Hyphen Hydrogen Energy (Hyphen) has appointed Giuseppe Surace to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective from 1 July 2024.
Surace has a strong understanding of African and international energy markets and was until recently Chief Operating Officer for six years at the largest single-train oil refinery in the world, Dangote Petrochemical Refinery, where he provided strategic and operational leadership.
An experienced energy sector executive with nearly 30 years’ experience managing and growing large-scale infrastructure projects globally, Surace will support the development of Hyphen’s green hydrogen project in Namibia by providing strategic direction, leadership, and structure for the project, including the delivery of Hyphen’s socio-economic development targets and ensuring the project is designed to comply with the highest international environmental and safety standards.
Surace holds a Master’s Degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Calabria and an MBA from Bocconi University and MIP School of Management in Milan, Italy.
“I’ve spent my entire career in the energy sector and it’s clear to see that the industry is changing for the better. Green hydrogen will play an increasingly important role in the future energy mix as industry moves away from reliance on fossil fuels. In this respect, Hyphen’s transformative impact will extend far beyond Namibia and it’s so exciting to be joining the company at this time,” he said of his appointment.
“Having worked in Africa’s energy sector for more than a decade, I look forward to applying my knowledge to help scale up green hydrogen production, drive development and investment in Namibia, and accelerate the global energy transition.”
According to Hyphen, Surace has a track record of delivering complex mega projects in new and emerging energy markets, working in engineering, operational, and managerial roles.
“Giuseppe’s experience in running and implementing mega projects in the energy sector, both in Africa and internationally, will be invaluable to Hyphen. I personally look forward to working closely with him as we build out this transformational project,” said Hyphen Hydrogen Energy CEO, Marco Raffinetti.
