SPEAKERS

Mark Caney

A diver since 1976, Mark Caney established a dive centre in Cyprus in 1980 after leaving the British military, and was based on the island for eighteen years. He was one of the first to adopt technical diving techniques in the European area. He became an instructor trainer with most of the technical diving agencies and introduced mixed gas diving to several countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. In addition to training divers and instructors in technical diving skills, he has extensive experience in the design and construction of mixed gas filling stations. During the latter part of the time he was based in Cyprus, he was in fact travelling extensively, conducting instructor level and gas blending programmes internationally. During this period he also led an award winning expedition lasting four months, exploring previously undived parts of the east African coast.

A keen underwater photographer and writer, his work has been published extensively in magazines and other media. He has also contributed to many of the publications produced by PADI and DSAT since he began working in his present position of Vice President, Training, Education and Memberships at PADI International Ltd.

His strong technical diving background led him to be deeply involved in development of all of the PADI and DSAT courses utilising mixed gas procedures. Mark was a key contributor to the design of the PADI training courses for EANx, Gas Blender and Semi Closed Rebreather. Later, he played a similar role in the construction of the DSAT technical diving courses; in terms of the design and development of the programme, and as a member of the DSAT test dive team. He continues to play a leading role in the DSAT World Technical Diving Division, in particular calling on his wealth of experience in terms of international practices and expedition diving to ensure DSAT courses match the needs of technical divers whether they are diving in the tropics or above the Arctic Circle. A rebreather diver since the mid 1990's, he is certified to dive with several leading units, and has particular responsibility for keeping track of trends in the development of rebreathers and their associated technologies for DSAT and PADI.

Mark was until recently the President of the European Underwater Federation (EUF). He has been heavily involved in the establishment of European and ISO standards for diving and he continues to represent the UK as one of its two Designated Experts for international standards negotiation and design.

In addition to diving, Mark is a keen sailor and a sailing instructor and has often managed to combine the two activities.