WAVE energy technology developer Aquamarine Power is on to its third chief executive in less than eight months.

The Edinburgh company's technical director Paddy O'Kane is the latest man to take the role. He replaces John Malcolm who only took over from Martin McAdam in September last year.

Mr Malcolm had been a non-executive director on the Aquamarine board since 2012 while Mr McAdam was in the top job for more than six years.

Aquamarine suggested Mr Malcolm had only ever been an interim appointment. But under his stewardship the business radically cut staff, from more than 50 to the current level of 18, and also began to look at developing technology other than its main Oyster device.

Chairman Paul Capell said Mr Malcolm had taken the helm at a critical point and steered the company through "uncharted waters".

Mr O'Kane, former head of engineering and wind resource assessment at SSE Renewables, said the company now had three years of operating data from its Oyster device and was also developing a device, called WavePOD, which could help to turn the motion generated by any wave technology into electricity.