Change of management at Northvolt North America

Paolo Cerruti is stepping down as CEO of Northvolt North America, but will retain another vital role in the company. The North American subsidiary of the Swedish battery manufacturer is primarily responsible for the construction of the new factory in Canada.

Cerruti’s resignation as CEO will result in several other, but according to the company, temporary changes to the Northvolt North America leadership team. Karen Chang will assume the role of CEO of the Canadian-registered company on an interim basis, while Jose Diaz will temporarily lead operations as interim COO.

Northvolt North America is primarily responsible for the Northvolt Six cell factory planned in the province of Quebec. Interim CEO Chang “has been with Northvolt for several years and has played an instrumental role in the success of the Northvolt Six project, particularly in navigating the challenges and opportunities in Quebec,” the press release states. Jose Diaz will “ensure the continued smooth operation of the project.”

Although the previous North American CEO, Paolo Cerruti, is relinquishing his operational responsibilities, he will remain Chairman of the Board. In this position on the supervisory body (which has more strategic responsibility than the supervisory board of a German stock corporation), Cerruti will “continue to support the growth and success of Northvolt North America from a strategic perspective, while remaining involved in the ongoing development of Northvolt Six and serving as a key entry point for critical stakeholders,” as Northvolt North America writes.

For Northvolt, Cerruti’s partial departure nevertheless has a signalling effect: together with former CEO Peter Carlsson, Cerruti was one of the early senior managers of the company, initially founded as SGF Energy. Carlsson, who stepped down in November 2024, shares a common past with Cerruti at Tesla.

“We will be forever grateful for Paolo’s contributions in building Northvolt and our North America subsidiary, says Tom Johnstone, Interim Chairman of Northvolt.” I have deep trust in Karen and Jose during this transition period, as their extensive knowledge of the project and dedication to its success are invaluable. With their leadership, we will continue to drive this project forward.”

Northvolt announced the construction of a battery factory in Canada in September 2023 – it was the largest private investment in the province of Québec. The factory, called Northvolt Six, was scheduled to start production in 2026 and produce 60 GWh of battery cells per year when completed. After the financial situation came to a head in the course of 2024, Northvolt put its aggressive expansion plans to the test – it currently expects a delay of up to 18 months. Although the Swedish parent company has been undergoing creditor protection proceedings since November, the subsidiaries Northvolt North America and Northvolt Germany are pressing ahead with their construction projects for the Northvolt Drei factory in Heide.

northvolt.com