Orsted’s America’s chief executive, David Hardy, has decided to leave the company to join GE Vernova as its wind division’s chief commercial officer.
Hardy (pictured), who is also group executive vice president, will step down from his position effective 30 November and will join GE Vernova on 6 January.
The search for a successor region Americas chief executive is underway.
In the interim period, Orsted’s chief commercial officer and deputy chief executive Rasmus Errboe will guide and support the senior leadership team in the US market.
Orsted chief executive Mads Nipper said: “I want to thank David for his five years with Orsted.
“During his time, he’s been a trusted voice within our group leadership and built our Region Americas strategic capabilities as a multi-technology renewable energy company.
“Outside of Orsted, he is a leading voice for the growing US offshore industry, all positively contributing to our completion of America’s first commercial scale offshore wind farm, and other historic milestones for Ørsted and the US renewables market overall.
“I am very happy the renewable energy industry will continue to benefit from his leadership and expertise in his next chapter.”
David began at Orsted in March 2020.
He integrated the US business following multiple strategic acquisitions, and added and grew core capabilities in wind, solar and storage to nearly 11GW in development, construction or operation.
Under his leadership, the company built and began operations at America’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, South Fork Wind, and took final investment decisions and began construction on Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind, both large commercial scale offshore wind projects off the coast of the north-east US totalling 1.7GW.
Hardy prioritised standing up a new US supply chain and workforce development.
Orsted partnered with Kiewit to build the first American-made offshore wind substation in Texas and with Edison Chouest Offshore to construct the first American-made service operations vessel in Louisiana.
In 2022, Orsted and North America’s Building Trades Unions partnered to build offshore wind projects with labour by creating and signing the National Offshore Wind.
“I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had with Orsted and especially the time I’ve spent with a very talented and strategic team across the United States,” Hardy said.
“Together, we have measurably advanced a new and critical industry with many milestones, ranging from completing South Fork Wind to building new vessels and developing workforce programs that will support the industry for decades.
“Over the last five years, we’ve established and grown our US onshore portfolio, as well. It now has about 6.5GW in construction or operation, including Orsted’s largest energy storage asset at our Eleven Mile project in Arizona.
“Orsted continues to have a bright future, and I will definitely miss the talented Orsted team.
“I am confident that in my new role we will find ways to continue working together to move this industry forward.”