Novonix names former Ascend Elements CEO to same role

Battery materials and technology manufacturer Novonix Ltd. has appointed Michael O’Kronley as its CEO, effective May 19.

Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Novonix, which also develops battery cell testing technology and synthetic graphite anode and cathode material, says that in addition to a strong technical foundation in engineering, O’Kronley brings more than 30 years of automotive experience, including 15 years in the lithium-ion battery and battery materials space.

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Most recently, O’Kronley served as CEO of Westborough, Massachusetts-based battery recycler Ascend Elements, where he increased the company’s enterprise value by $1.6 billion in five years.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. O’Kronley to the Novonix team. His professional accomplishments, as well as his extensive experience in manufacturing, operations and scaling critical minerals production, makes him an ideal choice," Novonix Chairman Robert J. Natter says. "We’re confident in his ability to lead the company into its next phase of growth from our headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee.”

O’Kronley succeeds Robert Long, who has served as the company’s interim CEO since January. Long now will resume his role as chief financial officer, continuing to play a key role in the company’s strategic and financial leadership.

“It’s an honor to join Novonix at such a pivotal time,” O’Kronley says. “I look forward to working with the team to build on recent successes and ultimately onshore the graphite supply chain in North America.”

In his five-year tenure as CEO at Ascend, O’Kronley oversaw a number of expansion projects, including the opening of the company’s first commercial-scale battery recycling facility in Covington, Georgia, also known as Base 1, and the beginning of construction of Ascend’s Apex 1 battery recycling campus in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Since September 2023, Ascend has raised more than $700 million from a host of investors to aid in the development of its facilities, and has secured grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.