BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Joule, the pioneer in the direct, solar conversion of CO2 into liquid fuels, today announced that Serge Tchuruk, former Chairman and CEO of Alcatel and Total SA, was appointed to the company’s board of directors. Mr. Tchuruk will be Chairman of the board’s strategy committee, which is responsible for overseeing a number of Joule’s key commercial initiatives.
“Serge has extraordinary industry and business expertise, and we are delighted that he is joining Joule’s board of directors,” said Noubar B. Afeyan, PhD, Joule Founder and Executive Chairman. “The perspective he brings to Joule and its board will be invaluable as we work to industrialize our proven CO2-to-fuel production platform and embark on our next stage of growth and rapid commercial deployment.”
“I am honored to join the Joule board and work with this exceptional team,” Tchuruk said. “Joule has redefined what is possible in converting CO2 directly into renewable fuels and I am confident that I will be able to bring my extensive industry experience and global perspective to help Joule achieve its objectives.”
“Serge brings a wealth of relevant market experience and knowledge that comes from running successful global fuels and technology businesses. He will be a strong addition to our board,” said Paul Snaith, PhD, Joule’s President and CEO.
About Serge Tchuruk
Serge Tchuruk started his career in the Mobil Corporation, where he held various management positions in France and the USA from 1964 to 1979, then with Rhône-Poulenc, where he was named CEO in 1983. He served as Chairman and CEO of CDF-Chimie/Orkem from 1986 to 1990, then as Chairman and CEO of TOTAL, one of the world’s leading oil and gas companies, from 1990 to 1995. In 1995, he became Chairman and CEO of Alcatel, a global telecommunications company, leading Alcatel’s merger with Lucent Technologies in 2006. Following the merger, he served as Chairman of the board of Alcatel-Lucent until 2008.
During his career, Tchuruk has served or continues to serve on many boards, including roles as a director of Thales Avionics Inflight Systems, LLC, Institut Pasteur, Société Genérale and as a member of the board at Ecole Polytechnique. He has also served as a member of the advisory council at Banque de France and as a director of Societe Generale Group and Vivendi.
He is a graduate of the École Polytechnique and an Ingénieur de l’armement.
About Joule
Joule has pioneered a CO2-to-fuel production platform, effectively reversing combustion through the use of solar energy. The company’s platform applies engineered catalysts to continuously convert waste CO2 directly into renewable fuels such as ethanol or hydrocarbons for diesel, jet fuel and gasoline. Free of feedstock constraints and complex processing, Joule’s process can achieve unrivaled scalability, volumes and costs without the use of any agricultural land, fresh water or crops. Joule is privately held and has raised over $160 million in funding to date, led by Flagship Ventures. The company operates from Bedford, Massachusetts and The Hague, The Netherlands, with production operations in Hobbs, New Mexico. Additional information is available at www.jouleunlimited.com.