Amyne H. Ismail is CEO, President, and majority shareholder of the Unima Group, one of the world’s leading shrimp producers. Born in Madagascar in 1965 and educated in France, he graduated from ESSEC Business School before returning to Madagascar in 1989 to join the family business founded by his father, Aziz Hassam Ismail.
Working closely with his father, Ismail helped pioneer Madagascar’s shrimp aquaculture sector, developing an environmentally responsible farming model and securing international investment to establish the country’s first large-scale shrimp farming operations. Since becoming CEO in 1998, he has led Unima’s transformation into a fully integrated global seafood company, overseeing investments across breeding, feed production, processing, packaging, and international distribution. Under his leadership, Unima became the first non-European agri-food company to receive France’s prestigious Label Rouge certification for its shrimp.
Alongside business growth, Ismail has championed sustainability and social responsibility, supporting community development, biodiversity conservation, and reforestation initiatives in Madagascar. Unima’s flagship farm, Aqualma, became the first aquaculture farm in Africa to achieve Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification. Today, Unima is internationally recognised for producing premium shrimp while maintaining a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and local communities.
