- Former BOEM Director Amanda Lefton joins RWE as Vice President of Development, U.S. East, picking up multi-gigawatt portfolio
- RWE continues to build industry-leading team of experts to support development from coast-to-coast
Boston, 10 July 2023
RWE today announced that Amanda Lefton, who transformed the offshore wind industry in the U.S. during her tenure as the Director of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), has joined the company as Vice President of Development, East. In this position, Lefton will lead RWE’s offshore development along the east coast.
“Amanda has successfully created significant momentum for the offshore wind industry in the U.S. Her know-how navigating all levels of government has resulted in the approval and now construction of the nation’s first two offshore wind projects,” said Sam Eaton, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind Holdings “It’s no secret that Amanda’s leadership permeates the entire industry and I’m thrilled that she has decided to continue her career at RWE.”
As the Director of BOEM, Amanda led development and implementation of the Biden Administration’s ambitious offshore wind agenda, including all federal offshore wind leasing, project reviews, and policy and regulatory matters. Amanda advanced an “all-of-government” approach and worked closely with colleagues in leadership at the Department of the Interior, the White House, other federal agencies, Tribal nations, state governments, and myriad stakeholders to tackle key energy and environmental issues.
“Now more than ever, we must find scalable solutions to tackle the climate crisis. RWE has a strong track record of taking projects from conception to reality which is the precise expertise needed to deliver offshore wind to our States,” said Amanda Lefton, VP of RWE Development, U.S. East. “Joining the RWE team is an exciting opportunity to get more projects in the water by continuing to shape this growing industry to approach development holistically, drive technological innovation and supply chain localization, and to deliver benefits to underserved communities.”
Most recently, Lefton served as the Senior Policy Director of Energy and Climate at Foley Hoag. Prior to serving as the Director for BOEM, Lefton served as the First Assistant Secretary for Energy and Environment for the former Governor of New York where she led the State’s climate and environmental initiatives and managed a portfolio of twelve agencies and authorities. In this role she championed and advanced implementation of landmark nation-leading climate and renewable energy strategies. Previously, Amanda was the Deputy Policy Director for The Nature Conservancy in New York, worked in the labor movement for the Rochester Regional Joint Board of Workers United, and for the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate.
As the fastest growing new entrant in the U.S. offshore wind market, RWE has acquired a development pipeline of more than 4 GW, including the largest lease area in the New York Bight. Lefton’s portfolio will include RWE’s 3 GW Community Offshore Wind project, a joint venture with National Grid Ventures. RWE is the number two offshore wind developer globally with unparalleled expertise across the entire value chain resulting in 19 offshore wind projects in operation.
