Bene is the Regional Lead for Asia engagements for the Blue Nature Alliance. He leads the development of new partnerships with governments, NGOs and other civil society organizations in Asia and supports the design and establishment of new and effectively managed marine protected areas. With his PhD in Communications, Bene worked as a professor, researcher, and research administrator in universities in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore before pursuing MSc in Marine Science and Conservation in France. Before joining the Blue Nature Alliance, he worked as a conservation finance specialist in different NGOs in France and Cambodia. Bene is a certified scuba diver and enjoys cycling in the countryside whenever possible.