Sila Gears Up for Gigascale Production in U.S. with Key Executive Appointments

Chris Dougher is promoted to COO and Gwen Hsu joins as VP, Product.

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sila, a next-generation battery technology company, today announced key leadership updates as the company enters a new chapter of growth, scaling its operations to become a global manufacturing leader. Chris Dougher has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Gwen Hsu has joined the company as VP, Product.

Strengthening the executive team will allow Sila to take full advantage of its lead and momentum in US manufacturing. After seven years of developing revolutionary science and another eight years scaling the production of its Titan Silicon^® (Si/C) anode technology, Sila has increased output from a gram per batch to a ton per batch. Embarking on its next chapter. The goal is to evolve into a global manufacturing leader, producing hundreds of tons per day to meet the rapidly growing demand.

Chris Dougher Named Chief Operating Officer

In his new role as COO, Chris Dougher will lead Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Capital Projects, Quality, Planning, and Industrial Engineering. Since joining the company nine years ago, Chris has been instrumental in the stand-up of Sila’s Alameda production facility and has served as the lead to staff up, build out, and manage Sila’s Moses Lake manufacturing facility. Before joining Sila, Chris spent eleven years at PPG Industries, a global chemical and coatings company, where he was responsible for the building and managing of manufacturing facilities. Chris holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Environmental Management and a Master of Business Administration from Duke University.

"Chris has been a force of nature at Sila, defined by a relentless drive for operational excellence, and a talent for building world-class teams," said Gene Berdichevsky, Sila Co-founder and CEO. "As we accelerate into our next phase of giga-scale production, Chris will be the engine driving our success internally while showcasing Sila’s powerhouse capabilities to the global stage."

Gwen Hsu Joins as VP, Product

Gwen Hsu joins Sila as VP, Product, with over 20 years of product management experience in the electronics industry, including management of mixed-discipline R&D teams and navigation of diverse development and manufacturing approaches—including OEM, ODM, and Contract Manufacturing models—across both B2B and B2C markets.

"Batteries are foundational to the world's most critical industries and Sila’s technology makes every one of them better. Defining and executing a product strategy that delivers maximum impact isn't just an advantage for Sila, it's pivotal to our growth and our mission. Gwen’s seasoned product leadership and deep, practical grasp of the global supply chain ecosystem are exactly what we need to execute this vision, scale our impact, and serve our customers as we manage this new phase of growth,” said Berdichevsky.

Gwen holds an MBA from National Taiwan University and a BA in International Trade from National Chengchi University. Her role will be critical as Sila ramps up efforts in anode and new product initiatives as well as partnering with the executive team to navigate product strategy and go-to-market options.

About Sila

Founded in 2011, Sila is an advanced battery technology and materials company that develops and manufactures products to power critical industries and physical AI. The Sila-invented Si/C anode technology (Titan Silicon^®) launched in 2021 and drives performance across drones, satellites, electronics, robotics, AI, and electric vehicles. By combining American intellectual property with gigascale manufacturing, Sila delivers the power, supply chain security, and cost-effectiveness that nations require. Sila's battery materials are produced at its first-of-its-kind facility in Moses Lake, Washington. The company is backed by 8VC, Atreides Management, Bessemer Venture Partners, Coatue, In-Q-Tel, Matrix Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.