Navigating offshore wind challenges with determination

Eric was appointed Managing Director for the OEG Renewables Group (OEGR) after the acquisition of Manor Energy Group (MEG) in February 2022.

Eric has an extensive background in the maritime industry. With 18 years of experience at sea, during which he attained the rank of Master Mariner, Eric has a wealth of knowledge in operating a fleet of vessels. Since 2007, he has been actively involved in the offshore wind, wave, and tidal sectors, offering his expertise in marine operations, vessel chartering, and contract management for various innovative and demanding projects.

During his tenure at Sealion, Eric was accountable for overseeing vessel performance and maintenance while on charter to major companies such as Total, Subsea 7, and Halliburton. Under his leadership, the fleet expanded to over 25 construction vessels. Furthermore, his role as the Head of Marine Operations at Metoc saw him transform the environmental consultancy into a highly profitable division, resulting in a significant increase in turnover and enhanced EBITDA margin. This success ultimately led to the company's acquisition by Intertek.

As the Managing Director of SeaRoc, Eric successfully repositioned the consultancy to have a construction-focused approach, leading to a remarkable revenue growth from £1.8 million annually to over £13 million in just two years. His strategic vision and leadership played a pivotal role in turning around the company's financial performance.

Melanie serves as the Group Finance Director at OEG Renewables, where she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the finance functions and driving the growth of the renewables group.

With a background as a Chartered Accountant, Melanie brings a wealth of experience garnered from working within private equity-backed businesses and international group structures.

Leif Cooper is the Marine Director of OEG Renewables, responsible for the OEGR Fleet of 16 wind farm support vessels.

With a background as a vessel Master, Leif has been working in the offshore renewables sector since 2008 and joined MRE in 2018 as Operations Director. He has previously worked for E.on, RWE, Scottish Power Renewables, and SSE, providing offshore construction management for various scopes such as foundation, substation, and WTG installation. Based in OEGR's Portland office, Leif also oversees fleet maintenance and new vessel acquisition.

Chris joined OEG Renewables in 2023 leading the subsea division having previously worked with acquired company Hughes Subsea Services. He is a Chartered Engineer with a 20 year career in civils, marine construction, and renewables services project management leading to commercial and corporate business roles with Technip, Subsea 7 and DOF Subsea.

During his professional career, Chris has worked within a number of leading construction and energy services companies in the UK, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa gaining invaluable practical experience whilst enjoying the team ethic and team leadership role.

Billy joined OEG Renewables (OEGR) in 2023 leading the business development, sales and tendering team as Development Director. With OEGR establishing itself as a key part of the energy transition and a leading company in the renewables sector, Billy is tasked with securing project opportunities for OEGR and nurturing stakeholder relationships.

Before joining OEGR, Billy held the position of Managing Director at Manor Renewable Energy (MRE). Throughout his career at MRE, Billy successfully secured significant temporary power project opportunities and contributed to the expansion of the company's global presence.

Billy has over 20 years of experience within the marine civils, ports and renewables sectors and is a valuable member of the OEGR leadership team.

Toby assumed the role of Operations Director for the OEG Renewables Group (OEGR) after the acquisition of Manor Energy Group (MEG) in February 2022. With several companies now falling under the OEGR umbrella, Toby is tasked with identifying collaborative project opportunities within the renewables wind sector.

Before joining OEGR, Toby served as the COO and founding member of MEG in 2013 and led the company to become a prominent provider of offshore temporary power for the offshore wind market over a span of 10 years.

Toby is a holder of a Master Mariner certificate and served as the Master of the World’s inaugural Turbine Installation Vessel from 2003 to 2006.

Bernhard has been involved in the offshore renewables sector since its inception, serving as a vessel manager for tugboats and jack-up barges since 2002. He was responsible for overseeing oil spill response and salvage teams along the German coast.

He then successfully managed large-scale projects in the oil & gas industry before founding and leading Opus Marine GmbH, a leading German Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) provider for the offshore wind industry.

Bernhard was appointed Europe Director for OEG Renewables after the acquisition of OPUS Marine GmBH in 2022.

Kevin joined OEG in 2022 and has extensive experience in submarine cable engineering and construction operations. His previous positions include Senior Operations Manager, Head of Commercial, and Country Manager for UK-based offshore wind companies.

Kevin holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from the National Taiwan University and has authored "The Integrated Plan of Taiwan’s Ports Development (2017~2021)" for the Ministry of Transportation & Communication (MOTC).

Currently, he serves as the Vice Chairperson for the Submarine Cable and Pipeline Affairs Committee in the Taiwan Wind Energy Association and as the Secretary General for the National Marine Engineering Association.