MANAGEMENT TEAM

Andrew Stuart is Co-Founder of Hydrogen Optimized and the company’s founding CEO. As Executive Chairman, Andrew plays an active leadership role in the company, supporting the CEO and the Hydrogen Optimized team in strategy and technology development, and externally with customers, investors and other stakeholders. He also serves as Chairman, President and CEO of Key DH Technologies Inc., the parent company of Hydrogen Optimized. Andrew’s career spans more than 25 years in the fields of hydrogen and energy-related technologies worldwide. An experienced company builder, he has led teams in the development of hydrogen isotopes, green hydrogen technologies, products and manufacturing processes, and in commercial sales and project implementation. Andrew has a Bachelor of Engineering degree with a minor in business from McGill University and a Master of Applied Science degree from the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology organization.

With proven executive experience in the sale and deployment of large-scale electrolysis and green hydrogen production plants, Denis Krude leads Hydrogen Optimized in the emerging clean hydrogen technology market. Denis is a strategic and innovative executive with a proven track record of leading multicultural and cross-functional teams across multiple locations worldwide, emphasizing performance and leadership values. With more than 25 years of electrolysis and industry experience, he has led numerous international large-scale plant engineering and EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) projects in various functions, with expertise that spans the entire plant engineering value chain: business development, sales, product management, engineering, project execution and after-sales service. As Hydrogen Optimized scales its operations, the company is benefiting from Denis’s experience in rapidly expanding supply chains and workforces, and in restructuring and enhancing business operations. Before joining Hydrogen Optimized, Denis served as CEO and a Member of the Executive Board at thyssenkrupp nucera, a leading technology and plant engineering company specializing in electrolysis and green hydrogen. Among his accomplishments there, Denis and his team led gigawatt-scale commercial sales and project execution, and prepared the company for its successful 2023 IPO. Denis, a German national, holds a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology from RWTH Aachen University.

Michael Nicholson joined Hydrogen Optimized and its parent company, Key DH Technologies Inc. (KEY), in February 2021. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with more than 25 years of experience in the manufacturing, retail and public accounting sectors. Michael was instrumental in developing and negotiating the strategic partnership between Hydrogen Optimized and leading global process automation and electrification company ABB along with its investment in KEY. He previously gained manufacturing and business management experience in the manufacturing sector as Vice President Finance and Controller of Moore Corporation (later acquired by R.R. Donnelley). This experience, along with senior finance executive roles at other US and Canadian-based public and private companies, has provided Michael with a strong foundation for his work at Hydrogen Optimized, including the build-out of the company’s manufacturing capacity. Michael began his career at KPMG, where he progressed to a management role prior to working in industry. He holds a Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) degree from York University.

Edward Stuart is a Co-Founder of Hydrogen Optimized and is a listed inventor on many of the company’s patents. He has critical development roles in most aspects of the business including technology, product, manufacturing and supply chain, customer discovery, project development and government relations. As the fourth-generation Stuart family member involved in its 120-year legacy of alkaline unipolar water electrolysis, Edward has a deep understanding of the essential product attributes required for large-scale green hydrogen production, and for the application of this technology to the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industries. Edward has served as a director on the board of the Canadian Hydrogen Association since 2021, and is a founding director of Hydrogen Ontario. Both inside and outside these industry associations, he plays an active advocacy role with federal and provincial government ministers, deputy ministers and policymakers in support of Hydrogen Optimized and Canada’s green hydrogen industry. Edward studied Chemical Engineering at Dalhousie University, where he served as President of the Dalhousie Diploma of Engineering Society.

Lorraine Mickiewicz is the Chief Administrative Officer of Hydrogen Optimized and its parent company, Key DH Technologies Inc. (KEY). With 15 years of experience at KEY in a variety of senior management positions, Lorraine heads Hydrogen Optimized’s human resources function, oversees corporate governance, and has a leadership role in operations and finance. Her role has also included business operations and the supply of sophisticated products to customers in more than 25 countries. Prior to joining the company, Lorraine gained customer sales and service experience in the insurance industry at The Cooperators Group.

With experience in risk management, project management and quality assurance, Robert Clark oversees business operations at Hydrogen Optimized to drive continuous improvement and optimize efficiency. He applies a background in both business management and engineering to this role. Robert’s leadership position encompasses corporate and strategic planning including budget development, and he supports the company’s financial modelling, forecasting and cash flow reporting. He also leads Hydrogen Optimized’s Health & Safety program. He has expertise in the production, marketing and sales of high purity hydrogen gas. Previously, Robert worked in a variety of engineering roles in the oil and gas sector while at Suncor Energy, and in the capital markets sector, where he provided corporate lending services. Robert is a professional engineer in the Province of Ontario. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Western University, and an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business.

Lisa Anne Stuart is Vice President and Trusted Advisor at Hydrogen Optimized. She has worked in a variety of leadership roles at the KEY Group of Companies, including in global sales of hydrogen isotopes and in her current role heading Marketing and Communications. Prior to joining Hydrogen Optimized’ s parent, Lisa gained senior-level sales and marketing experience in a number of roles at Yahoo! Canada, the National Post, and Financial Post Data Group. Lisa holds a BA in Psychology from Huron College at Western University. She is a founding member of the WPO IX Platinum Chapter of the Women Presidents Organization.

Bryce Conacher plays a senior role in business development at Hydrogen Optimized and supports the company’s environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) program. In business development, Bryce is responsible for generating sales opportunities for the company’s RuggedCell™ large-scale green hydrogen production systems and cultivating customer relationships, principally in Canada, the United States and South America. He brings to this role considerable business management and sales experience in renewables, cleantech and carbon management, built on a career in emerging sustainable technologies with commercial applications. His past experience includes work with Brookfield Renewable as Director, Global Marketing and Sustainability, where he supported business development teams around the world in green energy sales and the creation of a global ESG strategy. Bryce holds a BA in Political Theory and the Environment from University of Victoria, and an MBA from EDHEC Business School.

Vipin Aggarwal has multiple roles at Hydrogen Optimized: he leads the company’s presence in India; he is responsible for protecting its intellectual property (IP) worldwide, including patents for the company’s RuggedCell™ water electrolysis technology; and he serves as general legal counsel. With extensive experience in IP and data privacy law, both in Canada and India, Vipin has worked in a broad range of industries including telecom, software, advanced technologies and clean energy. At Microsoft India (SMSG), he was responsible for protecting Microsoft’s IP in India; and at GENPACT, he played a senior role in data privacy and IP protection. Vipin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (Computer Science) from Lakehead University, an MBA in Finance and International Business from Dalhousie University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Ottawa University. Vipin divides his time between India, his principal country of residence, and Canada.

Don Hogarth coordinates and fulfills marketing and communications services for Hydrogen Optimized. He supports internal clients across the company including in business development as well as investor, stakeholder and government relations. Don’s work encompasses MarCom strategy development, the creation of print and online corporate materials, brand management, website and presentation development, conference and exhibition support, news release writing, and media relations. His experience spans corporate, agency and political workplaces including as Vice President of Advanced Technology at Environics Communications, Director of Communications at Bell Canada/BCE, and Reporter and Columnist at The Financial Post. Don holds a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University and an MBA from INSEAD.

Harry De Rose manages business development and customer relations for Hydrogen Optimized. His main focus is sales strategy development for the company’s RuggedCell™ high-power water electrolysis system, targeting project developers in the emerging market for large-scale green hydrogen production. Harry’s core responsibilities include a wide range of sales and sales support activities including customer lead identification and prioritization, CRM implementation, sales operations, and business partnership management. He brings to Hydrogen Optimized a strong background in staffing, operations and management. Harry holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Acadia University.