Welcome to the June edition of Blakely Brown Insights!

This month, we're celebrating a well-deserved promotion in our Miami office, sharing insights into developments across the U.S. energy sector, and highlighting a successful placement that demonstrates the value of connecting exceptional talent with the right opportunities.

As we move into the second half of the year, we're looking forward to strengthening existing relationships, connecting with new clients and candidates, and continuing to support the growth of businesses across the AEC market.

Whether you're considering your next career move or looking for a recruitment partner to support your hiring goals, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

With appreciation,

The Blakely Brown Team

Joe's Promotion

We're delighted to announce the promotion of Joe to Senior Executive Search Consultant!

Joe joined our Miami team in April 2025 as Blakely Brown's first U.S. hire and has been setting the standard ever since. From day one, he has impressed colleagues and clients alike with his initiative, work ethic, and ability to think creatively to deliver results.

Over the past year, Joe has generated more than $550,000 in revenue and has consistently exceeded his quarterly targets throughout 2026, establishing himself as one of the team's top performers.

Beyond the numbers, Joe has played an important role in shaping our growing U.S. business, leading by example and becoming a trusted advisor to both clients and candidates across his market.

This promotion is thoroughly deserved recognition of Joe's hard work, commitment, and contribution to the business. We're incredibly proud to see him become not only our first U.S. hire, but also our first official promotion.

Congratulations, Joe, we look forward to celebrating many more milestones in the years ahead!

Energy investment isn't disappearing, it's being redirected

The U.S. offshore wind sector continues to face headwinds as the Trump administration reaches agreements with several developers to terminate offshore wind leases and redirect investment into alternative energy projects.

Most recently, energy developer Invenergy agreed to terminate four offshore wind leases off the coasts of New Jersey, Maine and California in exchange for a reported $765 million settlement. The company plans to redirect investment towards natural gas and geothermal projects across several U.S. states.

The move follows similar agreements with other developers, bringing the total value of offshore wind lease settlements to approximately $2.5 billion. While industry groups have criticised the decisions and several Northeastern states have launched legal challenges, the agreements highlight the changing landscape of U.S. energy investment.

Despite the slowdown in offshore wind development, investment in broader energy infrastructure remains strong. Invenergy is continuing work on the $11 billion Grain Belt Express transmission project, while major investments in natural gas, LNG, geothermal and grid infrastructure are creating new opportunities across the engineering and construction sectors.

What does this mean for engineers?

1. Energy infrastructure demand remains strong: While offshore wind projects are being cancelled or delayed, demand for engineers remains high across transmission, grid modernization, natural gas, LNG, geothermal and advanced manufacturing projects.

2. Transferable skills are becoming more valuable: Professionals with experience in power generation, substations, transmission, mission critical facilities, EPC delivery and large-scale infrastructure projects may find opportunities across multiple energy sectors as investment shifts.

3. Geographic flexibility will create opportunities: Much of the new investment is concentrated in the Midwest, Gulf Coast and parts of the Western U.S., creating increased demand for travelling and rotational engineering and construction professionals.

What does this mean for recruiters?

1. Follow capital allocation, not headlines: Although offshore wind hiring may soften, billions of dollars are still being invested elsewhere. Recruiters should track where projects are moving rather than assuming overall demand is declining.

2. Expect talent migration between sectors: Engineers and construction leaders with renewable energy experience are likely to become attractive candidates for LNG, power generation, transmission, data center and industrial infrastructure projects.

3. Transmission and grid projects remain a major growth area: Projects such as Grain Belt Express demonstrate that grid expansion remains a long-term priority regardless of shifts in generation technology. Recruiters building networks in transmission, substations and utility infrastructure should continue to see strong demand.

Case Study: Securing Leadership Talent for a Growing Data Center Pipeline

Since joining Blakely Brown last summer, Stone has quickly established himself within the Mission Critical and Data Center Construction market, delivering high-impact placements across the Midwest.

One recent search involved partnering with a leading contractor to identify an experienced field leader capable of supporting a growing portfolio of hyperscale data center and advanced manufacturing projects.

The successful candidate, an Ohio-based construction professional with extensive mission critical experience, joined the business as a Senior Superintendent. The move provided an enhanced compensation package, continued exposure to large-scale hyperscale projects, and a rotational travel schedule that enabled him to remain based in Ohio while his family built their new home.

For the client, the hire brought on board a proven leader with experience managing more than 250 craft personnel on projects valued at up to $800 million. The appointment further strengthened the company's ability to deliver a pipeline of large-scale data center and advanced manufacturing projects exceeding $2.4 billion in value.

This placement is a strong example of how aligning technical expertise, career aspirations, and business needs can create lasting value for both candidate and client in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the construction industry.

Looking for similar success? Reach out to Stone at stone@blakelybrowngroup.com