North Star, the offshore infrastructure support vessel operator, has announced the appointment of Lesley Dunn to the newly created position of Head of Financial Planning and Analysis. Based in Aberdeen, Scotland, Dunn will be responsible for managing lender and shareholder information requirements as North Star aims to achieve continued growth in the renewables industry.
With 25 years of experience in the corporate finance sector, Dunn is a chartered accountant who has worked at Simmons & Company (now Piper Sandler) and Vysus Group, as well as running her own financial consultancy business for seven years. In her new role, she will oversee detailed financial modelling, currency and interest rate hedging, cash management, and long-term business planning for newbuild capex approvals and mergers and acquisitions.
See also: North Star appoints James Bradford as Chief Technology Officer to drive offshore wind business
Dunn is thrilled to be joining North Star at a time when the company is experiencing considerable growth in the renewable energy sector and looking to expand its hybrid-electric offshore wind vessel fleet and services across Europe. After last year's £140m worth of investment, including £50m from the Scottish National Investment Bank, North Star is in a financially robust position to further its new build programme and seize new market opportunities.
“North Star is a company with a rich legacy and a well-respected reputation across UK waters, operating from bases in Aberdeen, Lowestoft and Newcastle,” said Dunn. “It has been built on a solid foundation of safety, service and quality, delivering exceptional levels of support to its clients in one of the world's most challenging and demanding industries. I'm looking forward to supporting the group as it continues to grow, expanding its reach across the sector and helping North Star bring its first-class capabilities and innovative solutions to new and returning customers, backed by strong commercial acumen.”
See also: Lightsource BP Appoints Juan Luis Cantón as Country Head in Spain
Fraser Dobbie, North Star's Chief Strategy Officer, said that Dunn's experience in creating financial models to support decision making will be invaluable to the team as they plan their future in the energy industry. North Star has set a fleet decarbonisation target of 2040, and Dunn's appointment follows the recent hiring of James Bradford as Chief Technology Officer.
North Star is poised to build on its reputation for safety, service, and quality, and Dunn's appointment demonstrates the company's commitment to sustainable growth in the renewables industry.
