Ocean Energy Europe appoints new leadership team

Ocean Energy Europe (OEE), a network of ocean energy professionals, has selected new Co-Presidents and Directors who will lead the ocean energy sector through a transitional period.

The appointed Co-Presidents are Guillaume Gréau, Head of Business Development for HydroQuest, France, and Patrik Möller, CEO of CorPower Ocean, Sweden.

Both companies are globally known in the tidal and wave energy industry, which will bring experience in ocean energy technology and project development to the association, said OEE.

The Co-Presidents will lead the ocean energy sector through a transitional period, shifting from testing phases to establishing pre-commercial farms. Their projects will demonstrate the sector’s capacity to provide both electricity and economic benefits for Europe and globally.

Furthermore, the Board has added seven new directors, chosen by the OEE General Assembly. This ensures representation from various sectors of the ocean energy industry, with directors who have played roles in advancing the industry to its current state.

The seven elected Directors are:

• Matthew Finn, Commercial Director, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)
• Marlène Kiersnowski, SEENEOH Director, OPEN-C Foundation
• Tony Lewis, Chief Technology Officer, OceanEnergy Ireland
• Patrik Möller, CEO, CorPower Ocean 
• Pablo Ruiz Minguela, Head of Wave Energy, Tecnalia
• Benjamin Lehner, CEO, Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC) 
• Marcelle Askew, Vice President of Business Development, Seabased.

“Our new Directors and Co-Presidents have been instrumental in getting the ocean energy sector where it is today. HydroQuest and CorPower Ocean will see their farms among the first in Europe – and the world – to hit the water in the coming years,” said Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe.

“The last wave of EU funding is enabling ocean energy projects to attract private finance for projects. Though financing is never easy, this paves the way for a fully-fledged thriving new sector in the Blue economy, bringing energy security and zero-emission, home-grown jobs to Europe.”

Recently, Swedish bearing and seal manufacturing company SKF has taken part in the Board of Ocean Energy Europe as a Lead Partner.