Cellula Robotics, developer of fuel cell powered autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systems, announced it has promoted Neil Manning from corporate development officer to chief executive officer (CEO).
Manning joined Cellula Robotics initially as corporate development officer, bringing with him over 30 years of experience in the submarine telecommunications, offshore wind, and oil & gas industries.
"Neil's appointment as CEO marks a milestone chapter in Cellula's journey," said Eric Jackson, president of Cellula Robotics Ltd. "His excellent leadership skills, combined with his extensive industry knowledge, have already made a significant impact on our organization. We are excited that Neil is now positioned to lead Cellula into a new era of innovation and growth."
During his time as corporate development officer, Manning helped to shape Cellula's strategic direction, driving business development initiatives and fostering key partnerships, the Canada-based company said.
"I'm honored to build on Cellula's 20-year pedigree in marine engineering and autonomous systems, however the team experience extends much longer than that. Eric Jackson our founder and now president has put his trust in me to uphold our core values which I take is a great privilege" Manning said. "Since joining the company, I have been continually impressed by the innovation and talent of our team, as well as the tremendous potential of our technology. Cellula is truly onto something special with its approach to long duration subsea autonomous vehicles, leveraging the benefits of utilizing hydrogen fuel cells. This method of generating power offers a higher density approach to energy storage over battery-only systems. This innovation will change the current restrictions of manageable-size autonomous platforms, offering the required endurance to be viable for over the horizon projects - and now it's time to commercialize it. I am excited to lead Cellula as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation and make meaningful contributions to the security, exploration and sustainability of our oceans."