The board of directors at Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. has appointed George H. Kirby president, CEO and director, effective January 20, 2015.

Mr. Kirby has more than 22 years of experience in the global energy and infrastructure sector, including the power and industrial facility sector. He was most recently senior vice president for the energy business unit at AECOM Technology Corporation, where he and his team provided full power generation and power delivery project life-cycle services in the US energy market. Prior to that, Kirby was vice president of Utility Services at SAIC Energy, Environment & Infrastructure, working with electric utilities in the North American market.

Kirby also held a variety of management positions at GE Capital and GE Power & Water, as well as American Superconductor and Andrew Corporation.

“George has a broad wealth of experience in the energy sector and a proven track record in the growth of operating businesses,” said Terence J. Cryan, chairman of the board, Ocean Power Technologies. “We believe his leadership skills will be well applied in our efforts to capitalize on the growing market for off-shore data collection and transmission that require off grid power production at smaller scales.”