Simon Hackett has stepped down as acting CEO of Australian flow battery maker Redflow— but will stay with the firm as a non-executive director “with special oversight for technology-related matters”.
Redflow said Hackett, the firm’s largest shareholder, had completed the “mission to refocus, redirect and recapitalise the business”, since his appointment 12 months ago.
The new CEO and managing director is Richard Aird (pictured), who was promoted from the post of chief operating officer with effect from 27 September. Aird has held various posts with the company since 2009.
Meanwhile, Redflow has recruited a former general counsel for Australian airline Qantas, Brett Johnson, as independent non-executive chairman.
Hackett said: “With running the business and the board now in the hands of professionals in those fields, I can focus my passion, skills and energy on successfully overseeing the interface between Redflow’s unique technology into real-world energy systems, and communication of these benefits to customers and industry.”
Earlier this year, Redflow launched an AUD14.5 million ($11.5m) funding round “to target sustainable delivery of its zinc-bromine flow batteries to high demand areas” such as telecoms and remote/off-grid power.
Last month, Redflow won a second AUD750,000 order for zinc-bromine batteries for a major energy storage project in the Pacific Islands.
