Michael Wear

Michael Wear

Malgana Traditional Custodian, Shark Bay, Western Australia

Michael Wear is a Malgana Traditional Custodian of Shark Bay (Gutharraguda) in Western Australia and a leading figure in Indigenous environmental conservation and sustainable marine enterprise.

He is the founder of Tidal Moon, Australia’s first Indigenous-owned and led sea cucumber fishery and marine restoration enterprise. Drawing on deep cultural knowledge of “Saltwater Country” and integrating it with modern science, he has developed an innovative model that combines ecological restoration with sustainable commercial practices.

With over 30 years of experience working on and around the ocean, Michael has been committed to restoring marine ecosystems, particularly the seagrass meadows of Shark Bay—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and creating long-term economic opportunities for Indigenous communities.

In recognition of his pioneering work bridging Indigenous knowledge systems and scientific research, he was awarded the inaugural Prime Minister’s Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems in 2025.



Speaking at




Michael Wear

Malgana Traditional Custodian, Shark Bay, Western Australia


Rongtao Sun

Head of Strategic Investment, China, Aramco Ventures


Liming Xiao

Vice President of Tencent’s Sustainable Social Value (SSV), Tencent Group


Ambassador (Rtd.) Paul Myler

Former Deputy Chief of Mission, Australian Embassy to the United States Founder and Managing Director, Australian Embassy to the United States, StratQ


Irina Bokova

Former Director-General of UNESCO, UNESCO


Wei Zhang

Assistant Resident Representative, Communications, Innovation, and Partnership, UNDP


Wenxuan Li

Chairman, PCG Power


Frank Phuan

CEO, Equatore Renewables Asia