TEAM

MAL CREASE

Founder And Chief Executive Officer

Mal founded Kraken Technology Group in 2020, bringing together 20 years of diverse experience in the marine industry across the defence, leisure and offshore racing sectors. Mal founded the Vector Racing Team in 2012, which in partnership with Martini and Porsche became twice winners of the notorious Cowes-Torquay-Cowes Race. In 2018 the Jaguar Vector Racing Team set a new maritime electric World Speed Record of 88.61mph. Mal is a two-time British Champion and a member of the exclusive record-breaking K7 Club in recognition of multiple maritime speed records (World and National). Prior to Kraken Mal was a founder of both Sunseeker XS Racing and XS Marine Group which developed the world’s first 100mph ‘superboat’ for the leisure industry.

Prior to the maritime industry, Mal held numerous high-level commercial positions across brand marketing, television production, event management and content development for global sports and entertainment companies including the FAPL, UEFA, FIFA, ATP and Formula 1.

ED TILSTON

Chief Commercial Officer

Ed is an experienced marketeer with a 23 year career marketing British premium brands across worldwide markets, including 18 years with Jaguar Land Rover during which time he has accumulated a considerable breadth of experience across a wide variety of brand, sales and marketing disciplines.

His experience highlights include leading Land Rover’s Global Sponsorship and Partnerships programme, Director of Land Rover G4 Challenge, leading Land Rover’s Global Brand Extension (brand licensing, merchandising and leveraging intellectual property) programme and being Global Marketing lead on the Armed Forces Steering Committee. He also has experience of bespoke vehicle, military fleet and direct sales marketing, as well as extensive involvement in humanitarian and conservation corporate social responsibility and veteran re-employment initiatives.

MARK EXETER

Chief Operating Officer

Mark brings over 30 years of industry experience within Engineering and Technology led businesses to Kraken, with the last 16 years in the Maritime robotics industries. Most recently, he was Managing Director of a UK autonomous surface vehicle company, where he led a multi-disciplinary team of engineering, project management, software development, manufacturing and business support. Mark has also overseen business transformation projects and delivered numerous complex solutions to high-profile clients across the maritime and engineering sectors.

JOHN DONNELLY

Chief Technology Officer

John is a highly-experienced advanced marine engineer with over 25 years of maritime design and engineering experience including both conventional and experimental craft, hydrofoil, hovercraft and hydro-nautical design. Previously he was responsible for the design, development and operations around the Honda Race Series, the largest offshore powerboat race series in history. In parallel, John has successfully operated his own racing and World Record breaking teams. John personally holds three World and two National Speed Records and has provided engineering support to numerous other successful World Record attempts. John was the lead engineer for the Vector Racing Team.

ALEC LYNN-RODGERS

Director Of Design & Engineering

Alec is a highly innovative chartered naval architect with 9 years leading design teams and contributing to some of the most progressive next-generation naval platforms. His specialisms in building and leading design teams, implementing technological advancements in CAD and VR systems, and interests in the latest rapid prototyping and AI analytical techniques completely align with Kraken’s mission to conceptualise, design and build the best possible game-changing craft for future maritime needs through use of advanced technologies.

DAVE BATE

Finance Director

Dave is a UK qualified Auditor and Finance professional with 11 years in the financial management of marine technology businesses. As well as managing the 10x revenue growth of a maritime autonomy business and scaling from 20 to almost 200 employees, Dave also oversaw the sale to an international defence prime and the subsequent integration into that organisation. More recently Dave has scaled another rapid growth marine technology business specialising in electric propulsion through raising funding and supporting the development of the business strategy.

SIMON POWELL

Advisor

Simon served in Britain’s elite Special Boat Service (SBS) for 17 years before embarking on a business career that has seen him start two specialist companies. Cerberus International supplies specialist offshore boat training to a wide selection of clients ranging from the UK Military, the Italian Guardia Finanza, the Hong Kong Police and immigration unit and a few select powerboat companies (www.cerberus-international.com) and Military Freefall Solutions supplies specialist parachute training to the US and foreign military units. Simon pilots for and has been a permanent member of the Vector Racing Team since its inception in 2014 and is a three-time winner of the Cowes Torquay Cowes Race.

CAPT (RETD) CRAIG POWELL

Advisor

Craig spent 26 years in the US Navy foremost as a SEAL team commander including operations with SWCC (boats), SDV (minisubs – wet submersibles) and as an Army Ranger, Military Attaché, British SBS officer (exchange) and two with SMUs (Special Mission Units). Craig is an accomplished operative in a variety of maritime warfare green water environments. Since retirement his focus has been consulting primarily aspects of maritime security including training, operations, procurement, research and development, production and program management.

DAN HOOK

Advisor

Dan Hook trained as a Naval Architect and is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of RINA. He is an innovator in unmanned systems and was one of the founding team of ASV Ltd which led the way in both commercial and military unmanned surface vehicles. The business sold to L3 Harris in 2018 and Dan went on to become the CTO of Ocean Infinity, helping to develop the Armada system for large (up to 86m) lean and uncrewed ships. He is now focused on an electric boat technology company, RAD Propulsion, which he co-founded to help decarbonise the maritime sector. He consults for several high-growth businesses and is a non-Executive Director of the National Oceanography Centre.