ePropulsion appoints Yann Herriot as global OEM director
Yann Herriot as global OEM director
Marine electric propulsion company, ePropulsion, has announced Yann Herriot as global OEM director to lead the firm’s global OEM strategy.
In this new role, Herriot will focus on building closer relationships with leading shipyards, naval architects and boat designers to ensure ePropulsion’s propulsion and energy management solutions can be effectively integrated from the earliest stages of vessel development.
He will also support boatbuilder dealer networks to demonstrate product benefits in the field and strengthen connections between manufacturers, dealers and end users.
Herriot brings extensive international experience across electrical engineering, energy management, boatbuilding and marine technical services, with a strong focus on power systems, energy storage and renewables. This experience gives him a strong technical foundation for supporting shipyards as they integrate electric propulsion and increasingly sophisticated onboard energy systems.
Seven years ago, he founded electric boat start-up Orphie Boats, gaining direct experience in end-to-end vessel development, design and electric system integration.
His subsequent work has included installing and supporting a wide range of electric propulsion technologies on both new-build and refit projects, before managing a complete technical service operation within a marine group selling and chartering major boat brands including Bali and Dufour.
Herriot, global OEM director at ePropulsion, says: “My original motivation for starting my own company seven years ago was to contribute to the transition of leisure boating towards cleaner propulsion and more sustainable practices. After building, refitting and servicing many different boats, I came to recognise that ePropulsion combines the technology, production capability and global service infrastructure needed to make a significant impact on the industry.
“My goal is for leading shipyards to see ePropulsion as the best platform for electric propulsion and onboard energy management within their production lines. A key part of achieving that will be developing close relationships with boat designers and manufacturers, understanding their requirements and ensuring our products are the right match for their boats.”
Danny Tao, CEO of ePropulsion, adds: “Yann brings a unique combination of technical expertise, boatbuilding experience and first-hand knowledge of electric propulsion integration. His understanding of the needs of shipyards, dealers and boat owners will be invaluable as we strengthen our OEM partnerships worldwide and make electric propulsion and energy management an increasingly compelling choice for boatbuilders.”
The appointment comes as ePropulsion continues to expand its offering beyond electric propulsion into increasingly integrated marine energy solutions. The company showcased a range of electric propulsion systems installed across several new boat launches at boot Düsseldorf, while ePropulsion Americas also introduced the E100 battery, a new addition to its E-Series range of marine energy storage products in February 2026.
Most recently, ePropulsion demonstrated commercial and prototype electric marine tech at the 13th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.
Herriot added: “ePropulsion has spent 15 years bringing innovative technologies into real-world marine applications while building a strong production and service network around them. The company has genuine differentiating strengths that can help give further momentum to the transformation of the marine industry.
“Seeing the positive impact ePropulsion can make, I wanted to bring my experience in electrical energy management, boat construction and field service to this next stage of the journey.”
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