Rovco enters U.S. market with strategic appointment
Rovco, an experienced global provider of subsea robotics and hydrographic survey solutions to the marine renewable and wider energy sectors, has its sights set on supporting the energy transition in the US market with the strategic appointment of Mitchell (Mitch) Johnson as the company’s new Director – Americas.
Mitch joins Rovco at an exciting time as the company seeks to expand its international offering, bringing operational excellence, learning and expertise from its extensive portfolio of offshore wind projects across the UK and Europe.
Mitch brings significant experience to the new role. With skills in offshore operations and project management, he began his career as a marine surveyor before moving to San Diego where, as lead surveyor, he worked on new construction ship building for the US Navy. Having lived and worked in Dubai, Singapore and West Africa and with a strong focus on subsea robotic vehicles and entrepreneurship, Mitch’s previous role saw him head up Oceaneering’s global subsea inspection business unit.
Located in New York, Mitch is ready to expand Rovco’s global footprint and will be responsible for seeding and growing the business, drawing upon the company’s culture and vast offshore wind experience to establish operations in the US, supporting the country’s transition to renewable energy sources.
Speaking about his new appointment, he said: “I see a lot of opportunity to adapt the operational excellence practices used in traditional oil and gas markets and apply them to the new, emerging energy mix here in the US. Rovco is a key player in this market, and it is an exciting time to move into the US.
“I am looking forward to working with such a talented team and to leading the next phase of growth for Rovco. As a company with a strong reputation as a leader in technology-focused subsea solutions, now is the time to expand our global offering.”
Brian Allen, group chief executive, added: “Mitch’s appointment prepares Rovco for the next stage of growth. We have a vast portfolio of subsea projects past and present in the offshore wind domain, enabling us to bring extensive knowledge and learning to the US market. Combined with Mitch’s business acumen and intimate understanding of US legislation, this appointment supports our ambitious growth plans to expand into international markets using indigenous talent and supporting local supply chain objectives.”
This further growth and organisational shift comes on the back of a successful series B raise, co-led by Legal & General Capital alongside Equinor Ventures. This saw an initial £15.2m raise complete in April, which has since grown to over £20.5m as other investors from Europe, US and the Middle East joined the round.
