Open Ocean Robotics Welcomes Sam Macdonald as Chief Commercial Officer

Open Ocean Robotics is pleased to announce the appointment of Sam Macdonald as Chief Commercial Officer. Already serving as a member of the company's Board of Directors, Sam will now take on an expanded leadership role to help accelerate Open Ocean Robotics' commercial growth and strategic partnerships.

Sam brings more than 25 years of experience in robotics, marine technology, business development, and commercialization. She is the former Co-Founder and President of Deep Trekker Inc., where she built the company from startup to a globally recognized leader in portable ROVs and submersible robotic systems. The company was acquired by Halma in 2022. 

Under her leadership, Deep Trekker expanded into more than 100 countries, serving customers across maritime security, offshore energy, critical infrastructure inspection, aquaculture, and scientific research. Her experience scaling marine robotics into global commercial and government markets is directly relevant as demand grows for autonomous systems that can improve maritime awareness, reduce operational risk, and support more persistent ocean monitoring.

"Sam's combination of operator experience, defence market fluency, and commercialization track record makes her an exceptional addition to our executive team," said Julie Angus, CEO. "She understands how to scale marine technology from early adoption into global markets, and her leadership will be instrumental as we expand strategic partnerships and accelerate commercial growth."

As Chief Commercial Officer, Sam will support Open Ocean Robotics in advancing revenue strategy, strengthening key customer relationships, expanding partner and channel opportunities, and refining go to market execution across security, offshore, and environmental markets.

“Open Ocean Robotics is addressing one of the most important challenges in the maritime sector: how to collect persistent ocean intelligence safely, sustainably, and cost effectively,” said Sam Macdonald. “The company has built a compelling platform at the intersection of robotics, clean energy, and AI driven data. I am excited to help accelerate its commercial growth and support customers who need better real time awareness across the ocean.”