Novi battery startup Our Next Energy replaces CEO

Novi-based battery startup Our Next Energy Inc. has a new CEO, the company said Sunday night.

Paul Humphries, a ONE board member with more than 40 years of manufacturing and operations experience, is the company's new leader. Mujeeb Ijaz, who had been CEO since he founded ONE, will become vice chair of the company board and will lead product engineering as the chief technology officer.

Before retiring in 2021, Humphries worked for Flex Ltd., where he served as group president of high reliability solutions, which included automotive, industrial, energy and medical businesses. Humphries has been a member of the ONE board since the company's 2020 founding.

In a statement, Ijaz said: “Change is necessary for growth, and we believe this is our opportunity and the time for growth."

The move comes after ONE confirmed in November it was cutting its workforce by 25%, laying off 128 employees, including 82 in Michigan. The downsizing is happening as ONE is transitioning from research and development to scaling production, according to the company.

In October, ONE began pilot production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells at its battery plant in Van Buren Township. Production of the company's Aries LFP battery packs started earlier in 2023 at Piston Automotive in southeast Michigan. 

“There remains an incredible need for a U.S. battery manufacturer and domestically made cells that extend range, increase energy density, and utilize abundant materials,” Humphries said in a statement. “It’s an honor and privilege to help lead this company and a talented team through its next chapter as we implement ONE’s inspiring vision and focus on scaling production of LFP cells in Michigan to serve transportation and energy storage markets with transformative technology.” 

ONE also said Sunday that, as part of its new corporate structure, the second founding board member, Faysal Sohail, will become chairman of the board. Sohail, the company said, is a "seasoned entrepreneur and venture company builder from the Silicon Valley."

khall@detroitnews.com

@bykaleahall