Management Team Biographies

Wavebob has assembled, and continues to attract, an international, highly expert, multidisciplinary team. All team members are science and engineering graduates, most with higher degrees in hydrodynamics, structural engineering, theoretical physics, instrumentation and control, hydraulics and electrical engineering. The core technical team together have over 100 years of related ocean wave energy experience. The management team is experienced, passionate and driven.

Derek Robertson BSc, MBA, SCPM, President Wavebob LLC

 Derek graduated from the US Naval Academy with a degree in Aerospace Engineering.  His naval service included tours as a ship’s engineer managing several major upgrades and repairs of the US Sixth Fleet Command Ship based in Gaeta, Italy.  Leading a department of over 100 enlisted men and officers during his final assignment, he left the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander to complete an MBA in Trinity College Dublin.  He managed the development and delivery of a high-profile R&D programme on behalf of the Irish government, and provided program management support to major ship and weapons programmes at Naval Sea Systems Command upon his return to the US.  Derek was awarded a certificate in advanced project management from Stanford University.

Mark Buckley FCA, Chief Financial Officer

Mark has worked for more than 15 years in industry, banking and private equity as an investment and finance director. He has lead reorganisation, restructuring, refinancing, sale and acquisition of Irish and European businesses, equity and debt fund raising, IPO’s and public to private transactions. Mark qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte and Touche, joined AIB Corporate Banking in 1998 and set up and managed the AIB IT Venture Fund. With Conduit Group plc Mark served as Group Financial Controller and Finance Director. With Boundary Capital Mark was Finance Director and Company Secretary and served as a non-executive director of a number of the Boundary investee companies and played a large part in Boundary’s equity, debt and restructuring program across the portfolio of assets.

 Dr. Jochem Weber Dipl.-Ing (BA), Dipl.-Ing, Ph.D, Head of Research

Jochem is a senior mechanical and physical engineer with over 12 years of experience in the research and development of ocean wave energy converters with a PhD in modelling and optimisation of wave energy converters. As a senior researcher in University College Cork, he conducted research on a variety of wave energy technologies and converter types. He is internationally recognised as an ocean energy expert. His earlier engineering experience in small, medium, and large enterprises included positions in the automotive industry, in research and development of air conditioning systems, business development in the wind energy sector, as consulting R&D and as design engineer.  

Joe Murtagh BSc.Eng, Dip(MechEng), Head of Engineering

Joe has extensive experience in mechanical, structural & hydraulic engineering.  Joe had considerable experience in carrying out project reviews for Government agencies & Institutes, project management of the Irish McCabe Wave Pump and has invented a unique power transmission system for wave energy devices. His previous experience includes periods as Chief Design Engineer with Bord Na Mona, Wavemaster Ltd., and senior engineering roles in LIEBHERR and Jacobs International.