Appointments strengthen AESC’s commitment to deliver operational and customer excellence and ability to drive continued market expansion
YOKOHAMA, Japan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AESC, a Japan-based global leader in high-performance battery technology for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, today announced the appointment of seasoned executives to lead the Company’s quality, operations, corporate sales, and communications. Alpay Uguz will serve as Global Chief Quality Officer, Kai Woerner will serve as Chief Operating Officer for the U.S. and Europe, Songtao Wang will serve as Global Head of Sales & Customer Solutions, and Raj Shah will serve as Chief Communications Officer. The additions of these highly experienced executives build on the momentum of the Company’s recent appointment of Knudt Flor as AESC’s CEO for U.S. and Europe.
“AESC is excited to welcome Kai, Alpay, Songtao and Raj to our global leadership team. Each of these leaders brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of their respective functions,” said AESC Group CEO Shoichi Matsumoto. “As we scale our business across multiple continents, they will be invaluable to optimizing our operations, attracting and retaining customers, and sharing our company’s unique story,” he added.
“AESC is building an incredible global team to meet the needs of the market and our customer base,” said AESC CEO for U.S. and Europe Knudt Flor. “As our organization grows in the United States and Europe, we are expanding our leadership team to meet challenges and continue making the highest quality batteries in the world,” he added.
Overview and select professional experience of the newly appointed executives:
Alpay Uguz will serve as Chief Quality Officer for AESC Group. Uguz brings 30 years of global automotive experience in several senior roles, including quality, manufacturing, corporate strategy, and program management. Previously, Mr. Uguz served as SVP of Global Manufacturing at Fisker Inc. He has served in international roles with BMW Group in the U.S., China, U.K., and Germany, including managing vehicle assembly at BMW’s largest plant in South Carolina and overseeing 24 new vehicle launches, including electric vehicles. He has received several Quality Awards, such as the J.D. Power IQS (Quality) & APEAL (Execution). Uguz will oversee quality across global markets.
Kai Woerner will serve as Chief Operating Officer for AESC Group in U.S. and Europe. Woerner brings over two decades of experience in manufacturing, industrialization and operations to AESC Group, most recently serving as a Senior Vice President for Volkswagen-backed battery maker PowerCo. Previously, Woerner spent nearly two decades with global automotive supplier Robert Bosch, where he oversaw plants and operations, including the development and manufacturing of lithium-ion cells. Woerner will oversee all operations throughout U.S. and Europe.
Songtao Wang will serve as Global Head of Sales & Customer Solutions for AESC Group. Wang brings over two decades of experience in IT and automotive multi-functions, most recently as Senior Vice President overseeing all aftermarket sales in Asia for Robert Bosch. During his career, Wang has led sales teams in the EU, Japan, Korea, China and the U.S., including leadership roles within the Bosch Electric Drive division and Robert Bosch Battery Systems. Wang will lead AESC Group’s global sales and customer solutions platforms.
Raj Shah will serve as Chief Communications Officer for AESC Group. Shah brings nearly two decades of communications experience in public and corporate affairs to AESC Group, having overseen strategy, media relations and public affairs for complex organizations and high-profile leaders. During his career, Shah has served in senior-level communications roles in U.S. government, including for the Speaker of the House and White House, served as Senior Vice President at a publicly traded media corporation, and advised leading Fortune 500 and non-profit clients. Shah will oversee global communications functions for AESC Group.
About AESC
AESC is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of high-performance batteries for zero-emission electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Founded in Japan in 2007 and headquartered in Yokohama, AESC has been building manufacturing capabilities around the world in Japan, the U.S., U.K., China, and Europe to serve key markets and leading customers locally for over 14 years. Today, AESC’s advanced battery technology powers over one million cars across over 60 countries.
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