Meet the Board of Directors of The SeaCleaners

The SeaCleaners, a NGO under the French Law of 1901, and proud to be, relies on a solid governance to carry out its missions. Its Board of Directors ensures the efficiency and transparency of the association's management and the rapidity of its decision-making.

On March 16, an exceptional General Assembly was held at The SeaCleaners’ offices in Paris to install its new Board of Directors.

The Board is composed of 9 members of the association, elected for a 3-year term :  

  • Pascal BOISGARD : Volunteer The SeaCleaners Bretagne
  • Yvan BOURGNON : Founder of The SeaCleaners NGO and skipper
  • Ghislaine BOVY: Activist in the field of ocean protection, writer and sailor – The SeaCleaners volunteer
  • Anne CULLERRE  : Military, speaker, teacher and professional coach
    Vice-Admiral (2S), she is currently the most senior woman in the history of the French Navy
  • Benoit DE LAMBERTERIE : Regional Delegate for The SeaCleaners Paris & Ile de France. Formerly a senior executive in the EDF Finance Department, now retired
  • François GALGANI : Researcher at Ifremer, specialized in the evaluation of the effects of plastic pollution on marine organisms and one of the precursors on the subject
  • Fredéric PICHONNAT : Former member of the Red Cross, Action Contre la Faim and UCPA. Expert in volunteer engagement and international development of associations
  • Patrick WATRIN : Regional delegate for The SeaCleaners Nouvelle Aquitaine – Sales engineer in boat fitting

These 9 personalities with varied personal and professional backgrounds have one thing in common: they contribute to strengthening the missions of The SeaCleaners through their expertise, their skills, their network and their commitment.

“It was 15 years ago, I was in operation in the desert, a desert that reminded me a lot of Saint-Exupéry's, the Little Prince on his dune. And in this magnificent desert, I see plastic bags, thousands of them, everywhere. I was devastated.
Being a member of the Board of Directors of The SeaCleaners allows me to stop looking at this plastic pollution without doing anything. On my humble level, it's feeling like I'm doing something: it's showing hope.
Être membre du Conseil d’Administration de The SeaCleaners me permet de ne plus regarder cette pollution plastique sans rien faire. À mon humble niveau, c’est avoir le sentiment de faire quelque chose : c’est faire preuve d’espoir.”

Anne Cullerre Vice-Admiral (2S) and Board Member of The SeaCleaners

“I am a sailor, I have been sailing around the world for 13 years, I have seen in many parts of the world that this plastic pollution is killing the ocean.
I have been a volunteer for The SeaCleaners since 2016, I have supported the project since the beginning and it is a huge honor to join the Board of Directors of the association to take it to a new dimension, to be able to expand the fundraising and reach the ultimate goal which is the operation of the Manta, to help clean up the oceans as quickly as possible”

Ghislaine Bovy  Ocean activist, writer and sailor

In concrete terms, the Board of Directors’ mission is to implement the decisions taken by the General Assembly and to ensure their follow-up, in conjunction with the general management.
It ensures the execution of the policy defined by the General Assembly and of the main strategic orientations, adopts the budget and the annual accounts, validates the recruitment of salaried staff, decides on the admission of members, etc.

The Executive Committee of The SeaCleaners is drawn from the Board of Directors and is composed of:

  • Yvan BOURGNON : President 
  • Patrick WATRIN : Vice-President
  • Benoît DE LAMBERTERIE : Treasurer
  • Ghislaine BOVY : Secretary 

This Extraordinary General Assembly allowed us to approve the new statutes and internal regulations of the association. It is also the starting point for the opening of the association to memberships and the process of recognition of public utility towards which we tend. We will talk to you about it very soon.

The SeaCleaners team wishes the new Board of Directors “Bon Vent” and thanks its members for their strong commitment to the project.