Redwood Materials Shakes Up Leadership as COO Departs and Restructuring Takes Hold
Battery recycling firm Redwood Materials is navigating a major leadership overhaul, with COO Chris Lister retiring and several other senior executives heading for the exit.
Redwood Materials Faces Executive Exodus Amid Company-Wide Restructuring
Battery recycling startup Redwood Materials is undergoing significant leadership changes, with its chief operating officer stepping down and multiple vice presidents departing as the company reshapes its organizational structure.
COO Chris Lister Calls It a Career
Chris Lister, who served as Redwood Materials' chief operating officer, is leaving the company to retire. Lister brought considerable industry pedigree to the role — he previously held a vice president position overseeing operations at Tesla's massive Nevada Gigafactory before joining Redwood in late 2023. He initially came aboard as chief supply chain officer before earning a promotion to COO in 2024, placing him among the top tier of the company's leadership hierarchy, just below founder and CEO JB Straubel.
Straubel, a Tesla co-founder who served as the electric vehicle giant's chief technology officer for years and still holds a seat on its board, personally informed staff of Lister's departure. A company spokesperson confirmed the news, offering a brief send-off: "We wish him the best in his retirement."
Layoffs Set the Stage for a Leaner Organization
Lister's exit follows closely on the heels of Redwood Materials cutting approximately 10% of its workforce — around 135 positions — as part of a broader restructuring initiative. In an internal email sent to all staff, Straubel acknowledged that certain divisions had grown beyond what the business currently requires.
"Parts of the company have expanded faster than needed," Straubel wrote, while expressing optimism about what lies ahead. He outlined ambitions to build "the most integrated and cost-effective critical materials and energy storage business in the world," adding that the company is "more excited than ever" about its strategic direction.
Straubel also pointed to the company's resilience in a challenging market: "We have successfully adapted to changes in the market that have bankrupted many of our competitors," he noted, signaling confidence that a trimmed-down team can still deliver on key objectives.
New Business Deals Driving Strategic Pivot
The restructuring appears to be closely tied to Redwood's expanding focus on energy storage. The company has recently secured partnerships with electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian and artificial intelligence firm Crusoe, supplying both with refurbished batteries intended for use in grid-level energy storage systems. This pivot toward energy storage signals a deliberate broadening of the company's commercial footprint beyond traditional battery recycling.
A Wave of VP-Level Departures
Beyond the COO transition, several other senior leaders have quietly exited Redwood Materials in recent months:
- Bradley Mayhew, vice president of integrated supply chain and a former Tesla employee, departed earlier this month.
- Guillermo Urquiza, vice president of mechanical engineering — also a Tesla alumnus — left the company back in March.
- Carlos Lozano, vice president of manufacturing, moved on earlier this year to take on a leadership role at Panasonic.
None of the three responded to requests for comment, and Redwood declined to address their individual departures directly. However, Straubel's all-staff message hinted at the rationale, stating that the company is actively working to reduce management layers and streamline decision-making.
What This Means for Redwood's Future
While any wave of executive departures naturally raises questions, Redwood's leadership appears to be framing the changes as a strategic reset rather than a sign of distress. With new energy storage contracts in hand and a leaner organizational model taking shape, the company is positioning itself to compete more effectively in a market that has already claimed several of its rivals.
Whether the restructuring delivers the focused momentum Straubel envisions remains to be seen, but the message from the top is clear: Redwood Materials is betting on doing more with less.
