Ørsted announces new US offshore leader

Ørsted has appointed wind power industry veteran David Hardy as new chief executive of its North American offshore unit.

Hardy will replace Thomas Brostrøm with immediate effect, having previously served as the division’s president and chief operating officer.

He will oversee all of Ørsted’s offshore wind activities in North America, including development and operations for the company’s existing US portfolio.

Brostrøm, meanwhile, is due to relocate to Europe to join oil and gas major Shell as senior vice president for global renewables solutions.

Ørsted owns the US’s first offshore wind farm – the 30MW Block Island Block Island (30MW) OffshoreNew Shoreham, Rhode Island, USA, North America Click to see full details project off Rhode Island – and developed the 12MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) – Pilot Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) – Pilot (12MW) Offshoreoff Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, North America Click to see full details project. It is helping to develop at least a further 4.2GW, according to Windpower Intelligence, the research and data division of Windpower Monthly.

Prior to joining Ørsted, Hardy held US and global senior executive roles at both Senvion and Vestas, as well as senior sales roles at GE.

Brostrøm had spent nearly 11 years with Ørsted, including five years as its North American president and CEO of its US offshore unit.

Ørsted added that Brostrøm “will be relocating to Europe for a renewable energy leadership role with a global energy company”, in the coming months.