Dow Corning veteran Robert Hansen, current company president, has been elected as the company’s new CEO, effective immediately. Hansen has been with Dow Corning for 29 years and was appointed as president of the company in November 2010. Dow Corning noted that Hansen will continue to serve as president, in addition to his role as CEO and that Stephanie Burns will remain chairman of the board of directors. “As chairman, I will remain deeply engaged providing counsel and advice on the company’s business strategy, as well as support to Bob as he transitions into his new role and I prepare for retirement,” remarked Burns.
Konarka Technologies is strengthening its management team with the appointment of Dr. James Buntaine as its executive vice president and chief technology officer. The new position adds weight behind the recent appointment of Kenneth McCauley as vice president of sales and marketing to transition the company into its commercial ramp phase. Dr Buntaine comes from Eastman Kodak after a 30-year career at the firm.
Deutsche Bank has selected Vishal Shah as its managing director for its US-based alternative energy and semi cap equipment divisions. One of the leading solar market analysts, Shah will come to Deutsche Bank from Barclays Capital. He previously worked as a senior vice president with Lehman Brothers where he managed the research coverage of the solar and semi cap equipment divisions. Additionally, Shah served as a research analyst at Morgan Stanley and in his early career worked with Needham & Co.
Worldwide Energy & Manufacturing USA, which supplies PV solar modules under the Amerisolar brand, has had a momentous week of executive changes. The company announced that on April 25, its board of directors removed Jimmy Wang as the company’s CEO, chairman as well as from all other offices and positions that he held at Worldwide and with any of the company’s subsidiaries and affiliates. The board also discharged Mindy Wang, wife of Jimmy Wang, on April 25, from all offices and positions she held at the company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, which included secretary and treasurer of Worldwide. Although both Jimmy and Mindy Wang will no longer serve in their former executive positions, they will remain on the board of directors.
Eric Daniels will be leading the Solar Energy North American division of Robert Bosch as the department’s first solar energy regional president. In his new role, Daniels will supervise the company’s solar business in North America while specifically focusing on business development opportunities. Daniels is a 14-year veteran of the solar industry who joins Bosch from BP Solar where he served as CTO for seven years.
Expanding its global team of solar technology experts, Amtech Systems has appointed semiconductor and solar industry veterans Dr. James Hwang and Dr. SooKap Hahn as chief technology officer and member of the board, respectively.
PVJapan 2011 has been rescheduled from its original July dates to December 5-7. Event sponsors SEMI and the Japanese Photovoltaic Energy Association decided to postpone the show because of the ongoing recovery efforts in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and at the request of Japanese government agencies to help conserve energy resources during the summer months.
Schott North America has appointed Linda Mayer as its new president and CEO. Mayer became the first woman to head up Schott’s North American subsidiary when she started the role on April 1 and succeeds Gerald Fine, who became a company director and joined its North American advisory board in January.
Dr. Simon Bransfield-Garth has been selected by Eight19, an organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology developer, as the company’s first chief executive officer. His appointment comes after a September 2010, US$7.4 million investment from the Carbon Trust and French chemical company Rhodia for the commercialization of OPV technology that will be created at Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory; to which Eight19 is closely associated.
Q-Cells Malaysia has appointed Franz Vollmann as its new managing director. Vollmann succeeds Q-Cells Malaysia founder Bernhard Rack and will be responsible for managing the operation and future growth of the company’s production facilities. He starts his new role on April 1.
