AREG grows expertise in offshore wind with two board director appointments

Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) has enhanced its board with the appointment of two new directors adding more than 60 years of combined energy sector experience to the existing board of six.

Allan MacAskill, technical director at Flotation Energy, and Andrew Wilson, managing director at Coast Offshore, will support AREG’s mission to champion the North-east's renewable energy sector as it continues to support its members by unlocking supply chain opportunities.

Allan has spent more than 40 years’ working in the energy industry, both in traditional oil and gas and renewables. 

In that time, he co-founded Kincardine Offshore Wind Limited in 2012 and Flotation Energy in 2018, both of which have supported the development of a significant portfolio of UK and international renewable energy projects, including Green Volt, which is set to be Europe’s first commercial scale floating offshore windfarm.

Andrew worked in the rotating equipment industry for more than a decade with companies including Siemens Energy where he supported operators in oil and gas, before pivoting to renewables.

Prior to assuming his current position as managing director of Coast Offshore, Andrew was a service operations manager at Scotland’s biggest windfarm, Seagreen, on behalf of Vestas.

The new board members join Jean Morrison MBE, AREG chairperson, alongside current directors Gordon McIntosh, director at Aberdeen International Associates, Sven van den Bedem, Shearwater growth and energy transition business opportunity manager/project director at Shell, Nassima Brown, co-founder and strategy director at Fennex, Rod Hutchison, partner at Aberdein Considine, Alfonso Martinez-Felipe, senior lecturer in chemical engineering at the University of Aberdeen, and Councillor Dell Henrickson, of Aberdeen City Council. 

Jean welcomed the new board members, who she said are joining AREG at an exciting time for the North-east's renewable energy sector. 

She said: “We are honoured to add two talented industry leaders to our board, who will bring a breadth of knowledge and experience to the organisation as we look to increase our support for members at a critical time for Scotland’s energy transition.

“With several important renewables projects recently receiving Contracts for Difference and some exciting renewables developments yet to be confirmed by the government, we are encouraged by the value that our new board directors will add to AREG’s member offering as the North-east strengthens its position as a supply chain hub for the renewable energy industry.”

On his appointment to the board, Allan MacAskill said: “My interest in the energy transition was first sparked by involvement in the electrification of the Beatrice oil field. From that, I know that Aberdeen already possesses the offshore capacity, skills, and experience to make the energy transition possible. 

“The North-east of Scotland is ideally positioned to closely collaborate with neighbouring countries to build a new economy which exports knowledge, skills and electrons right around the world. Offshore renewable energy offers enormous potential to bring investment worth billions of pounds and create thousands of jobs.

“I am delighted to be joining the AREG Board at this time to help members capitalise on this opportunity.”

Andrew Wilson said: “It's a privilege to be joining the AREG board with the opportunity to work alongside industry leaders. The wealth of experience and knowledge within the group allows us to support our members in leading the North-east’s drive to be at the forefront of the energy transition and deliver on the potential we harbour in Scotland”.

One of the original energy transition organisations, AREG has celebrated its twenty-first anniversary in 2024 with several in-person and online events for its membership community, including a recent SME Technology Showcase event. 

The team at AREG, alongside its new board members, are also preparing for several industry events across the remainder of 2024, with new events for 2025 yet to be announced.

For more information about AREG, please visit https://www.aberdeenrenewables.com/

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