Nauticus Robotics, Inc. announced that on January 4, 2024, Nicolaus Radford, the Company?s Chief Executive Officer, departed the Company. The Company views Mr. Radford?s departures as ?terminations without cause? under their respective employment agreements.

Pursuant to Mr. Radford?s employment agreement, Mr. Radford was also deemed to have resigned from the Board of Directors of the Company contemporaneous with his departure from the Company. On January 4, 2024, the Board appointed John W. Gibson, Jr. as the Interim Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Gibson, age 66, has served as the President of the Company since October 2023 and as a director of the Company since September 2022, including as Audit Committee Chair until his appointment as President.

He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and President of Flotek Industries from January 2020 to January 2023. Mr. Gibson is a recognized leader with more than 35 years of global experience in the energy technology, oil and gas services and exploration and production sectors of the energy industry. Prior to Flotek, from May 2017 to December 2019, Mr. Gibson was the Chairman of Energy Technology at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Company, an energy-focused investment bank headquartered in Houston.

In this role, he led a team focused on opportunities in emerging oil and gas technologies. From July 2010 to May 2015, Mr. Gibson served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Tervita Corporation, where he successfully executed a $2.6 billion debt restructuring, coincident with an aggressive growth and diversification strategy. Prior to Tervita, Mr. Gibson?s other roles included serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Paradigm Geophysical and Landmark Graphics Corporation, as well as President of Halliburton Company?s Energy Services Group.

Mr. Gibson also served as the former head of subsurface research at Chevron Corporation and as a director of Bluware Inc. Mr. Gibson holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Auburn University and Master of Science in Geology from the University of Houston.