Global Underwater Hub names ex-SMD CEO as first chair

UK’s new subsea industry organisation The Global Underwater Hub (GUH) has appointed Andrew Hodgson, former CEO of Soil Machine Dynamics (SMD), as its first chair.

Hodgson will take up the role as Subsea UK transitions into a new strategically-focused organisation that aims to transform the UK’s underwater industry into one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the country, generating £45 billion in revenues by 2035.

The chair will lead the board of the new organisation as it works across all sectors of the industry, providing underwater companies with the market information, connections, access and specialist expertise they need to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the energy transition and the blue economy.

Hodgson’s board experience includes nine years as chair and vice-chair of the North East (of England) Local Enterprise Partnership. He has won the Queen’s Award for Industry three times and was awarded an OBE in 2015 for Services to Manufacturing and the North East of England Economy.

“The underwater industry in the UK is strategically important, as evidenced by government support for the Global Underwater Hub,” Hodgson said.

“We want to see the UK continuing to lead the way around the world and capturing a larger share of the opportunities in the blue economy by addressing the challenges for our future generations, whether that be reversing climate change, husbanding our mineral resources or monitoring and safeguarding our ocean environments.”

The GUH is planned to be launched and officially opened later this year.