Company Leadership

Charles F. Dunleavy
Chief Executive Officer

Charles F. Dunleavy has served as OPT's Chief Executive Officer since 2010, and previously as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President since 2000 and as Treasurer, Secretary and Director since 1990. From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Dunleavy served as Vice President, Finance.

From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Dunleavy served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Whole Systems International Corp., a privately held company specializing in multimedia instructional systems and information technology. From 1983 to 1990, Mr. Dunleavy was the corporate Controller for Intermetrics, Inc., a publicly held software engineering company that is now a part of L-3 Communications, Mr. Dunleavy began his career in public accounting with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, primarily serving publicly-held companies with multi-national operations across the manufacturing, high technology and banking sectors. Mr. Dunleavy is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration with honors from Rutgers Graduate School of Business Administration. He received his A.B. degree from Colgate University with honors.

Mr. Dunleavy has over 20 years of experience in the marine renewable energy industry.  At OPT he has played a key role in the company’s expanding its operations internationally.  In addition, he was instrumental in OPT’s raising over $150 million in equity capital.

 

Dr. Mike M. Mekhiche
Vice President, Engineering

Prior to joining OPT in 2012, Dr. Mekhiche worked for various commercial and defense contractors such as BAE Systems, a large global defense and aerospace contractor, DRS Technologies, Kaman Aerospace and SatCon Technology Corporation. At BAE Systems, Inc., he served most recently in the role of Director of Products and Technologies, overseeing the design, development, production and systems integration of advanced power management and hybrid propulsion product lines for various mobile and stationary applications such as naval vessels, heavy duty commercial vehicles and military combat and tactical platforms.

Dr. Mekhiche has over twenty years experience in new product development and commercialization of electro-mechanical and controls systems for industrial equipment, land vehicles and sea vessels, serving customers in the renewable energy sector, US Department of Defense, US Department of Energy, automotive industry, and machinery markets. He has led multi-discipline engineering teams, and has a diversified business background that allows him to address the needs of customers in various markets and geographic areas at the global scale. Dr. Mekhiche holds Doctorate and Masters Degrees with honors in Electrical Engineering from the Grenoble Institute of Technology.

 

Deborah A. Montagna
Vice President, Business and Product Development

Deborah A. Montagna has over 20 years experience in US Government business development and contracting. Her experience includes extensive program management, business development, technical operations, and contract management experience in both commercial and government sectors primarily in wireless communications and military communications and test equipment industries.

Before joining OPT, she was Director of Technical Operations for Clariti Telecommunications International responsible for the development of key components of the company’s messaging network. Previously, Ms. Montagna was Vice President of Operations at Mikros Systems Corporation directing activities of the engineering, manufacturing, finance and program management departments. Other experience includes successful commercialization of products through the US Government’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, including OPT’s PowerBuoy, and the US Navy’s Aegis Shipbuilding Program.

Ms. Montagna earned a Master of Business Administration degree from LaSalle University, BA degree in Mathematics from The College of New Jersey, and AA degree in Electrical Engineering.

 

Brian M. Posner
Chief Financial Officer

Brian Posner has strong experience in capital raising and business development and has implemented financial reporting systems to meet internal and external requirements, including Sarbanes-Oxley.

Previous to joining OPT, Mr. Posner was CFO of Power Medical Interventions, a publicly-traded medical device company and CFO of Pharmacopia, a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company. His career has also encompassed working at other early-stage and publicly-held businesses as well as serving on the audit staff of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, LLP where he had a diverse group of clients in the manufacturing, banking and natural resources sectors.

Mr. Posner is a Certified Public Accountant holding a Master of Business Administration degree from Pace University and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Queens College in New York City.

 

Timothy Stiven
Managing Director of UK and European Business

Mr. Timothy Stiven has served as Managing Director of Ocean Power Technologies Limited since March 2012. In that capacity he has full responsibility for our UK and European business. Previously, he served as Director, Business Development and Marketing for Ocean Power Technologies Limited since September 2010.

Prior to joining OPT, Mr. Stiven was Business Manager from 2006 to 2009 for QinetiQ, a defense and security engineering firm with international operations. At QinetiQ he served clients in the energy and environment sectors, including biomass heat and power technology. Previously, Mr. Stiven served over 13 years in the Royal Navy, as a Marine Engineer Officer and later as a Manager for design programs and future technology requirements and strategy. He is a Chartered Engineer and member of the Institution of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology. 

Mr. Stiven received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering with honors from Durham University, a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture from University College London, and a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh.

 

Dr. George W. Taylor

Executive Vice Chairman

Dr. George W. Taylor has served as OPT's Executive Vice Chairman since 2011, as Executive Chairman from 2009 to 2011, as Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 2009 and as a Director since 1984, when he co-founded the Company. From 1990 to 2004, Dr. Taylor was President and from 1984 to 1990, he was Vice President.

Dr. Taylor has over 40 years experience in the commercialization of new technologies. In 1979, he co-founded and served as President of Princeton Research Associates, Inc., a consulting engineering, technical marketing and product development company. In 1970, Dr. Taylor co-founded Princeton Materials Science, Inc., a manufacturer of liquid crystal displays and digital watches. He guided the company from technical concept to commercial status, until it subsequently was acquired and became the basis of a division of Fairchild Semiconductor. Dr. Taylor received a Bachelor of Engineering degree with First Class Honours in Electrical Engineering and a Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Western Australia and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of London. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Australia and the Institute of Electrical Engineers, London.

Dr. Taylor is a recognized international authority on wave energy. He has testified twice before the US Senate Committees and the FERC Commissioners. He was awarded by Energy Ocean Conference the Technology Pioneer Award in 2007 for “Proven and demonstration of a commercially viable and scalable ocean energy power producing device”, and the Marine Renewable Energy Navigation Award in 2009 for “Promoting the responsible commercialization of marine renewable energy”.

 

Terence J. Cryan
Non-Executive Director

• Since September 2001, Mr. Cryan has been Co-founder and Managing Director of Concert Energy Partners, LLC, an investment banking and private equity investment firm with a focus on the traditional and alternative energy, power and natural resources industries. In addition to his responsibilities at Concert Energy Partners, LLC, from 2007 through 2010, Mr. Cryan also served as President and CEO of Medical Acoustics LLC, a medical device technology company.

• Between 1990 and 2001, Mr. Cryan was a Senior Managing Director in the investment banking department at Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. in New York City and a Managing Director at Paine Webber/Kidder Peabody in both New York City and London.

• Mr. Cryan has served on the Boards of Directors of: Uranium Resources, Inc., since 2006; Global Power Equipment Group Inc., since 2008; Gryphon Gold Corporation, since 2009; and The Providence Service Corporation from 2009 to 2011.

• Mr. Cryan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University in 1983 and a Masters of Science degree in Economics from The London School of Economics in 1984.

David L. Davis
Non-Executive Director

• Most recently, Mr. Davis was Vice President of Development for the Northeast Region of NRG Energy, Inc. NRG is an integrated wholesale power generation company and a leading retail electricity provider. Mr. Davis led NRG’s development in the northeast region across various technologies, including onshore and offshore wind, solar, biomass and traditional power plants.

• In 2005 to 2006, Mr. Davis held the position of Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development for Perennial Power Holdings, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, and held senior positions at Mirant Corporation from 1996 to 2005.

• Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the University of Michigan Law School and Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue University

 

Charles F. Dunleavy
Chairman

Charles F. Dunleavy has served as OPT's Chief Executive Officer since 2010, and previously as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President since 2000 and as Treasurer, Secretary and Director since 1990. From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Dunleavy served as Vice President, Finance.

From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Dunleavy served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Whole Systems International Corp., a privately held company specializing in multimedia instructional systems and information technology. From 1983 to 1990, Mr. Dunleavy was the corporate Controller for Intermetrics, Inc., a publicly held software engineering company that is now a part of L-3 Communications, Mr. Dunleavy began his career in public accounting with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, primarily serving publicly-held companies with multi-national operations across the manufacturing, high technology and banking sectors. Mr. Dunleavy is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration with honors from Rutgers Graduate School of Business Administration. He received his A.B. degree from Colgate University with honors.

Mr. Dunleavy has over 20 years of experience in the marine renewable energy industry.  At OPT he has played a key role in the company’s expanding its operations internationally.  In addition, he was instrumental in OPT’s raising over $150 million in equity capital.

 

 

Bruce A. Peacock
Non-Executive Director

• Since May 2006, Mr. Peacock has served as a Venture Partner with SV Life Sciences Advisors, LLC; since September 2010, as Chief Business Officer of Ophthotech Corporation; and since February 2011, as Co-Chairman and Director of Alba Therapeutics.

• Previously served as Chief Executive Officer and director of The Little Clinic, a medical care services company. 

• From 2002 to 2005, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Adolor Corporation, a publicly-held biotechnology company.

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Villanova University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

 

Seymour S. Preston, III
Vice Chairman and Lead Independent Director

• Previously President and Chief Executive Officer of ELF Atochem North America, Inc., and President, Chief Operating Officer and Director at Pennwalt Corporation.

• Director of Albermarle Corporation, Tufco Technologies, Inc. and Scott Specialty Gas Corporation.

• MBA from Harvard Business School.

 

 

Dr. George W. Taylor
Executive Vice Chairman

Dr. George W. Taylor has served as OPT's Executive Vice Chairman since 2011, as Executive Chairman from 2009 to 2011, as Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 2009 and as a Director since 1984, when he co-founded the Company. From 1990 to 2004, Dr. Taylor was our President and from 1984 to 1990, he was Vice President.

Dr. Taylor has over 40 years experience in the commercialization of new technologies. In 1979, he co-founded and served as President of Princeton Research Associates, Inc., a consulting engineering, technical marketing and product development company. In 1970, Dr. Taylor co-founded Princeton Materials Science, Inc., a manufacturer of liquid crystal displays and digital watches. He guided the company from technical concept to commercial status, until it subsequently was acquired and became the basis of a division of Fairchild Semiconductor. Dr. Taylor received a Bachelor of Engineering degree with First Class Honours in Electrical Engineering and a Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Western Australia and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of London. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Australia and the Institute of Electrical Engineers, London.

Dr. Taylor is a recognized international authority on wave energy. He has testified twice before the US Senate Committees and the FERC Commissioners. He was awarded by Energy Ocean Conference the Technology Pioneer Award in 2007 for “Proven and demonstration of a commercially viable and scalable ocean energy power producing device”, and the Marine Renewable Energy Navigation Award in 2009 for “Promoting the responsible commercialization of marine renewable energy”.