Scottish seabed intelligence specialist Sulmara, winner of the Innovation in Business Award at the Glasgow Business Awards 2025, has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Tim Martin as Chief Operating Officer and the promotion of Andy Nicol to Chief of Staff, as demand for high-quality offshore survey data accelerates across energy markets.
With demand for high-quality seabed intelligence increasing across offshore wind, oil and gas, and asset security markets, the moves come as developers and operators place increasing emphasis on faster, more accurate data to support the delivery of complex offshore projects.
Martin joins with more than 30 years’ experience spanning subsea contracting, engineering consultancy and offshore operations across both oil and gas and renewables. He has held a range of senior executive and advisory roles, supporting complex offshore developments through periods of market and technological change.
Over the past six years, Sulmara has expanded its capabilities in response to evolving client needs, including advances in offshore delivery and data-led decision making, positioning the business for its next phase of growth.
Martin comments: “With my experience from adjacent sectors, I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective and the opportunity to apply different ways of thinking. As I get to know the business, my focus will be on driving improvements that help us grow our capability in delivering complex seabed intelligence for our clients.
His focus will be on strengthening operational performance as the business grows, with greater visibility on projects, stronger processes and a consistent approach to delivery.
He will also play a key role in integrating new technologies, including autonomous data acquisition assets and AI-driven survey capabilities, into day-to-day operations. Martin said that the timing reflects growing demand across offshore energy, driven by both energy security and the need for enhanced value in offshore renewables.
“The assets on and under the seabed have never been more critical,” he said. “That creates real opportunity for a business like Sulmara.”
Nicol’s promotion to Chief of Staff reflects both his contribution to Sulmara’s growth and the company’s focus on strengthening internal delivery.
The role builds on his six years with the business and more than a decade of offshore technical experience, shifting his focus from client delivery to improving how the company operates internally.
“This role is about supporting the business as it scales,” he said. “My priority is to improve coordination across teams and ensure we deliver our strategic initiatives with the same discipline as client projects.”
Sulmara CEO Kevin McBarron said the appointments mark an important step for the business. “We’ve grown quickly in recent years, expanding our capabilities and reach,” he said. “Tim brings the experience to help us build on that growth effectively, while Andy’s understanding of the business makes him ideally placed to strengthen how we deliver from within.”
The appointment positions Sulmara to scale operations while continuing to invest in new technology and delivery capability.
