Sila, a next-generation battery materials company, today announced that U.S. Department of Energy vet Alex Fitzsimmons has been named the company’s first Head of Government Affairs.

Fitzsimmons was previously the Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. In February 2020, Fitzsimmons was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency at DOE.

Fitzsimmons transitioned from DOE to become Senior Director for Renewable Energy, Energy Storage, and Advanced Manufacturing at ClearPath. ClearPath is a private sector organization whose mission is to develop and advance policies that accelerate breakthrough innovations that reduce emissions in the energy and industrial sectors.

“Alex has deep knowledge of the energy industry, specifically in key sectors including advanced manufacturing that will be so critical to Sila’s future,” said Gene Berdichevsky, co-founder and CEO of Sila. “He will be an instrumental part of the team as we work to gain energy independence based on renewables and storage, and make America a leader in the energy transition.”

In his new role, Fitzsimmons will lead the new Washington, D.C. offices of Sila.

"America's energy security depends on technological innovation and manufacturing competitiveness. Sila has demonstrated leadership in both," said Fitzsimmons. "I look forward to playing a leading role in helping Sila deploy next-generation battery materials that enable the production of better batteries, reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, and strengthen global energy security."

About Sila

Founded in 2011, Sila is a next-generation battery materials company with the mission to power the world’s transition to clean energy. Sila shipped the world’s first commercially available silicon anode for lithium-ion batteries in 2021. Sila’s materials drive battery performance enhancements in consumer electronics devices and will power electric vehicles starting with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class series. Committed to American leadership in clean energy production, Sila is scaling its technology at its manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington. Major investors include 8VC, Bessemer Venture Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Coatue, In-Q-Tel, Matrix Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221129005981/en/