NEO Battery Materials Ltd. (TSX-V:NBM) told investors it has appointed Dr S G Kim, a silicon/polymer material and chemical technology development expert, as its chief technology officer.
The company noted that Kim served as the executive vice president and head of research and development (R&D) of Hanwha Solutions’ advanced materials division, the chemical manufacturing arm of the South Korean conglomerate with sales of $10 billion.
With responsibilities ranging from new product development and commercial plant construction, NEO said Kim led Hanwha Solutions to nearly double new product sales and expand the core technology portfolio by leading several value-added projects for global automotive, aerospace, and electronics companies. Additionally, Kim led inorganic growth efforts by closing two M&A transactions that fortified Hanwha’s hydrogen and electronics business between 2021 and 2022.
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“With Dr Kim’s successful track record of chemical product development in the silicon, polymer, and lithium-ion battery space, we now have a full-fledged leadership and technology team to expedite NEO’s silicon anode innovation and to advance our relationships with global battery industry players,” NEO CEO Spencer Huh said in a statement. “Dr Kim’s experience in leading global technology companies and his extensive business network will allow NEO to gain new strategic, value-enhancing opportunities for growth.”
Before joining Hanwha Solutions, NEO said Kim held tenure as the global R&D leader at Momentive Performance Materials, the second-largest global manufacturer of silicon-based products, where he successfully increased new product viability and led manufacturing plant construction to supply critical components to Momentive’s global electronics customers. Previously, Kim also served in senior research positions at the Dow Chemical Company, LG Innotek, and Samsung Fine Chemicals.
“I am more than excited to join NEO’s roadmap to commercialization,” Kim added. “Based on my decades of experience in chemical product R&D, the promise, performance, and potential of NEO’s silicon anode material are currently unmatched by any other competitor, and I have strong confidence to apply my expertise and lead NEO’s R&D team for our products to be integrated into every electric vehicle batteries. NEO will explore additional business opportunities through my existing global business and R&D network.”
NEO Battery Materials is a Vancouver-based company focused on electric vehicle lithium-ion battery materials.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com