Chief Executive Officer of the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre, (FBICRC) Stedman Ellis, has advised the Board of his intention to retire at the end of 2021.
As inaugural CEO, Mr Ellis joined the successful bid for Commonwealth funding on behalf of a consortium of industry, government and research participants in 2018 and led the establishment of the FBICRC.
Today the FBICRC is a growing organisation with 68 partners invested in 15 key projects across the battery value chain backed by $120M in cash and in-kind.
“After an extensive career in industry and government in the resources and energy sectors in Australia and overseas, the opportunity to create the FBICRC from the ground up has provided me with a very rewarding professional challenge.
“It has been deeply satisfying to work with the Board, partners and the FBICRC team, to develop an organisation and portfolio of projects with such great significance for Australia in capturing substantial economic opportunities from the role batteries are playing in the energy transition.
“I believe the timing is right for the next CEO to build on the important foundations that have been laid and take the FBICRC through the next phase of its development,” Mr Ellis said.
Board Chair Tim Shanahan said the FBICRC had in its first two years of operation created a strong platform for collaboration across the battery value chain which was vital to capture the significant economic opportunities that the rapid adoption of battery technology has created for Australia.
“On behalf of the Board, I offer Stedman my thanks and wish to acknowledge his role in the successful start-up of the FBICRC, forging the largest partnership of industry, government organisations and research partners focused on the growth of battery industries in Australia.”
“The FBICRC has and will continue to play a key role in supporting governments as they take steps to develop clean energy technologies and add further value to our dominant position as a miner of battery minerals,” said FBICRC Chair Tim Shanahan.
Recruitment firm Derwent has been appointed to assist the Board in a national search for Mr Ellis’ successor with an appointment anticipated to be made by the end of the year.