Luc Vernhes

• Led cross-functional team to enter Ebullated Bed market, securing customer approvals and partnerships. - Developed strategic business plan for sustained market growth, encompassing sales and operations. - Managed full product development cycle, including patent-pending innovations and procurement strategies for cost reduction and feature enhancement. - Supported Operations in enhancing product manufacturability, including sales forecasting, supply chain, equipment acquisition planning, and capacity analysis. • In parallel, assisted EVP in forming and developing the Business Unit, contributing to strategic plans for market expansion and revenue growth. • Assisted the Engineering team to cultivate a partnership with an Industrial Chair for the development of novel coating materials, including strategic planning and overseeing project execution.

• Lead three teams dedicated to Product Innovation and Technology: 1) Proactive Product Development: Projects & Innovation management | Advanced design & development | Synchronize global efforts | Sprint to launch products 2) Agile Innovation Management-Challenging sales requests and contract-related development: Technical impact assessment | Ensure right-the-first-time prototype | Manage special qualifications 3) Core technology development: Sealing, Automation & Sensors (IoT), and Materials & Welding | Technology roadmaps | Partnerships | Failure analysis • Develop vision, missions and an action plan to reach corporate Innovation goals

Lead the Product Innovation and Technology group: • Optimize resource allocation on non-contractual product development projects (via the manager, PDP) • Structure Agile Innovation Management to control technical exchanges between Engineering, Sales, and Operation on contractual product development opportunities (via the project manager, AIM) • Spearhead technological road-mapping and development programs, including Velan wear-resistant surface treatments program

• Lead the mechanical engineering team for Securaseal severe service ball valves: - Streamline existing severe service metal-seated ball valve lines, - Develop new metal-seated ball valve lines, - Supervise conceptual and detail designs for severe service ball valves as per the following standards: ASME BPVC Section III and VIII, B16.5, B16.10, B16.25, B16.34, B16.47, Y-14.5, API594, API608, and ISO 5211. • Coordinate inter-departmentally to best develop and support the product lines under my authority: - Material selection and wear-resistant surface treatments–Hard coating.

• Coordinated prototype qualification to comply with standards and/or internal acceptance criteria, • Oversaw Fugitive Emission qualification program (ISO 15848-1 and API622), • Coordinated Product Development – Stage-Gate® process: - Implemented a corporate-level process to focus internal resources on most valuable product development projects.

• Coordinated type acceptance testing as per Shell MESC on API600 gate, globe and check valves, and TA Luft VDI-2440, • Analyzed returned metal seated ball valves: failure analysis and product enhancements.

• Develop a novel multi-application alternator: - Develop versatile configurations to match existing vehicles, - Develop a new tool (brainstorming session, design and drafting), - Perform application review and proposal drawings for custom applications.

• Optimized a compact Pelton turbine using computational fluid dynamic and type testing.

• Understating of physico-chemical mechanisms that govern loss of material from the surface, • Once the surface degradation mechanisms are fully understood (i.e., at the atomic level), a more suitable surface treatment is then developed to inhibit specific wear mechanisms and ultimately extend equipment life, • Recommended for the doctoral thesis award.