Global Underwater Hub (GUH) has strengthened its board with the appointment of a senior industry figure.

Steve Wisely joins the board of the trade and development body which represents the country’s £9.2billion underwater industry

He will also lead GUH’s new contractor leadership forum which will be launched later this year. The forum will bring together the major underwater contracting firms with the supply chain in a collaborative environment that is focused on solving the technical challenges of operators and developers. 

Steve is a Senior Vice President with Subsea7. In his 30-year career with the global leader in the delivery of offshore energy solutions, Steve has held various roles in commercial, contractual and tendering in the UK, Norway and Singapore.

Neil Gordon, chief executive of GUH, said: 
“Steve is widely recognised and respected across the underwater industry with extensive knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing the supply chain in energy transition and the blue economy.

“He will be a valuable addition to our board which sets and steers our strategy of supporting and growing the industry across all sectors from oil and gas and decommissioning to offshore wind, wave and tidal, defence, aquaculture and telecommunications. He is also well-positioned within one of the largest EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation) firms to lead our new leadership forum.

Commenting on his appointment, Steve said: 
“I am pleased to join the GUH board and especially looking forward to heading up the contractor leadership forum. At the heart of GUH’s mission is to enhance capacity, capability and diversification across the whole underwater industry.

“Contractor firms represent significant potential investment opportunities in the UK, in terms of product and service delivery. We work closely with operators and developers but also need essential input from the supply chain to address challenges effectively. This forum, designed to focus on interaction between contractors and the supply chain, will act as a springboard through providing valuable insight into these technical issues and through working collectively together to develop innovative solutions to support the industry.”

The ambition of GUH is to grow the value of the country’s underwater industry - one of the largest and fastest-growing industrial sectors in the UK. This growth will accelerate the transition to net zero, drive innovation and deliver a step-change in the development and internationalisation of British underwater technology and services.

Neil Gordon added: 
“GUH is recognised for its in-depth understanding of the underwater sector and our ability to facilitate meaningful connections between industry, government and the subsea supply chain. With the board’s and the executive team’s wealth of knowledge, we are uniquely positioned to provide the underwater community with the deep market intelligence, contact network and support they need to capitalise on this unprecedented scope for growth. We connect companies and sectors with the market opportunity to deliver the underwater solutions of the future.”

Owned and led by industry, GUH provides companies with access to strategic market intelligence and information to help them make the right decisions about growing their business at home and abroad. It also offers specialist support, market information and collaborative opportunities to accelerate growth and supports the development of supply chain skills and capabilities which will ensure the UK remains a world-leader in underwater know-how.

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