Great Lakes Dredge & Dock makes key offshore wind appointment

GLDD's Eleni Beyko: “We continue to pursue additional opportunities. including projects internationally for 2026 and beyond.”

Marking its latest push into the sector, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. (NASDAQ: GLDD), has appointed Eleni Beyko as senior vice president offshore wind.

Beyko, who started at GLDD on January 25, comes to the company with more than 20 years experience in program engineering, business leadership and project management in the automobile and offshore oil and gas markets.

She most recently served as director, Energy Transition for Americas at Technip FMC, where she supported its transition into new and economically viable wind energy resources and managed the Makani wind-borne energy spar offshore platform installation in partnership with Shell and Google X.

At GLDD, she is responsible for developing its offshore wind operations, including strategy and business development, tendering and project execution.

GLDD, the largest provider of dredging services in the U.S., is focusing on growth in fiscal year 2021, supported by investments in its dredging fleet and in new opportunities in the emerging offshore wind industry, chiefly along the eastern seaboard.

“Eleni has a record of demonstrated success across global platforms, and she’ll be joining a team that sees offshore wind’s potential growth as a true economic stimulus for America,” said Lasse Petterson, GLDD’s chief executive officer and president. “This is the optimal time for us to leverage our expertise in this exciting and transformative market.”

Beyko, based at GLDD’s Houston headquarters, reports directly to Petterson, who in December announced that the company is moving forward with regulatory design of the first U.S.-flagged Jones Act compliant, inclined fallpipe vessel for subsea rock installation. GLDD says the vessel represents a critical advancet in bolstering the offshore wind industry, including establishing a U.S.-based rock supply chain network spanning eastern seaboard states with active offshore wind leases.

“I’m excited to join Great Lakes at the forefront of the emerging offshore wind energy industry. It’s a natural business progression for a company with more than 130 years’ experience in dredging, marine engineering, specialized vessel design and safe offshore operations,” Beyko said.

Beyko’s prior experience includes more than a decade in automotive product development for Ford Motor Co., focusing on vehicle systems engineering through simulation and vehicle testing while advancing to executive leadership positions.

She has a doctorate degree in engineering, an MBA and two master’s of science degrees from the University of Michigan.