On the Move – Neste, H2U, Tree Energy Solutions, USDA, Covestro and more

Green hydrogen company H2U has a new Chief Commercial Officer and a new Board Chair, Neste has a new Executive Vice President of Renewables Platform, there’s a new CEO in town for another green hydrogen company Tree Energy Solutions, the Biden administration nominated Doug McKalip as USDA Chief Agricultural Negotiator, and more major moves in the bioeconomy.

If you have an “On the Move” for us to cover, please contact Helena Kennedy at [email protected].

Carl Nyberg is now Neste’s Executive Vice President, Renewables Platform

In Finland, Carl Nyberg, M.Sc. (Economics and Business Administration), was nominated as Executive Vice President, Renewables Platform and member of the Neste Executive Committee. He started in this position on 1 June 2022, and reports to President and CEO Matti Lehmus. In this role he succeeds Matti Lehmus, who was appointed as Neste’s President and CEO as of 1 May, 2022.

Carl Nyberg joined Neste in 2005, and has held several key leadership positions during his career at Neste. He has been a member of the Executive Committee and holding the position of Executive Vice President, Renewable Road Transportation since 2019.

H2U’s New Chief Commercial Officer

In California, H2U Technologies, Inc. (H2U), a developer of new energy technologies to produce green hydrogen, named hydrogen energy veteran David Martin as its new Chief Commercial Officer. Martin is a professional engineer with a 30+ year track record of innovation at global organizations with a focus on commercializing early-stage water and energy technologies.

“I recruited David for his decades of hydrogen product development experience, to help H2U commercialize our low-cost green hydrogen electrolyzer that overcomes reliance on rare earth materials like iridium,” said Mark McGough, CEO and President of H2U Technologies.

Martin has extensive product development and technology leadership experience at hydrogen companies including Ballard Europe, Electric Hydrogen and Stuart Energy Systems (acquired by Hydrogenics, now part of Cummins).

H2U also recently appointed clean energy veteran Tom Werner as Chairman of the Board.

TES Appoints Marco Alverà as Group CEO

In Belgium, the Board of Tree Energy Solutions, a world-scale green hydrogen company with a mission to deliver on a net-zero future by decarbonising the energy chain, appointed Marco Alverà as its group chief executive officer. Marco will also be an investor in the company.

TES will accelerate the energy transition by building some of the world’s largest hydrogen projects, leveraging existing global energy infrastructure for quicker and lower-cost hydrogen transportation, at a time when hydrogen is positioned for massive scale up to help meet global decarbonisation goals. Mr. Alverà brings to TES 20 years of experience as a leader and CEO in energy companies and extensive hydrogen expertise, which will help to drive innovative projects forward and fast-track decarbonisation goals in Europe and beyond.

As a first project, the Wilhelmshaven Green Energy Hub, in Germany is set to supply 250 TWh per year of long-term, non-intermittent carbon-neutral energy to Germany – accounting for 10% of supply – by 2045. Overall investment for the first phase is planned to be circa €2.5 Billion, with first supplies by early 2026, also materially contributing to Germany’s and Europe’s decarbonisation and security of supply. Production and export terminal locations for hydrogen are being developed in the Middle East and North America.

Doug McKalip Nominated as USDA Chief Agricultural Negotiator

In Washington, D.C., President Biden nominated Doug McKalip, senior advisor to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack: “Doug McKalip is highly qualified and exceptionally capable of serving the American people as Chief Agricultural Negotiator. Having served as a key agriculture policy official for nearly three decades, he has worked on every aspect of farming from soil conservation, and the supply chain to dealing with sensitive trade and national security matters. Through his service, he has represented American farmers around the world and advocated for U.S. agricultural products and technology.”

IHI Welcomes John Keller as New CEO

In California, IHI Power Services Corp. (IPSC) welcomed seasoned power gen pro, John R. Keller to immediately take on the role of chief operating officer and eventually assume the position of CEO as Steve Gross, acting president and chief executive officer, has made the decision to retire and transition out of the company in his current capacity later this year in the fall.

Keller has been called upon to serve as IPSC’s COO in the interim and will assume the role of CEO in the coming months, once Gross has fully transitioned out of his current position.

With 30+ years in the electric power, renewable energy and gas pipeline sectors, Keller has led organizations like Brightmark, InventivEnergy, North American Energy Alliance, among others, to success in a variety of C-suite roles. In addition to his proven track record of success in leadership positions, Keller has deep-rooted category experience in power project development, construction, operations and maintenance, asset management and executive management with oversight of asset technologies in wind, hydro, solar, biomass, natural gas simple/combined cycle and cogeneration.

Covestro extends contract with CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann ahead of schedule until 2028

Dr. Markus Steilemann will remain Chief Executive Officer of Covestro for a further five years. The Supervisory Board has prematurely extended his contract, which runs until May 2023, until May 31, 2028. Steilemann has been a member of the Covestro Board of Management since September 2015 and its Chief Executive Officer since June 2018.

“Markus Steilemann has provided Covestro with outstanding leadership as Chief Executive Officer during his tenure to date, setting important strategic direction and driving the Group’s sustainable growth. We look forward to continuing our successful cooperation,” said Dr. Richard Pott, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Covestro AG. “By extending his mandate ahead of schedule, we are emphasizing our confidence in Mr. Steilemann to successfully continue the transformation Covestro has begun to become fully circular.”