Crusoe has hired Erwan Menard as Senior Vice President of Product Management, strengthening its leadership team as demand for AI infrastructure accelerates. Menard previously led product management for Cloud AI at Google, where he played a key role in scaling Vertex AI into one of the leading platforms for deploying AI models at scale. He also joined Google through the acquisition of Elastifile, where he served as CEO, and earlier held senior roles at HP, Alcatel, and several startups.
At Google Cloud, Menard directed outbound product strategy for the Vertex AI portfolio, including Model Garden, Model Builder, and Agent Builder, as well as AI-powered applications such as Search and Agentspace. His team also supported Google’s AI partnerships strategy and enabled customers to build GenAI-powered services. At Crusoe, Menard will guide product strategy for Crusoe Cloud, the company’s vertically integrated GPU-powered infrastructure platform designed for large-scale AI workloads.
Chase Lochmiller, CEO and co-founder of Crusoe, said: “Erwan’s domain expertise in driving AI product strategy is a transformative addition for Crusoe. His vision and leadership will be absolutely critical in guiding our Product organization as we meet the accelerating customer demand for new services and expand the capabilities of our Crusoe Cloud platform globally.”
- Erwan Menard appointed Senior VP of Product Management at Crusoe
- Previously led product management for Google Cloud AI, including Vertex AI
- Former CEO of Elastifile, acquired by Google in 2019
- Earlier leadership roles at HP, Alcatel, and multiple startups
- Will oversee product strategy for Crusoe Cloud, the company’s AI-optimized infrastructure platform
“Throughout my career, I’ve been drawn to companies that not only solve complex problems but make a difference in the world. Crusoe is doing so in a bold and innovative way by leveraging its vertically integrated model to optimize every layer of the AI infrastructure stack,” said Erwan Menard.
🌐 Why it Matters: Crusoe is positioning itself as a full-stack AI infrastructure provider, combining clean energy with GPU-powered data centers. Attracting top talent from Google Cloud signals its ambition to compete directly with hyperscalers in delivering next-generation AI platforms.
Crusoe Energy Systems, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is a digital infrastructure company focused on reducing the environmental impact of computing by colocating data centers with stranded or wasted energy sources. Founded in 2018 by Chase Lochmiller, a former hedge fund manager and physicist, and Cully Cavness, a geologist and energy entrepreneur, Crusoe’s mission is to align high-performance computing with clean, underutilized energy to power workloads such as artificial intelligence, cloud, and blockchain. The company’s core technology captures flared natural gas and integrates renewable energy sources to fuel modular data centers, significantly cutting carbon emissions. Crusoe has grown into one of the largest providers of climate-aligned computing infrastructure, operating both GPU cloud services and edge data centers. The company has raised more than $740 million in equity and debt financing from investors including G2 Venture Partners, Lowercarbon Capital, Mubadala, and Bain Capital Ventures, and it counts major hyperscalers and AI developers among its customers. Key milestones include expanding its Digital Flare Mitigation technology across North America and launching Crusoe Cloud, an AI-focused GPU platform.
