David Hardy, the CEO of Orsted Americas, has announced his decision to leave the company to take on the role of Chief Commercial Officer for GE Vernova's wind division, effective January 6. Hardy, who has been with Orsted since March 2020 and also serves as the company's group executive vice president, will step down on November 30.
During his tenure at Orsted, Hardy played a pivotal role in strengthening the company's strategic presence in the Americas, particularly in offshore wind energy. Under his leadership, Orsted launched America's first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, South Fork Wind, and progressed large-scale projects like Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind, totaling 1.7 GW. He also expanded Orsted's capabilities in wind, solar, and energy storage, overseeing nearly 11 GW in development, construction, or operation.
In addition to his contributions to Orsted's business, Hardy was a key advocate for workforce development and supply chain integration in the U.S., helping build the country's first American-made offshore wind substation and service operations vessel. His work with North America's Building Trades Unions led to the creation of the National Offshore Wind Agreement to foster local labor participation in offshore wind projects.
Rasmus Errboe, Orsted's Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO, will temporarily lead the Americas region while the search for Hardy's successor is underway.
Mads Nipper, Orsted's CEO, expressed gratitude for Hardy's leadership and contributions to the company's success in the U.S. renewable energy sector. Hardy, in turn, thanked the Orsted team for the opportunities and collaboration that helped drive industry milestones, and expressed confidence in the continued growth of Orsted and its projects in the U.S.
