Damien Steel has announced that due to personal reasons, he is leaving the role of CEO at carbon removal company Deep Sky.
The announcement was coupled with the news that Alexandra Petre, the company’s chief operating officer (COO), will step in as the new Deep Sky CEO.
Commenting on the decision to step away from his leadership post, Damien shared in a LinkedIn post, “Leading Deep Sky requires unwavering focus and energy, and I’ve come to realize I’m no longer in a position to give it everything it deserves.”
This switch comes at a time when Deep Sky is preparing to launch its cross-technology carbon removal innovation and commercialization center called Deep Sky Alpha, which will serve as a testing ground for different sorbent and solvent materials used in DAC technologies.
As Damien Steel explains in his post, Alex Petre was a central figure in the planning and construction of this landmark project, performing with clarity, drive, and vision.
He pointed out, “Alex is a natural and inspiring leader, and there is no one better suited to steer Deep Sky into its next phase of growth and impact.”
Deep Sky was founded back in 2022 by Frederic Lalonde and Joost Ouwerkerk, who are also the co-founders of travel booking company Hopper.
The company was established with the aim of accelerating the development of technologies that tackle excess atmospheric CO2 emissions, enabling the generation of high-integrity carbon credits.
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Damien Steel joined the company in August 2023, right as Deep Sky was gearing up for a Series A funding round, which closed successfully in October that same year, securing $41.4 (CA$57.5).
Going forward, Steel will spend the next few months transitioning his responsibilities to Petre, and the Deep Sky website now states that he’s currently in the role of an advisor to the company.
Steel wrapped up his publication by saying, “The work ahead is monumental, and while I’ll be cheering you on from a new vantage point as I take some needed time for myself, my belief in our mission and support for this work remain as strong as ever.”
Read more: Deep Sky Secures Renewable Energy From Low Carbon To Power Project Alpha
