People in composites: December 2025

Principle Power transitions to new CEO

João Amaral, Principle Power CEO.

Floating wind technology company Principle Power (Emeryville, Calif., U.S.) announces João Amaral as its new chief executive officer (CEO), succeeding Julian Arrilaga Costa, who has remained in an advisory role until the end of 2025 to ensure a smooth transition.

Amaral joins Principle Power after serving as group chief technology officer (CTO) at the French independent power producer Voltalia where he delivered the company’s global technology strategy across wind, solar, hydro, storage and biomass sectors. Amaral brings more than 20 years of renewable energy experience leading diverse teams and complex projects from planning through deployment across continents which delivered value and built a strong track record. His experience and leadership will now drive Principle Power’s next phase of commercial growth in floating wind.

“João Amaral brings a proven track record in growth, technology and industrialization that aligns with Principle Power’s ambition to keep making floating offshore wind a reality for the energy transition,” says Bautista Rodríguez, chairman of Principle Power and COO of Ocean Winds. “The board has full confidence in his leadership and in the talented teams already in place. We also thank Julian Arrillaga Costa for the significant progress Principle Power has achieved under his leadership and for his continued support during the transition.”

Building on the experience of the projects using WindFloat designs — 25-megawatt WindFloat Atlantic, 50-megawatt Kincardine and the 30-megawatt Les Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) — Principle Power is working closely with clients, suppliers and operators to plan the delivery of the first generation of 15-plus-megawatt floating turbines for wind projects in key wind markets.

Project manager leads Building Composites’ next chapter

Mykah Eichie, Building Composites project manager.

Building Composites LLC (Moraine, Ohio, U.S.), an innovator in structural composite exterior building skin systems, announces the appointment of Mykah Eichie as project manager. Eichie assumed his new role and responsibilities upon the retirement of industry veteran and previous project manager, Nick Candela.

After several years successfully working in various managerial and project management roles, Eichie has transitioned into his new role to help drive success by effectively coordinating with project architects and builders. His previous roles include working as a service coordinator at Konecranes and most recently as a production scheduler at Building Composites.

“We’re thrilled to have Mykah step in as our new project manager,” says Andy Loff, CEO of Building Composites. “While we’re grateful for Nick’s contributions to the company, we’re more than confident Mykah brings the experience, drive and dedication needed to lead our projects to continued success. We wish Nick all the best in his retirement and look forward to this next chapter under Mykah’s leadership.”

The company’s flagship product, the HyperWall building enclosure system, is currently being deployed on large-scale projects, including HITT Contracting’s new headquarters and Converge West Falls, a 438-unit, mixed-use residential development, both located in Falls Church, Virginia.

The company recently expanded its Moraine, Ohio, operations with a four-acre staging lot to support the aggressive production and shipping schedules required for those projects.

“Stepping into this role at such a pivotal time is exciting,” says Eichie. “We’re growing at such a remarkable pace, and I’m eager to support that momentum by ensuring our projects deliver the innovation and efficiency our clients expect.”

HydroGraph adds aerospace, graphene expert to technical advisory board

James Baker will be joining HydroGraph Clean Power Inc.’s (Vancouver, BC, Canada) technical advisory board (TAB), bringing more than three decades of experience in advanced materials, aerospace, defense and graphene commercialization.

Hydrograph Clean Power’s James Baker.

For the last 12 years, Baker led business activities related to graphene and 2D materials at the University of Manchester, including serving as CEO of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC). Prior to his work in graphene, he spent 25 years in the aerospace and defense industry in senior roles focused on technology development and industrial innovation at BAE Systems and Pilkington Optronics.

Baker has announced that he will step down from his role at the University at the end of January 2026. Over the coming months, he will support the transition of Graphene@Manchester into its next phase of development while moving toward retirement from the university. Throughout his tenure, he played a central role in the GEIC’s conception, design, build-out, business model development and industry engagement, contributing to the emergence of new companies and the growth of the graphene ecosystem in Manchester.

Baker will continue advising companies involved in graphene and 2D materials, including those focused on commercial adoption, supply chain readiness and fundraising, while transitioning out of his university role.

KraussMaffei Group announcements management updates

Effective Jan. 1, 2026, Alex Li will take over as CEO of the KraussMaffei Group (KMG, Parsdorf, Germany). He has been part of the management team as interim CFO since July 2025 and has extensive international experience in financial management and corporate governance.

Li succeeds Chi Zhang, who will return to his previous position as chairman of the group’s supervisory board. During his 2 years as CEO, Zhang’s strategic vision has played a decisive role in strengthening KraussMaffei’s global position and consolidating its relationship with Sinochem. In particular, he opened up new growth markets by systematically expanding KraussMaffei’s activities and partnerships in Asia.

Following Li’s move to the role of CEO, the position of CFO will also be filled. Effective March 1, 2026, Michael Hofmann will take over as CFO of KMG. He is transferring to KraussMaffei from the Putzmeister Group, a manufacturer of concrete pumps and solution provider for the concrete value chain, where he served as group CFO and member of the executive board. He previously held various management positions in Europe and also China for several years, including CFO and general management roles in the Diehl Group. With his many years of experience in finance and management boards of international industrial companies, Hofmann will strengthen the management team and make an important contribution to the further profitable growth of KraussMaffei.

Yong Li, former chief administrative officer (CAO), will leave the company at the end of 2025 at his own request and will return to China to take up a new position within the Sinochem Group. The position of CAO will not be filled. With his commitment, Li has had a significant impact on KraussMaffei’s management since 2023. The supervisory board and the entire management team would like to express their sincere gratitude to Li for his inspiration and commitment to the company, and wish him all the best and every success in his new role.

Archer Aviation hires veteran British eVTOL engineer as part of U.K. engineering hub plans

On Dec. 15, Archer Aviation (San Jose, Calif., U.S.) announced that one of the top British eVTOL engineering leaders, Dr. Limhi Somerville, will be joining Archer in early 2026. Somerville joins Archer from Vertical Aerospace, where he spent the last 6 years and most recently led the company’s engineering program. Prior to joining Vertical Aerospace, Somerville held engineering and research roles at Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Warwick.

“Archer is pairing realistic innovation with the capital, manufacturing capabilities and strategic partnerships required to actually deliver next-generation aerospace and defense technologies at scale,” says Somerville. “The opportunity to support the development of their dual-use vertical lift platform is compelling. I’m excited to get to work.”

The news came with the announcement of GKN Aerospace and Anduril’s partnership with Archer, initially focused on the British Army’s Project NYX and the Ministry of Defence’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform program, but which will also explore future opportunities at GKN Aerospace’s Isle of Wight airframe production facility.

“The UK has the talent and industrial base to be a major player in driving the next era of advanced aerospace and defense. Archer’s plans to open a U.K. engineering hub underscores our commitment to being an integral part of the next-generation of aerospace and defense in the country,” says Adam Goldstein, Archer’s founder and CEO. “Bringing a leader of Limhi’s caliber onto the team is critical as we look to continue to accelerate the development of our hybrid-propulsion, dual-use aircraft.”

Anemoi Marine Technologies appoints program director to support growth

Andrew Starforth, Anemoi’s program director.

Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd. (Anemoi, London, U.K.) announces the appointment of Andrew Starforth as its new program director, strengthening the company’s delivery capability as it continues to scale its composite wind-assisted propulsion solutions for the global maritime sector.

Starforth brings more than 25 years of engineering and program leadership experience, including eight years in senior roles within China’s marine technology industry. His background spans complex, multi-disciplinary program delivery, international team leadership and the successful establishment and growth of engineering operations in China.

This appointment aligns closely with Anemoi’s strategic priorities as demand for rotor sail technology accelerates to support industry decarbonization objectives. Starforth will play a central role in strengthening program execution, improving delivery speed and building long-term customer relationships across Anemoi’s expanding order pipeline. His deep knowledge of China’s marine industry, combined with a well-established network that includes connections within the UK Commissioner’s Office in China, will further enhance Anemoi’s collaboration and operational effectiveness in the region.

Starforth’s expertise will also support the continued development and scale-up of Anemoi’s rotor sail systems, reinforcing the company’s focus on quality and operational excellence as it grows internationally.

“I am pleased to join Anemoi at a pivotal stage in the company’s growth,” says Starforth. “With the momentum building around wind-assisted propulsion, I look forward to supporting the delivery of Anemoi’s global projects and contributing to the company’s continued success.”