In a written statement dated March 20, officials with Ascend Elements announced the appointment of Linh Austin as the company’s new president and chief executive officer — replacing the long-running Mike O’Kronley at the post.
Considered a “seasoned energy industry executive” with three decades of experience, Austin has been on the Ascend Elements Board of Directors since September 2024 — after previous stops at McDermott, BP and ARCO.
Austin said Ascend Elements is “poised to become Europe and North America’s leading commercial-scale manufacturer of domestic, critical battery minerals,” as the hydro-to-cathode direct cathode precursor synthesis process remains the “pinnacle of technology” in the battery materials and recycling industry.
Currently, Ascend Elements operates one of North America’s largest lithium-ion battery recycling facilities in Covington, Georgia, and is still expected to begin commercial-scale production of up to 3,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate in 2025.
Meanwhile, the release mentioned Kentucky, as the company continues to build North America’s only commercial scale pCAM manufacturing facility, Apex 1, in Christian County. It reportedly remains partially funded by a $316 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, and still “squarely aligns” with U.S. energy policy related to increasing domestic production of critical minerals and enhancing U.S. energy independence.
O’Kronley, meanwhile, took to his LinkedIn social media profile to announce a new career chapter was coming for him, and that after much consideration, it was a difficult decision to leave the company, but he has “full confidence” that Ascend Elements will continue to build on “remarkable growth and success” achieved, and that the energy giant remains “well-positioned to continue its upward trajectory.”
