Li-Cycle appoints chief financial officer

Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., a lithium-ion battery recycler headquartered in Toronto, has announced the appointment of Debbie Simpson to the role of chief financial officer. Effective February 2022, Simpson will succeed Bruce MacInnis.

“We are thrilled to welcome Debbie to Li-Cycle,” says Ajay Kochhar, Li-Cycle’s co-founder and CEO. “Debbie will be an immediate strategic partner as a member of the Li-Cycle executive leadership team. As a proven finance executive with global public company experience and a champion of growing and developing talent, she will contribute to our efforts to drive growth and maximize shareholder value.”

According to a news release from Li-Cycle, Simpson brings more than 30 years of senior financial leadership focusing on strategic and transformational investment projects. She also specializes in optimizing capital structures to drive returns and facilitate scalability and growth for global companies. 

Before joining Li-Cycle, the company says Simpson served as the chief financial officer of Maple Leaf Foods, Toronto. At Maple Leaf Foods, she helped drive a strategic shift to become a higher value sustainable protein business, advised on acquisitions and secured more than $2 billion in funding. Simpson was also the acting chief financial officer of Vincor International Inc., a global producer and distributor of wines in Ontario. At Vincor, she oversaw business acquisitions, transactions and the sale of the business to Constellation Brands Inc.

Simpson holds her BA in accountancy and Master of Science in accountancy and finance from the University of Stirling, Scotland. She is a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. As an advocate for women’s health and education, Simpson volunteers her time as the board chair of Women’s College Hospital Foundation and the board chair of Havergal College in Toronto. She is also a board member and the Audit Committee chair for Shearer’s Snacks.

“I am delighted to join the Li-Cycle team,” Simpson says. “I was drawn to its innovative technology, global growth plans and dedication to enabling a circular economy. I look forward to being a part of the Li-Cycle team and contributing to their future expansion in this rapidly evolving sector.”