Mr. McMichael-Phillips, a hydrographic surveyor and esteemed former Royal Navy captain, has worked in leadership roles that span a wide spectrum, from running his own marine data gathering missions to directing geospatial strategy and plans for the United Kingdom. His extensive experience includes managing government-to-government relationships for geospatial collaboration, as well as outreach and capacity building of fledgling organisations in marine data collection, assessment and cartography.  For over 9 years, prior to his current role, Mr McMichael-Phillips  chaired the International Hydrographic Organisation's Worldwide ENC Database Working Group, which is responsible for monitoring the global footprint electronic charts that are essential for safe navigation at sea.