mangrove, peatland & coastal restoration plus possible CSR planning for regenerative Aquaculture for the indigenous people. June 2022 to present.

• Chief Scientific Advisor/ Scientific Advisory Board – Carbon Neutral Prawn Project – An APEC reference project. A carbon-neutral prawn aquaculture system through the development of sustainable aquafeed and the adoption of a green circular economy. The fruition of this project will create a massive disruption to the aquaculture & feed industry as it will create a sustainable aquaculture industry that minimizes its environmental impact while providing high-quality and carbon neutral seafood to consumers. Dec 2022 to present.

• Principal Consultant – Development of a strategic plan which include the filing of proprietary Aquaculture IP and farm management manual for a leading crustacean Hatchery in Asia – 2021.

• Principal Consultant – Aquaculture & Agri related feasibility study and development of a Strategic White Paper for a main board listed company in Singapore. This listco is looking to enter the Agri & Food Industry. Oct 2020.

• Senior Principal Consultant & Head of Technical Team – Part of the economic advisory team that put together the Strategic Aquaculture Redevelopment Plan for the Government of Western Africa. This project includes 53 site surveys completed and the identification and development of 16 sites as Special Economic Zone for self-sustainable aquaculture. 2018 – 2020.

• Principal Consultant - Development of Chemical Free instant disinfection process for freshly cut vegetables for one of Asia's largest indoor multi storey plant factory

• Principal Investigator : Development of an Accelerated Seedling germination process and vegetable growth acceleration process for an Urban farming facility in Singapore.

• Co-Principal Investigator : Development of sustained micro nutrient/ amino acid delivery system for fish feed - Awarded AVA Food sustainability grant - Jointly with a leading Asia university.

• Principal Consultant : Assessment of the Nigerian fishery & Aquaculture industry and design and Development of a 2 hectare High Tech Aquaculture facility in Africa.

• Principal Consultant : Assessment of the Egypt fishery and aquaculture market and made recommendations for client strategic entry into the Egyptian market.

• Principal Consultant : Design and setup of Hatchery, nursery and brood stock holding facility in Kelantan, Malaysia, hybrid Grouper species development and assessment on the possible takeover of a disused shrimp island facility in Kota Bahru. Malaysia.

• Principal Consultant: Assessment on the takeover of 500 disused shrimp’s raceway for Aquaculture use in Pahang, Malaysia.

• Principal Consultant: Design and development of Sea Bass hatchery facility in Ipoh, Malaysia.

• Principal Investigator : Development of anti-thermal coating, film for use in Aquaculture – Jointly with Nanyang Technological University

• Collaborator : Bio marker study on Abalone laggards and Selective Genetics breeding - Jointly with Temasek Poly & Oceanus Group

• Collaborator & Technology Partner : Use of Hydrocavitation technology for increasing White Shrimps harvest yield in Indonesia- Jointly with one of the world’s largest shrimps producer

• Principal Consultant : Land Based Aquaponics farm that is powered entirely by Solar Energy (Singapore & Malaysia) - An APEC project

• Principal Consultant : Design and Setup of Bio Secure Grouper/ Sea Bass Hatchery and Aquaculture farm - Malaysia

• Principal Consultant: Supply of Genetically selected sea bass fingerling to major aquaculture group in Thailand.

• Principal Consultant : Design of chemical free water treatment processes (disinfection and oxygenation) for the hatchery and mud pond for one of the largest Dragon fish (Arrowana) breeding company in Singapore

• Principal Consultant : Design of chemical free water treatment processes (disinfection and oxygenation) for one of Singapore largest Koi hatchery

• Principal Consultant: Assessment on the use of disused shrimp’s ponds in Sri Lanka for Sea Bass breeding and the use of chemical free water treatment processes for such large pond.

• Principal Investigator: MND Research Fund Grant on “Ecological Land Based Aquaculture - Farming of food fish in urban environment”. Multi-million dollar MND grant awarded to fully develop a high intensity & high yield aquaculture farming system using minimum space and labour through the integration of people, technology and business system.

• Co-Principal Investigator (with Surbana Technologies): Development of Multiple storey land based food-fish breeding system with Surbana Technologies. This project leverage off high intensity vertical fish farming as an "engineering" solution to solve this issue.

• Principal Investigator: River Bio Remediation Project (Sungei Peng Siang). Joint project with PUB to develop a chemical free treatment process to treat and clean Sungei Peng Siang River (behind Warren Golf and Country club). This river suffers from regular massive algae bloom which leads to unbearable stench for members of the public.

• Principal Investigator: Increasing Agricultural Crops yield and extension of vegetable shelf life with Hydrocavitation technology – In collaboration with Kok Fah Technology Farm. Key objective of this project is to mitigate post-harvest loss due to pre-mature post-harvest crop withering. Crop yields can be significantly enhanced using hydrocavitation technology and method of quantification is by hydration retention through the leaf’s withering effect.

• Principal Investigator : Effects of hydrocavitation technology on Hydroponics crop yield – In collaboration with Oh Chin Huat Hydroponic Farms

• Project Director : Development of a Fully automated and online monitoring of water conditions for aquaculture farms – Horiba Instruments & Bio X Pte Ltd

• Principal Investigator : Development of live support system for shipping containers for the shipping of live sea food (sea to land) with APL (part of NOL Shipping Group) one of the world’s top shipping company. The project successfully research, designed and developed an enclosed automated recirculation water filtration and treatment system for incorporation into APL’s live reefer container.

• Project Director : Technical farm audit completed for the world’s largest Abalone farm (China) spanning more than 300 km

• Principal Investigator and project Director – Development and setup of Asia first Aqua Hub (live seafood holding logistic hub) in Jurong Cold Hub One, Singapore. A joint development with CWT Fresh (Part of CWT Group).

• Enhancement of Existing Life support system (RAS) for Large Scale Crustacean Hatchery in Asia.

  2023 – Present

  Enhancement to existing life support system for Large Scale Crustacean Hatchery  - Use of Passive Hydrocavitation support. 

• Carbon Credit Developer for the Aquaculture Industry

  2023 – Present

  Member – Advisory Board - PT Terra Baru Indonesia -  PT Terra Baru  – Carbon Credit Specialist. Planet NetZero is built from the need to develop large-scale, impactful, and measurable solutions to increase food security and fight climate change. PNZ delivers profitable, internationally funded projects to reduce carbon emissions and plastic waste, protect the environment and biodiversity, and drive social development. From 2022 to present. 

• Carbon Neutral Wine Production

  2023 – Present

  Advisor (Sustainability) : Frederiksdal is one of the world’s largest cherry vineyards (Denmark) and also the only one in the world that produces wine from cherries according to the same principles that have been used in centuries of production of grape wine. Providence of net zero and carbon neutral advisory and recommendations for the implementation of carbon mitigation strategies and re-evaluation of the wine Life Cycle Analysis re. carbon neutrality – July 23 to present.

• Cell cultured Seafood

  2023 – Present

  Member - Advisory Board : One of the world’s leading cell-based cultured seafood company that utilizes tissue formation methods to produce healthy and tasty seafood meat plus advisory on their launch in Asia. 

• High Tech Rainbow Trout Farm in Asia

  2023 – Present

  The Project looks to develop Asia's first high-tech fish farm for producing 2,110 tonnes of trout, to cater to local demand for fresh, sustainable, premium fish. The project showcases the proprietary ModulRAS system developed by Assentoft Aqua, a Danish technological partner specialising in sustainable land-based RAS aquaculture technologies. The intended project will incorporate super-intensive technology coupled with AI to help achieve sustainable fish production locally to support Asia's food security initiatives, by making available fresh daily harvest of its premium quality trout. 

• Valorization of food  processing  waste-streams  into  functional  ingredients and/materials for sustainable functional food and animal feed development.

  2023 – Present

  Advisor (Sustainability) - Valorization of food  processing  waste-streams  into  functional  ingredients and/materials for sustainable functional food and animal feed development.

• Mangrove, peatland & coastal restoration

  2022 – 2024

  Principal Consultant/ Chief Sustainability & Technology Officer Designate – On site survey and measurement for carbon sequestration potential, carbon credit development and mangrove aquaculture CSR in Indonesia for Singapore/ Indonesia entity. This project involves Mangrove, peatland & coastal restoration plus possible CSR planning for regenerative Aquaculture for the indigenous people. June 2022 to present.

• Principal Consultant – Development of a strategic plan which include the filing of proprietary Aquaculture IP and farm management manual for a leading crustacean Hatchery in Asia – 2021.

  2020 – 2024
• Carbon Neutral Prawn Project

  2002 – Present

  Member - Scientific Advisory Board cum Chief Sustainability Officer - Carbon Neutral Prawn Project – An APEC reference project – Singapore & Malaysia. A carbon-neutral prawn aquaculture system through the development of sustainable aquafeed and the adoption of a green circular economy. The fruition of this project will create a massive disruption to the aquaculture & feed industry as it will create a sustainable aquaculture industry that minimizes its environmental impact while providing high-quality and carbon neutral seafood to consumers. Dec 2022 to present.