In response to increased losses and deepening negative margins, Trina Solar has implemented a number of changes to its management structure in a bid to “increase the responsiveness and effectiveness of its revenue-based operations”. As a result, its operations are now divided into four regions, each with a regional leader which will report to Jifan Gao, chairman and CEO of Trina Solar.
Solar modules supplier Worldwide Energy and Manufacturing USA has announced the resignation of the company’s director Michael O’Connor effective June 28, 2012, as well as the departure of Jeff Watson.
Bryan Crabb has joined the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) as its new executive director. Crabb comes to CALSEIA after serving as director of government affairs at both First Solar and OptiSolar. He is lauded as having vast experience in solar policy as well as legislative and regulatory experience.
Trina Solar has appointed Henry Chow as a member of its board of directors, effective immediately, the company has announced. Chow has worked in executive positions for IBM until 2009 and served most recently in a non-executive position for semiconductor company AMD in the US. Furthermore, he is a member of British private equity company the European Advisory Committee of Bridgepoint.
Banyan Energy has announced the appointment of Rusty Schmit as its new CEO. Schmit has over 30 years of experience in the solar industry and has been a member of Banyan’s board of directors where he served as the company’s vice president of business development in his most recent role. Before joining Banyan Energy, Schmit was involved in the foundation of PV companies like Advent Solar and Matrix Solar Technologies, where he served as CEO.
Gary Dickerson has been appointed president of Applied Materials effective June 19, 2012, the company has announced. In his new role Dickerson, who will report to Chairman and CEO Mike Splinter, is responsible for Applied Materials’ business units: energy and environmental solutions, display and applied solutions and the silicon systems group. Dickerson spent seven years as CEO of Varian Semiconductor, a company Applied Materials acquired in 2011.
With a new marketing communications, public relations and advertising expert, it could be assumed that Sarasota-based Sunovia Energy Technologies could be taking steps to rebrand itself. Jon Di Gesu has been appointed head of marketing and will direct the company’s branding and positioning efforts to support its growing global sales force and customer base.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE) has appointed CPV expert Geoffrey S. Kinsey, Ph.D. to the role of director of its Photovoltaic Technologies Group. Dr. Kinsey joins the organization from his former role as senior director of R&D at Amonix, where he led a team working on the optimization of III-V multijunction cells for solar power generators, recently reaching a module efficiency of 33% in outdoor operating conditions.
Amid rumours that MEMC Electronic Materials’ chief executive officer, Ahmad Chatila, was to leave the company, MEMC has announced the appointment of Brian Wuebbels as its new CFO. He succeeds Mark Murphy, who resigned, effective May 16, 2012, in order to take up the role as president at Praxair Surface Technologies. Murphy will continue a temporary consulting role with MEMC to aid the transition process.
Former EDS chief global sales officer, Bobby Grisham, has been selected as the newest member of Premier Holding’s board of directors. He will be working, along with fellow members, executive management and subsidiary Wepower, to meet the company’s strategic global initiatives. Grisham also formerly served as the president of the EDS’ US southwest operations solutions, was president of the large financial institutions strategic business unit and managed all IT operations for six General Motors Electrical Component divisions.
