Danish offshore wind developer Orsted has appointed Alana Kühne as its new head of development for Europe, effective 1 November, the company said on Thursday. She will succeed Duncan Clarke, who is leaving after 13 years in senior leadership roles. Clarke will remain with the company until the end of December to support the transition.
Kühne has been with Orsted for more than 11 years, holding senior positions across commercial, trading, and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) units. She most recently served as managing director for the 2.4-gigawatt Hornsea 4 offshore wind project off the coast of England.
“I’m honoured to take on this role focusing on Orsted’s future growth and leading such a talented team at an important time for Orsted and the wider industry,” Kühne said. “Over the coming months, I’ll be setting out a clear vision for how we continue to build on our position as a global leader in offshore wind and support Europe’s transition to clean energy. Duncan has made an outstanding contribution to the company and to the industry and I look forward to building on the strong foundations he leaves behind.”
Clarke, who joined Orsted in 2012, said: “It’s been a privilege to be part of Orsted’s journey working alongside an exceptional team of colleagues to deliver investments that have truly transformed the energy landscape globally. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together and I look forward to seeing Orsted continue to lead the way for offshore wind.”
Orsted’s global chief development officer Amanda Dasch highlighted Kühne’s experience in commercial leadership and technical expertise as critical for the company’s European ambitions. “Alana’s combination of commercial leadership, market knowledge, and technical acumen will help us strengthen our pipeline in Europe as policymakers prioritise more homegrown energy,” Dasch said. She added: “I want to thank Duncan for his leadership. Over the past 13 years, he built a world-class team that contributed to our industry-leading position and established offshore wind as a core technology across Europe delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy.
