Mantle8 appoints Laurence Tiberghien-Portaz as HR Director to guide global hiring and organisational scale-up.
New Grenoble office strengthens collaboration within Europe’s deeptech research ecosystem.
Expansion aligns with Europe’s clean energy and energy sovereignty priorities as natural hydrogen gains traction.
Mantle8, the deep-tech geoscience company advancing natural hydrogen exploration, has appointed Laurence Tiberghien-Portaz as Human Resources Director while opening a new office in Grenoble, reinforcing organisational capacity as the company moves toward execution and market deployment.
Tiberghien-Portaz joins the leadership team following the recent appointment of Chief Commercial Officer Sylvain Marcant. She will lead the company’s human resources strategy, focusing on organisational growth, talent development and operational scale.
Her career includes senior roles in the global mining sector, notably at Rio Tinto, where she worked across complex international environments integrating advanced geoscience, industrial execution and multicultural teams. The experience aligns with Mantle8’s ambition to attract top global talent and build a centre of excellence in natural hydrogen exploration.
“These appointments reflect our transition into a new stage of the company’s development,” said Emmanuel Massini, CEO of Mantle8. “As Mantle8 moves from validation to execution, building a strong leadership team and a structured organisation is essential. Laurence brings the experience and global perspective needed to support this transformation.”
Building a global, science-driven workforce
Mantle8’s workforce spans nine nationalities and an age range from 22 to 60, combining early-career researchers with decades of field expertise.
Women represent 35% of employees, with a target of reaching 50% by the end of 2027. Approximately 80% of staff hold PhDs in geoscience or related disciplines, reinforcing Mantle8’s identity as a science-led exploration company.
“I’m delighted to be joining Mantle8 at this pivotal moment,” said Laurence Tiberghien-Portaz. “The company is moving from proof to scale, and my role will be to ensure that the organisation, culture and talent structure are aligned with its long-term ambitions.”
Grenoble expansion strengthens deeptech collaboration
Mantle8’s relocation to Grenoble strengthens its presence in one of Europe’s most concentrated deeptech ecosystems.
Located in the Alps, the city offers a geological environment long associated with advances in mountain formation, glaciology and geophysics, effectively providing a natural laboratory aligned with Mantle8’s subsurface exploration mission. Grenoble hosts a dense network of research and engineering institutions, including CEA Grenoble, CNRS, Grenoble INP, Université Grenoble Alpes and the GIANT innovation campus.
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This concentration of research capacity, combined with a strong international community and quality of life, makes Grenoble a powerful attractor for scientific talent and a strategic base for scaling climate and earth technology ventures.
From exploration validation to market engagement
The leadership expansion coincides with Mantle8’s transition from exploration validation to broader market engagement. The company recently achieved full imaging of hydrogen-generating systems using its proprietary HOREX technology, producing what it describes as the world’s first 4D images of an active natural hydrogen system.
This capability establishes a repeatable and cost-effective exploration framework at a time when global interest in natural hydrogen is accelerating.
Mantle8 holds multiple exploration permits near demand centres and is positioning itself to contribute to Europe’s evolving approach to clean molecules, energy sovereignty and long-term industrial competitiveness.
Strategic implications for energy security and decarbonisation
Natural hydrogen is emerging as a potential low-carbon energy source capable of supporting decarbonisation across heavy industry, chemicals and transport. Europe’s drive for energy security and supply diversification has intensified interest in domestic clean molecule production.
Mantle8’s leadership build-out and Grenoble expansion reflect the convergence of geoscience innovation, climate technology investment and industrial policy priorities. By strengthening organisational capacity and embedding itself within a major research ecosystem, the company is positioning for scale at a moment when governments and investors are seeking credible pathways to low-carbon energy independence.
With its executive team reinforced and its Grenoble base established, Mantle8 is laying the groundwork for the next phase of natural hydrogen development.
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