Remembering Nick Rose, WWF’s liasion at Royal Caribbean
Nick Rose, WWF’s liaison at Royal Caribbean Group,* sadly passed away earlier this year, shortly after he and his wife Christina welcomed their daughter, Alana Skye. Colleagues remember his dedication to sustainability and his encyclopedic marine knowledge, saying his greatest legacy was making others feel understood. They hope his daughter grows up knowing the difference her father made.
A teacher at heart
In 2005, Nick joined Royal Caribbean Group as an onboard environmental officer, a role that included teaching. He had a natural affinity: He was patient, could distill complex ideas into digestible bits, and was passionate about connecting with different audiences.
I jokingly called him “Nickipedia” because he was one of the smartest people I’ve met. He knew something about everything, and never at a superficial level. He built much of the foundation of how we think about our environmental practices. He ran our corporate responsibility function with not only a commercial mindset but with an eye on the oceans we sail and the communities we visit.
—Dana Ritzcovan, Executive Vice President, Chief People & Administrative Officer, Royal Caribbean Group
© WWF-US/Eleanor Shakespeare
An advocate for oceans
Nick cared deeply about the ocean and institutionalized sustainability for the company. He championed Save the Waves, a shipboard recycling and waste program, and was instrumental in fostering Oceanscope, a partnership between the University of Miami and NOAA that gathers ocean data from Royal Caribbean Group ships.
Once Nick got the bug for oceans and sailing, he was hooked. He was someone who wanted to do the right thing—and do it right. The relationship that we have with WWF is very special to us, and doing the right thing in that space was Nick’s mission. He was always the voice for that work. At the same time, he had a similar passion for business. Bringing those two together was the secret sauce.
—Eddie Segev, Senior Vice President, Safety, Security, and Environment, Royal Caribbean Group
A respected industry leader
Nick was the thread in Royal Caribbean’s relationship with WWF for years, translating conservation priorities into business terms, and business realities into conservation progress. His reputation reached well beyond the company. He was a respected voice within the Cruise Line Industry Association and at the International Maritime Organization.
I think Nick’s legacy will be much more about who he was as a person and the way he made people feel: seen, heard, listened to, and supported. He was a great mentor, educator, manager, leader, and friend. He left our organization, and more importantly the world, better than it was before.
—Michael Tepel, Associate Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Royal Caribbean Group
Partnership and impact
With Nick’s leadership, the partnership has worked to embed sustainability into business operations, promote responsible tourism, and support ocean conservation. From setting industry-leading sustainable shore excursion policies to changing operational procedures to help safeguard Marine Protected Areas, Nick helped raise standards across the global cruise industry.
I had the honor of seeing Nick rise within the ranks, eventually taking over the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance portfolio. Working with him was an intellectual treat. He kept us grounded, challenged assumptions with grace, and left us smarter and more hopeful with every conversation.
—Sheila Bonini, Senior Vice President, Private Sector Engagement, WWF
*Royal Caribbean Group has been WWF's partner since 2016.
© Juozas Cernius / WWF-UK
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