COnovate Appoints Craig Rigby as Chief Executive Officer

MILWAUKEE, WI, UNITED STATES, June 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — COnovate today announces the appointment of battery technology veteran Craig Rigby as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. COnovate founder, Dr. Carol Hirschmugl, transitions to Chief Technology Officer to accelerate material and process development.

Rigby, a seasoned engineering and business development executive, brings extensive experience in leading global teams, developing product strategies and shepherding technology-driven growth. Over the last two decades, Rigby held multiple executive leadership roles at Clarios (previously Johnson Controls Power Solutions), the world’s largest manufacturer of low-voltage batteries. During this time, he was pivotal in driving technology deployment, innovative business models, strategic partnerships and government engagement. While at Clarios, he served on the Board of Directors of Amara Raja Battery Ltd., led engineering for a joint venture with French battery maker Saft, and served on many industry and academic advisory boards. Earlier in his career, Rigby played a key role in launching the first-generation hybrid vehicle launches at Ford Motor Company. He has served on COnovate’s Board of Directors since 2022.

“COnovate is dedicated to the development of domestically produced next-generation anode materials that address critical performance and supply chain needs of the battery industry”, said Rigby. “eCOphite anodes provide a safer, higher-capacity alternative to graphite-based anodes in lithium-ion batteries. I’m honored to lead this outstanding team on the journey to delivering commercial impact across the value chain.”

Dr. Carol Hirschmugl, COnovate co-founder and CEO since 2016, will transition to Chief Technology Officer, to focus full time on accelerating the company’s materials innovation, process development, and technical roadmap.

“Craig’s leadership experience in global battery manufacturing and commercialization makes him the right person to lead COnovate through its next phase of growth,” said Hirschmugl. “As CTO, I’m excited to drive our next-generation materials development and working with our team to bring high-performance, domestically sourced anode materials to market.”

The leadership transition is aligned with COnovate’s mission to commercialize and scale materials production. The company’s eCOphite anode materials are designed to improve lithium-ion battery performance while supporting a more resilient domestic supply chain. Derived from renewable, organic, U.S.-sourced feedstocks, eCOphite anodes can serve as a full anode replacement or as a performance-enhancing additive alongside graphite, particularly in BESS applications using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes.