Former diplomat and WWF France spokesperson, Arnaud Gilles made the radical choice to become a professional sailor in order to champion a hands-on approach to ecology. He shares a unique narrative bridging international diplomacy and the raw reality of life at sea.
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Languages: French (native), English (fluent)
Arnaud Gilles is a committed sailor and environmental protection specialist who navigates between remote natural landscapes and the corridors of power. A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and the Sorbonne in both hard and social sciences, he forged his environmental awareness at the age of 20 by hitchhiking across the Americas to the Arctic Circle, where he discovered the wilderness of Alaska.
From international diplomacy to night watches at sea
His professional career began at the heart of the French civil service, working on fisheries regulation in the Indian Ocean and the French Southern Territories, before joining the French diplomatic mission at the United Nations in New York. There, he negotiated international resolutions and became a diplomatic adviser for the Arctic and Antarctic poles. In 2020, he joined WWF France as spokesperson, leading major campaigns over five years against the climate impact of SUVs and Arctic gas projects, while participating in UN climate summit negotiations (COP).
Choosing the open sea
In 2025, frustrated by the limitations of conventional politics, Arnaud made the radical decision to leave Parisian circles and train as a professional sailor. He immersed himself among the fishing communities of the Mediterranean, Brittany and Normandy, learning the trade hands-on — from scallop fishing in the Bay of the Seine to crab fishing through the night off the coast of Jersey. This immersion allowed him to build a direct dialogue with those who live in daily contact with nature and who are the first witnesses to the transformation of our oceans.
A voice that carries, at sea and on land
Today, Arnaud Gilles draws on this dual expertise to champion a more humble and unifying ecology, one capable of bridging a society often divided. An ambassador for marine conservation, he shares his hybrid journey through keynotes at leading corporations and universities such as Les Mines and AgroParisTech. Beyond storytelling, he takes concrete action for the ocean through published essays and by founding new collectives bringing together sailors, scientists and artists. His is a story of a permanent balancing act between international diplomacy and the raw reality of working at sea.
