The G+ welcomes a new Chair to steer the European FG
12 September 2025
The G+ are pleased to welcome Michelle Aitken, Head of HSE at TotalEnergies Renewables UK, as the new Chairperson for the G+ European Focal Group.
Michelle brings over 20 years of experience in the energy industry, with expertise in risk and HSEQ management as advisor for chemical suppliers, oil and gas operators and mechanical completion and commissioning suppliers. Of this, Michelle has over 4 years’ experience within offshore wind and solar, since transitioning into TotalEnergies’ renewables branch in 2021.
As the Global Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation, the G+ values the expertise major players, like TotalEnergies, bring to the table as members. Currently, TotalEnergies’ offshore wind portfolio spans 3 continents, with a combined capacity of 24 GW. This is powered by projects in South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany – the last of which have awarded the company concessions for further developments in Q2 of this year. TotalEnergies’ significant global reach strengthens the G+’s commitment to collaboration, transparency and shared learning throughout the sector, across the globe.
A Europe Focal Group member since TotalEnergies joined the G+ in 2021 , Michelle has demonstrated her commitment to incident sharing and transparency as a crucial component in improving health and safety in the industry. Highly engaged in the G+ workstreams, Michelle has been involved in the generation of the G+ Lifesaving Rules and the Offshore Wind Farm Transfer GPG, both well-regarded publications launched in Q4 last year. Speaking of her company’s commitment, Michelle says:
“At TotalEnergies, we believe that collaboration across the industry is essential to driving progress in safety. Participating in G+ workstreams has enabled us to contribute to the development of industry guidance, supporting and reinforcing a strong safety culture across the renewables industry, ensuring that lessons learned are translated into practical improvements on the ground.”
As Chairperson, Michelle will help guide the European Focal Group’s efforts to foster innovation, learn from each other, and connect with critical stakeholders. Discussing her aims for the Europe FG for the remainder of the year and into 2026, Michelle’s focus is on:
“Ensuring the G+ European Focal Group continues acting as a catalyst for change - connecting developers, OEMs, operators, regulators and the workforce to share knowledge, challenge norms, and build safer, more resilient offshore wind operations. By fostering open dialogue and shared learning, we can strengthen our collective impact and ensure that safety remains at the heart of the energy transition.”
We look forward to the energy and expertise Michelle will bring to the role and towards achieving the G+ mission: to help workers get home safely every day, through our collaboration with operators, stakeholders, regulators and our data led approach.
