EMEC appoints new leadership team 

The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has appointed Matthew Finn as its new Managing Director. Finn will lead a reshaped executive team as the facility for demonstrating and testing wave and tidal energy converters advances its clean energy initiatives.

EMEC’s leadership revamp also sees Mark Hamilton take over as Operations and Technology Director. Hamilton, previously Chief Technology Officer and Managing Director at Orbital Marine Power, brings experience in tidal energy, virtual power plant software platforms, and energy systems.

“Having lived in Orkney for over 20 years and worked in renewables during that time, I have witnessed first-hand the growth of EMEC and the major impact it has had in driving forward the marine renewables industry as well as accelerating R&D and commercial activity in many other exciting areas in cleantech. I’m delighted to be joining the executive team and lending my industry knowledge, commercial experience and innovative drive to the team,” Hamilton said.

Donna Ritch continues as Finance Director, overseeing financial operations, HR, IT, and support services. Eileen Linklater, promoted last year to Corporate Affairs Director, remains responsible for quality, legal matters, stakeholder engagement, and communications.

Former Managing Director Neil Kermode, who led EMEC for two decades, will stay in an advisory capacity. Kermode, awarded an OBE for his contributions to renewable energy, remains an advocate for marine renewables.

“As an innovation catalyst, EMEC uses its know-how, services and infrastructure to reduce the time, cost, and risk to progress innovative sustainable technologies to market. I am honoured to step into this role alongside such a talented team,” said Finn.

EMEC said that it is planning to expand its test and demonstration sites for wave and tidal energy, aiming to accelerate prototype-to-array deployments while supporting the growing floating wind sector.

In December 2024, at the EMEC in Orkney, two Scottish companies, Ocean Kinetics and Green Marine, completed the decommissioning of OpenHydro’s tidal energy platform.