Campbell McConnell recently joined Bennu as Director of Sales and Business Development, bringing more than two decades of experience in emissions control, decarbonization and methane abatement technology. His career has taken him across engineering, commercial leadership and business development, though his connection to the maritime sector began much earlier. Growing up in Canada, he watched his father build boats, first near Toronto and later in the Maritime Provinces, making his work to help reduce emissions in the shipping industry feel like a full-circle moment.

At Bennu, Campbell will help expand partnerships and commercial opportunities for the company's methane removal technology. We sat down with Campbell to learn more about his background, what drew him to Bennu and his vision for helping bring methane removal technology to market.

What drew you to Bennu?

CM: The technology itself was the biggest draw for me. We all understand why it's so important to reduce methane in terms of global warming, and I see it as such an important and tractable problem to solve. 

What really excited me about Bennu is that the technology takes a natural atmospheric process for removing methane and reproduces it in a reactor that can be used in various industries. In my previous work, I focused on technology that addressed a much narrower part of the methane challenge. Bennu's technology has the potential to work almost anywhere methane exists, from low-concentration fugitive emissions to higher-concentration sources like oil and gas. As someone in business development, that's incredibly exciting.

How does Bennu's approach to methane abatement compare to what you've seen elsewhere in the market? 

CM: Most of the methane technologies I've seen are either very expensive because they rely on metals like platinum and palladium, or very sensitive to compounds like sulfur, which are common in the oil and gas and maritime sectors.

Bennu's technology is much less sensitive to those kinds of poisoning agents. It is also a more affordable, cost-effective solution compared to the competition, which is key for our customers.

Where do you see the biggest opportunities for Bennu?

CM: In my first six weeks at Bennu, I've met with people across the shipping industry, oil and gas, and even explored opportunities in data centers. One thing I've consistently heard is that people are excited about an affordable methane removal technology. I haven't met anyone who's not interested. Everyone sees methane as a problem that needs a solution.

We've probably all seen startups that have a solution and are looking for a problem. What's exciting about Bennu is that it's the opposite. There's already a pull from the market. People are saying, "We need this. We need it tomorrow. Get it ready."

What are you most excited to tackle, and what do you think will be the hardest challenge?

CM: This methane problem is so immense, and there are so many opportunities. We have to scale the company quickly, continue developing the technology and turn years of research into a robust, engineered product –  all while customers are telling us they're ready for it.

That's what makes this stage so exciting. Every day is different. You're solving problems, moving from one idea to the next and helping build something from the ground up. It's a bit chaotic, but it's also exciting and fun. That's one of the things I enjoy most about working at a startup. 

What is one key takeaway you want people to know about Bennu?

CM: One of the things Bennu CEO David Henkel-Wallace often says is that Bennu is a cause-based company, and I think that really captures what makes this team different. We're not here just to develop a technology or be the smartest technical people. We're here to solve a global methane problem.

That's what makes Bennu unique. The mission comes first, and everything else supports that mission. It's a vision that really resonated with me, and one that I honestly haven't seen at another startup.