Subsea Supplies Limited appoints new sales manager as company gears up for growth
Subsea Supplies Ltd, an independent supplier of offshore and underwater equipment, has appointed a new sales manager as the company targets new markets due to a period of continued growth.
Subsea Supplies has been a provider of ROV, AUV, oil and gas, oceanographic and defence solutions for more than 20 years and has vast experience across the subsea and cables industry. The company is exploring new opportunities in the renewables market as offshore wind development ramps up around the world.
The company has appointed Shaun Stirling in the newly created role of sales manager, where he will work alongside sales director, Pauline McCann to develop new business opportunities in new and existing sectors.
An experienced salesperson, Shaun joins from Teledyne Marine where he delivered key account management for customers as well as providing technical and commercial support internally externally.
Shaun said: “From my own experience, I know Subsea Supplies is regarded as a trusted supplier of advanced underwater technology equipment. I’m proud to be joining the team and supporting the company’s ambitions going forward as we target new markets.
“The company's dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction aligns perfectly with my own values, and I am eager to work with the team to deliver exceptional results for our clients."
Subsea Supplies partners with world-leading manufacturers of electrical and mechanical components. Headquartered in Aberdeen, the company delivers subsea equipment to clients from ambitious small companies to global businesses.
Pauline McCann, Subsea Supplies’ sales director said: “It’s great to have Shaun on board. His in-depth understanding of the industry dynamics and customer needs will play a pivotal role in furthering our mission to deliver innovative and reliable subsea solutions to new and existing customers.
“For more than two decades, we have formed partnerships with respected brands, delivering equipment for a broad spectrum of underwater activities. We’ve built our reputation on industry knowledge, a track record for delivery and unparalleled customer service in the supply of quality components.”
Formed in 2000, Subsea Supplies is a global distributor for Burton Subsea, Nexans, Sun Star Electric, Masto, Innerspace and Clear Com. The company is the only Burton product range distributor in Europe to be certified to manufacture Burton cable and connector assemblies to Eaton standards.
Change in leadership at Chelsea Technologies
Chelsea Technologies, a leader in optical sensing technologies for oceanographic research and compliance monitoring, announced that Elizabeth Paull, Managing Director, will be stepping down from her role. Ian Hale, who brings 20 years of experience from a range of industries, including the marine and defence sectors, has been brought in to support Chelsea's management team while it seeks a permanent successor.
Elizabeth will take up a new role supporting the development of the wider Ocean Science strategy for parent company Covelya Group during the leadership transition period, allowing the Chelsea team to continue to benefit from her deep knowledge and experience of the Ocean Science marketplace.
Guided by Paull, Chelsea has pioneered the use of active fluorometry as a new tool for climate research and has developed biological sensing instruments with wide applicability in Ocean Science. She also navigated the company through the stormy waters of the Covid pandemic and led a change process that refocused the team back onto its Ocean Science roots.
Paull says, “I’m proud of the market and technology leadership Chelsea has undertaken and of the team’s accomplishment in repositioning the company for renewed growth within Covelya Group. The last few years have been challenging but I’m confident Chelsea is emerging as a strong player in the Ocean Science marketplace. I look forward to seeing new leadership build on what we have created.”
Stephen Fasham, Chelsea chairman and Covelya Group Chief Executive Officer, says, “Elizabeth has put Chelsea on a great course for the future and she leaves behind a strong team with a unique offering to Ocean Science. We are indebted to her for bringing the company safely through a turbulent period and for her vision in setting the right direction for the future. We are working closely with Ian and the Chelsea team to ensure a smooth transition, and we are confident that we will be able to build on the strong foundation that Elizabeth has laid.”
Chelsea Technologies was acquired by Covelya Group in 2018. The acquisition was the first step in Covelya Group’s long-term growth strategy to build a family of companies with complementary technologies and capabilities for the marine sector. Chelsea continues to benefit from strong commitment and financial backing from Covelya and is able to extend its reach through relationships with the other group companies, which now comprise Sonardyne International, EIVA, Wavefront Systems, Voyis and the most recent addition in defence company, Forcys.
CSignum appoints David Leslie as Chief Revenue Officer
CSignum Ltd., the global leader in electromagnetic (EM) underwater communication that sends data through the water’s surface without cables, has announced the appointment of David Leslie as Chief Revenue Officer, responsible for business strategy and development, sales, and go-to-market for CSignum and its new RadiEM Modem™. Leslie reports directly to CSignum CEO Chris Brooks and is based in the Washington, D.C. area.
An industry expert with over 30 years in IT consulting, networking and telecommunications, Leslie has been advising CSignum on market positioning and possible new use cases for the revolutionary RadiEM technology that will help natural and manmade water industries modernise data networks, which have lagged networks above the water by 50 years. Leslie was most recently Chief Commercial Officer of Gadget Software and served as advisor as The Modern Data Company scaled operations to go to market. He has served as President and CEO of MedicAlert Foundation, as well as co-founded and led companies such as ZippSlip and Intersect Software Corp. He has held executive sales positions at Ericsson, Torrent Networking, Newbridge Networks, and UB Networks.
“David’s unique experience and abilities perfectly address where we are and what we need to do at CSignum to develop a new market with our extraordinary breakthrough in underwater EM data connectivity,” said CSignum CEO Chris Brooks. “He is adept at educating and evangelizing the technical benefits and the resulting positive business impact of this new wireless solution, which will work with and expand the capabilities of existing acoustic and optical deployments.”
“I’m delighted to be joining CSignum at a time when we will usher in a new era for modernized underwater digital networks,” said David Leslie, CRO at CSignum. “RadiEM is designed to work alongside acoustic and optical solutions and answers the need for more visibility into what is happening underwater.
Today, it allows customers for the first time to get data directly through the water surface, seabed, water column and subsea structures in challenging environments (turbid, aerated and biofouled waters and splash zones), which wreak havoc on cables and lie beyond the abilities of other communications systems. In the near future we expect RadiEM to serve as an intelligent gateway and act similarly to Bluetooth for all digital things underwater. The result will be to exponentially increase the amount of data we have access to and allow us to prioritize, filter and route data while managing bandwidth, quality of service and battery power consumption – just as networks function above water.”
CSignum is currently working with companies in natural water industries such as aquaculture, environmental monitoring, as well as wind and oil and gas subsea structures, and exploring the needs of manmade water industries such as irrigation, drinking water, and waste water systems. RadiEM is already successfully deployed in a multitude of use cases from AUV/ASV (HESS and Ocean Aero) and tidal water data recovery, to offshore structural and met ocean data transmission to real-time ADCP data. The EM-1 Modem is designed to work seamlessly with the standard interfaces of sondes, sensors, AUVs, ADCPs and dataloggers. EM signals are resilient and sustain their integrity where sound and light scatter at the surface and anywhere ambient light, line of sight, and noise interference is an issue. Because EM fields are also silent and invisible, they are more secure as well as safer for the environment and marine life.
Teledyne Geospatial announces new Vice President and General Manager, Geoffroy Deltel
Teledyne Geospatial is pleased to announce the appointment of Geoffroy Deltel as Vice President and General Manager. Mr. Deltel will replace Michel Stanier who is moving to an Executive Business Development role within the larger Teledyne Digital Imaging segment with a focus on Geospatial businesses.
Mr. Deltel brings with him a significant background in optical, laser and software technology with an extensive knowledge of the defense sector, and previously served as Chief Technology Officer and Group Executive Vice President for a global provider of imaging and detection solutions. Mr. Deltel’s formidable education includes a MSc in Physics, MSc in Electrical Engineering, Global Executive MBA and Management Certificates from MIT Sloan. He will be based out of the Vaughan (Toronto, Canada) office starting in July.
Teledyne Geospatial unifies the lidar technology and software expertise of both Teledyne Optech and Teledyne CARIS. The new group provides customers with innovative integrated solutions. Offerings include turnkey systems and OEM products, lidar and sonar integrated workflows and a range of systems and solutions that support holistic, precision data collection.
SeeByte appoints Sean Slee as Capability Delivery Manager
SeeByte, the global leader in software solutions for Robotic and Autonomous Systems is pleased to appoint Sean Slee as their Capability Delivery Manager.
Sean joins SeeByte with over 23 years of Mine Warfare experience within the Royal Navy, where he achieved the privileged rank of Warrant Officer First Class.
Sean will bring his operational military experience in Mine Warfare to support SeeByte’s global naval programmes.
“We are delighted to welcome Sean onboard at SeeByte. Sean’s experience will be a significant asset to SeeByte as our capabilities operational use continues to expand,” said Chris Haworth, CEO at SeeByte
Recently awarded a contract to provide C2 and autonomy architecture across the Royal Navy MHC programme, Sean joins SeeByte at this important phase in the company’s growth.
“This is an exciting time for me which will allow me to continue growing my Mine Warfare experience whilst working alongside the inspirational work force from the professional SeeByte organisation,” said Sean Slee, Capability Delivery Manager at SeeByte
SeeByte will be demonstrating their vendor agnostic Mission Management system at this year’s REPMUS event in Portugal and DSEI in London.
Unique Group appoints Sahil Gandhi as CEO ushering in a new era of growth
Unique Group, global innovators in subsea technologies and engineering, has announced the appointment of Sahil Gandhi to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Himanshu (Harry) Gandhi, who will now assume the position of Chairman of the Group.
Acting as Unique Group’s COO since 2017, Sahil has previously held Executive Director and Group Sales Manager roles. Under his leadership, the company has experienced rapid growth, diversifying its portfolio into unmanned survey technology and initiating digitisation that led the business to operational excellence, as well as renewing its commitment towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
Harry Gandhi, Chairman of Unique Group, founded the company in 1993 with three employees, turning it into a thriving multinational organization with over 500 employees. Harry Gandhi expressed his confidence in Sahil's ability to lead the company into the future, stating, “Over the years, Sahil has been instrumental in shaping Unique Group to become a leader in providing comprehensive technical and digital solutions for the subsea, renewable, and wider energy industries, with a continued focus on sustainability. Sahil’s appointment heralds the beginning of a new era for Unique Group, and I’m confident that his expertise, passion, and ambition will steer the company towards new heights.”
Upon assuming his new role, Sahil Gandhi expressed his commitment to building on the company's legacy and positioning Unique Group as a frontrunner in providing subsea innovation for clients. He emphasised his dedication to innovation and transforming the industry by developing new products across various divisions, including survey, unmanned solutions, diving, buoyancy, and load testing.
Unique Group has already made significant strides in its growth strategy, with technical appointments in the first quarter and major development plans in the pipeline. The company is set to launch key products under its Unmanned Surface Vessel portfolio, expand its global facilities, and introduce new divisions throughout the second quarter and the remainder of the year. To support its ambitious plans, Unique Group has made multimillion-dollar investments in autonomous research and development programs and digitisation initiatives.
With Sahil Gandhi at the helm, Unique Group is poised to achieve even greater success and drive innovation in the subsea technology sector. The company's continued commitment to excellence and its dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions will solidify its position as a leader in the industry.
The IMarEST’s 120th President says: “The path to the future is through the present.”
Martin Shaw has become the 120th President of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). Martin’s priorities for his presidential year include engaging with seafarers and the shipping industry, working to further build the IMarEST’s global reach, and acting on inclusion and diversity.
Martin says “I am honoured to be the President of the IMarEST. Over the next year, there is much to be excited about and I am looking forward to working with the wide range of talented marine professionals who make up our membership.”
Speaking of the challenges faced by the marine sector, Martin adds: “The headline issue is climate change and how we ensure that the engineering of the required technology works. It has been quoted that this will cost $3.4 trillion, so it is vital that the equipment does not fail. The expertise of our membership, which includes engineers, scientists and technologists, is central to this challenge. We need to make sure that equipment is designed to operate and operated to design. We also need to remember that the current fleet needs to continue to operate safely.”
Martin succeeds 119th President, Alastair Fischbacher, and will hold the position of the IMarEST President for one year. Yves De Leeneer, a Board Trustee and Council member of the IMarEST, is the new President Elect, he is based in Singapore.
The Glasgow-born 120th President began his career as an engineer officer where his love of being at sea blossomed. After 13 years at sea and with a growing family, Martin moved his career ashore, with positions as a fleet safety officer, engineer superintendent, and senior management roles.
Whilst learning to fly, Martin developed an enthusiasm for human factors and improving safety. He was awarded a Merchant Navy Medal presented by HRH Princess Royal for his contribution to marine safety. This passion and expertise saw him become Chair of the IMarEST’s Human Element working group and representing the IMarEST in the Human Element Industry Group. He was also involved in setting up the Institute’s Ship Repair, Maintenance and Safety Special Interest Group (RAMSIG).
Martin concludes: “As I begin my year as President, I would like to encourage individuals to get involved with the Institute, whether that is by joining, volunteering, or becoming active in our Special Interest Groups and local branches. By collaborating with other professionals both locally and internationally, we will be able to accelerate progress to overcome the vast challenges that the marine industry faces.”
EIVA announces CEO leadership transition
Jeppe Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Danish maritime survey software and equipment manufacturer, EIVA, is stepping down as CEO on medical grounds with immediate effect.
Jeppe will remain with parent company Covelya Group in a new part-time strategic advisor role and will also join the board of EIVA. Flemming Hjorth, EIVA’s Vice President of Business Development, has taken on the role of Acting CEO while the board seeks a permanent successor through a transition process which will consider both internal and external candidates.
Jeppe has been at the helm of EIVA since 2011 during which time he oversaw the transformation of the business from a small core team of less than 30 people, to becoming the leader of maritime survey software alongside a flourishing equipment manufacturing team supporting offshore activities in renewable energy, defence and ocean science. He led the company through a successful sale in 2019, with EIVA now established as an integral part of offshore and marine engineering specialist, Covelya Group.
Jeppe says, “Having navigated through market downturns, the high of our successful sale process in 2019, and most recently the unprecedented lockdown experiences of COVID and the impact of the Ukraine war, it is with sadness that I am stepping down as CEO. It will be the great colleagues I will miss most; EIVA is a different company to the one I joined but through all the growth, the business has kept its great culture – we know it is about work, but it is also important to enjoy it while we are there.”
Stephen Fasham, EIVA’s chairman and Covelya Group’s CEO, says, “I’ve been privileged to work with Jeppe over the last four years, have learned a lot from him, and the legacy he leaves at EIVA will be long remembered as we continue to grow from the strong base created by Jeppe and his team. I am truly delighted that we’ve been able to retain Jeppe on a part-time basis and look forward to the part he will play in further developing the whole group, and to his great contribution to EIVA from his position on the board. I’d also like to thank Flemming and the whole EIVA management team for stepping up during a difficult time for the company and for providing strong leadership during this transition.
EIVA continues to move forward, with planned expansion into our Singapore location this year, as well as new product releases. Under Jeppe’s leadership, EIVA has become a critical part of Covelya Group, developing new partnerships with other Covelya companies from which we are already seeing results, and we have expectations for more in the coming years. Supported by Covelya, we will see EIVA further strengthen its market leader position, and I look forward to welcoming Jeppe back many times in the future to share with him the new chapters in EIVA’s story.”
OceanTools promote Brian Hector to GM
OceanTools Limited, a world-leading subsea engineering company based in Aberdeen Scotland, are delighted to announce the promotion of Brian Hector to General Manager. Brian has almost 30 years of experience in the subsea industry having progressed through the ranks from graduate engineer to Technical Director before joining OceanTools as Technical Sales Manager.
Managing Director Kevin Parker said “When Brian joined OceanTools in 2019 we were hardly involved in the camera market. Now, less than four years later, we have a comprehensive range of cameras and lights of which we’re selling many hundreds every year. This is largely due to Brian’s hard work and dedication, so I’m delighted to promote him to the position of General Manager”
Brian said “As my career has progressed, I have enjoyed the challenge of sitting between both technical and commercial departments. I’m really looking forward to my new role as General Manager at OceanTools driving the company forward”
MacArtney announces succession at the top for their US operations
The MacArtney Group is pleased to introduce David Marchetti as the new President for its US operations covering all of North and South America. A strong profile with the right background and experience, solid leadership, and the credentials to attain the growth goal in the Americas.
Houston-based David Marchetti comes from a Senior Director position at Ocean Power Technologies, where he headed the company's regional (Americas) business development activities.
He previously held leading positions with Hawboldt Industries, Forum Energy Technologies, FMC Technologies Schilling Robotics, and GE Vetco Gray.
His over 20 years of experience include management, aftermarket/customer service, engineering, manufacturing, project management, and business development.
Strategic match
MacArtney has high expectations for the new US President. Based on his business acumen, he will be the focal point in the continued growth of the largest MacArtney entity outside headquarters in Denmark. He is seen as a vital strategic sparring partner contributing to the company's global development.
Happy about the appointment, Group CEO Niels Peter Christiansen says:
"In David, we have found a successor with all the right credentials, network and ability to expand the business, supporting the strategy and growth goal for the Americas. Furthermore, his engaging leadership style and personality fit the MacArtney culture, both with regards to our customer-centric approach and our focus on the most valuable asset; our staff!"
Looking forward to exploring the growth potential
David Marchetti is well-versed in the underwater market and technology sectors, with demonstrated expertise in oil & gas subsea production systems, ROV/AUV systems, and wave energy.
He is very familiar with MacArtney's business, complex solutions, and the industry's opportunities and challenges. He is excited to join his new colleagues, continue the growth journey, and explore the market potential of the Americas and says:
“MacArtney has a long-standing reputation of providing reliable solutions and has set the bar as the technology leader in multiple market segments. I am excited to lead the great MacArtney Inc. team and further advance the growth that the organisation has experienced while continuing the tradition of delivering outstanding customer service.”
Will be heading up MacArtney's US operations
MacArtney Inc. was founded in Houston, Texas, in 1998. Over the past 20 years, it extended its offerings to include the complete MacArtney range of underwater connectivity, technology products and solutions, and high-level workshop facilities.
The Americas operations employ a staff of about 40 members and manage several operations in strategic locations across the United States in the Northeast, Pacific Northwest and West Coast, Canada and Latin America.
Lars Hansen will partake in the transition, ensuring a smooth handover, with David joining MacArtney in January and taking the helm in April.
