Skyborn Renewables (Skyborn) today announces the appointment of Michael Klingele as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective 1 July 2026.
In this role, Michael Klingele will be responsible for overseeing Skyborn’s global operations and project delivery, with a strong focus on execution excellence across the company’s offshore wind portfolio. His appointment reflects Skyborn’s continued ambition to scale its activities and strengthen its position in key markets worldwide (Europe, APAC, US), including the disciplined execution of its project pipeline and the delivery of its flagship project Gennaker, the largest offshore wind project in the German Baltic Sea.
 
Michael Klingele brings more than 30 years of experience in offshore wind and large-scale infrastructure, spanning the full project lifecycle from development through to execution and delivery. He has held senior leadership and board roles across Europe and Asia, managing complex, multi-billion-dollar projects and leading organisations through transformation. He is recognised for his strong execution focus and proven track record of delivering in high-pressure environments, including the successful turnaround of the Formosa 2 offshore wind project in Taiwan. He will play a key role in further advancing Skyborn’s strategy of standardisation and building a repeatable, standardised cadence of project delivery across its global portfolio.

Commenting on his appointment, Michael Klingele said:

“Skyborn has built a strong platform with a highly experienced team and an impressive global project portfolio. I look forward to working closely with colleagues across the organisation to further strengthen execution, drive performance, and support the next phase of Skyborn’s growth….and of course the delivery of Gennaker!”

Michael Klingele succeeds Thomas Karst, who will step down from his role as COO as of 1 July 2026 and will remain with Skyborn for a one-month transition period to ensure a smooth handover. 

Thomas Karst has been a cornerstone of Skyborn’s leadership since its creation. Over the past four years, he played a pivotal role in guiding Skyborn through a critical phase of transformation, strengthening the organisation and positioning it for long-term growth.

Patrick Lammers, Chief Executive Officer of Skyborn, said:

“Thomas has made an outstanding contribution to Skyborn over the past years, demonstrating strong leadership across multiple roles at pivotal moments for the company - from the establishment of Skyborn, through Yunlin delivery, to reaching key milestones including upcoming Gennaker FID. On behalf of the entire organisation, I would like to sincerely thank him for his dedication and lasting impact. At the same time, I am very pleased to welcome Michael to Skyborn. With his deep industry expertise and strong execution track record, he will play a key role in delivering our projects and supporting our continued growth.”

Contact for Journalists
Bénédicte Bergeaud
Senior Director Global Corporate Affairs
b.bergeaud@skybornrenewables.com


About Skyborn Renewables
Skyborn is an accomplished offshore wind infrastructure platform with more than 25 years’ experience, headquartered in Germany. The company’s capabilities cover the entire offshore wind value chain, including greenfield development, project engineering and design, procurement, financing, corporate power purchase agreements, construction management and asset management. Skyborn is a portfolio company of New York based Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a leading infrastructure investor and part of Blackrock.
www.skybornrenewables.com