Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (OPTT) Appoints Dr. Mike Mekhiche New Head of Engineering

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT), a leading wave energy technology company, announced that Dr. Mike M. Mekhiche has been appointed Vice President, Engineering. Dr. Mekhiche, who holds Doctorate and Masters degrees with honors in Electrical Engineering from the Grenoble Institute of Technology, joins Ocean Power Technologies from BAE systems, where he most recently held the position of Director of Programs.

Ocean Power Technologies has stated that Dr. Mekhiche will be responsible for overseeing the company’s engineering and advanced technology development, and will be reporting to Charles F Dunleavy, Chief Executive Officer of OPT. Dr. Mekhiche primary responsibilities will include technology delivery, furthering enhancements and development of OPT’s wave energy technology portfolio, and the development of the next generation of PowerBuoy® systems.

“We are very pleased to have Mike Mekhiche join OPT as Vice President, Engineering. He brings a wealth of demonstrated technical innovation, leadership of engineering teams and experience in strategic management of the technology development process,” said Charles F. Dunleavy, Chief Executive Officer of OPT. “Mike has a proven track record of success in engineering management at technology-based companies and sensitivity to the needs of an international customer base. He has shown the ability to bridge between the process of continuous innovation and its implementation in successful commercial strategies. This background is important to OPT’s growth as we progress in the commercialization of our core PowerBuoy technology, and we welcome him to the senior management team.”

With over twenty years of experience in new product development and commercialization of electro-mechanical and control systems for industrial equipment, land vehicles and sea vessels, Dr. Mekhiche also has a great deal of experience in the US Department of Defense, automotive industry, and machinery markets, as well as serving customers in the renewable energy sector. Mekhiche has also worked extensively for both small and large companies, and has led multi-discipline engineering teams servicing customers across North America, Asia and Japan, and Europe.

Dr. Mekhiche worked as the Director of Programs for seven years at BAE Systems, a large global defense and aerospace contractor. As the Director of Programs, Mekhiche oversaw the design, development, production, and systems integration of an advanced power management and hybrid propulsion product line for use in various applications, such as naval vessels, heavy duty commercial vehicles, and military combat and tactical platforms. Before being appointed Director of Programs, Dr. Mekhiche held the position of Chief Engineer and was responsible for directing development, systems integration, and deployment of advanced systems for both land and sea applications in both the military and commercial sectors.

Formerly, before his work at BAE Systems, Dr. Mekhiche worked as the Technical Director for New Technology Development at DRS Technologies, Inc., a manufacturer of advanced products for the defense industry. During his tenure at DRS, Mekhiche managed a large engineering development program centered around technology integration for electrically-propelled ships for use by the US Navy. Prior to DRS, he worked for SATCON Technology Corp., a clean energy technology company which provided utility-grade power conversion solutions for the renewable energy market. While working at SATCON, Dr. Mekhiche was General Manager in the Power Systems division, where he led the commercialization of the SATCON’s power management and conversion products.

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