Kraken Robotics Appoints New Executives

Kraken Robotics has appointed Kim Butler, CPA, ICD.D, to its Board of Directors and hired of Bernard Mills as Executive Vice President, Defence.
Butler brings more than 35 years of executive experience in financial, operational, and governance roles with Canadian and multinational organizations, both publicly traded and private. She has served as a board member and Chair of Audit and Special Committees for leading companies in technology, utilities, and defence, and is recognized for her expertise in corporate governance, strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions.

Butler previously served as Head of Business Operations and Integration at Ericsson following the acquisition of CENX where she held interim CEO and CFO/COO roles. As SVP Finance and CFO at Bridgewater Systems, a global leader in mobile policy solutions, she led the company’s initial public offering in 2007, and later its successful acquisition by Amdocs in 2011. Prior to Bridgewater, she held senior finance roles at Asea Brown Boveri, and Mitel Corporation.

“I am very honored and excited to join the Board of Directors at Kraken Robotics and look forward to participating in their continued growth as a global leader in advanced 3D underwater imaging and next-generation subsea battery technologies,” said Butler.

“Kim’s extensive experience in financial leadership, corporate governance, and strategic planning makes her an exceptional addition to our Board. Her proven ability to guide organizations through complex growth and transformation will be invaluable as Kraken advances its mission to deliver innovative marine technology solutions globally,” said Greg Reid, President and CEO of Kraken Robotics.

Mills will join the company’s executive team as Executive Vice President, Defence, effective January 12, 2026. He currently serves as a member of Kraken’s Board of Directors and has resigned from the Board, effective immediately prior to his new role on Kraken’s executive team.

Mills is an internationally experienced executive specializing in the defence and aerospace sectors. He spent the last three years as CEO and Managing Director at Stelia North America, an advanced materials subsidiary of the Airbus Group. He previously served as President of Ultra Sonar Systems, leading over 850 UK, Canada, and Australia-based staff in the delivery of underwater sensing capability to global naval customers. Earlier in his career, Mills worked for Thales, another maritime systems developer, with roles in both France and Australia.

Mills is currently Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). His expertise spans strategic growth (through both business capture and mergers and acquisitions), operational and program leadership, and government and international relations. As Kraken bids and delivers increasingly complex and large integrated systems programs, Mills’s experience will allow the Company to quickly develop execution capability and manage risks more effectively as an organization.

“I’m excited to join Kraken Robotics’ leadership team at a time when global demand for underwater robotics and maritime systems is accelerating,” said Mills. “From my time on the Board of Directors for the last three years, I know Kraken has a strong portfolio, an exceptional team, and deep relationships with leading naval and offshore energy customers. I believe the Company is poised for significant expansion in the years ahead.”

“We are very pleased to have Bernard join Kraken in an executive leadership role,” said Reid. “He has achieved significant success in his career as a defence and manufacturing industry executive and his strategic and operational experience will be a tremendous asset as we take our maritime defence industry business to the next level.”