Cerritos, CA - January 17, 2023 - Sapphire Technologies, developer and manufacturer of energy recovery systems for hydrogen and natural gas applications, has appointed industry veteran, Stephen Richards, as Vice President of Engineering. In his new role, Richards will help accelerate Sapphire Technologies’ product development roadmap to address additional market opportunities, drive the commercialization of the product and expand the capability of the engineering team to meet growing customer demands. As ESG practices take precedence and valuable incentive programs are on the rise, Sapphire Technologies’ new addition comes at a pivotal time.
"Sapphire Technologies is leading the way with its energy recovery systems to help rapidly decarbonize pipelines and make meaningful progress towards net-zero” said Richards. “Being someone who is passionate about sustainability and cleantech solutions, it is the perfect time to come onboard. It is great to work with such innovators in the space."
Richards joins Sapphire Technologies with more than three decades of experience leading engineering operations at Rolls-Royce. With a proven track record of leading multi-generation product plans, he specializes in energy and propulsion solutions in Oil & Gas, aerospace and adjacent sectors. This expertise is complimented by his time at Rolls-Royce HTC Inc, where Richards led the development program for a revolutionary lightweight, high-temperature material system for gas turbines, space and energy applications.
"Stephen has extensive expertise as an industry leader in the engineering space and a clear passion for environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives,” said Freddie Sarhan, CEO of Sapphire Technologies. “As we continue expanding our footprint in the market, he will be a valuable asset in positioning Sapphire Technologies as a trailblazer in the cleantech industry. We are excited to have such a tech-savvy pioneer join the leadership team to help support our ongoing initiatives in the evolving clean energy market."
Prior to his latest stint as President and General Manager of Rolls-Royce HTC Inc, Richards was a member of Marine Operations’ Executive team with Marine sector-wide responsibility for engineering operations covering 1600 engineers. His senior leadership roles have resulted in very mature product fleets that were managed from early-stage Technology Readiness Levels and cutting-edge solutions across various tech-based markets.
