JB Straubel, Tesla Board

Unlike Elon, Jeffrey Brian “JB” Straubel can be called a legitimate Tesla co-founder. The electrical engineer was the company’s fifth hire in 2004 and he spent years in the trenches working on battery cell design and the conception of the first Gigafactory as the company’s CTO, before stepping down in 2019.

Straubel now manages Redwood Materials, the lithium-ion battery recycling company he founded in 2017. Initially conceived as a way to reduce e-waste and extend EV battery life, the company has recently pivoted to serving as energy storage for AI data centers. Redwood’s partnership with Tesla and JB’s personal history with the company was deemed enough of a conflict of interest that proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis recommended shareholders vote against electing Straubel to Tesla’s board in 2023. Their advice was ignored.

Want to share your thoughts on recycling or corporate governance with JB? Give him a call or visit using the info below.

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