Scotland-headquartered Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) has appointed Chris Hyde, chief technology officer of Aberdeen-based marine technology specialist OTAQ, to its board of directors.
According to SAIC, the move will strengthen links and foster relationships between the aquaculture sector and Scottish SMEs, drawing on Hyde’s experience in tech companies and start-ups.
Hyde currently heads up engineering and new product development for OTAQ across its aquaculture and offshore energy markets.
He has more than 25 years of aquaculture industry experience, with previous roles at aquaculture technology specialist Mohn Aqua Group (now part of Gael Force) and subsea energy systems specialist Bennex Group (now part of Siemens Energy). He was part of the founding team at OTAQ.
“Working closely with fish farmers over my whole career, I have learned a great deal about aquaculture – both in terms of how the sector operates around the world and the challenges it faces. I have led and operated within SMEs throughout my working life and look forward to bringing this experience to the SAIC board,” he said.
SAIC Chair, David Gregory, said that Hyde was “a great addition” to the strategic knowledge and sector connections available on the SAIC board.
“Chris shares SAIC’s passion for aquaculture and the role it plays in feeding the world, with technology and innovation central to increasing the sector’s economic impact while reducing its environmental footprint,” Gregory said.
