Robert Kang, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer

Robert Kang is responsible for the overall management of the Company and developing new strategic partnerships to expand its reach in the growing li-ion battery recycling closed loop ecosystem.  In addition to his responsibilities at Blue Whale, Robert has interests in the hospitality industry, maintains and develops real estate investments, and continues to be active in the non-profit sector, focusing on Northeast Asia.  He has a degree in International Affairs from George Washington University.

David Fauvre, co-founder and Chief strategy Officer

David Fauvre co-founded Blue Whale Materials and is responsible for development and implementation of the company's corporate strategy, business development, partnerships and business systems. David is an attorney with a varied set of experiences in litigation, commercial and corporate matters from his private practice at an AmLaw 200 firm prior to joining the Company full time. He obtained his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and earned degrees in engineering and political science from Brown University.  

Minjae “justin” Oh, Chief Technology Officer

Minjae “Justin” Oh leads all technical aspects of the Company's battery processing and recycling operations. He developed Blue Whale's proprietary processing technology that speeds discharging time, separates metals efficiently and optimizes the quality of the final output product. Prior to joining Blue Whale, he was head of sales and operations for a leading full-scale li-ion recycling facility in Korea where he managed sourcing and sales of over $30 million in product annually. He also has experience building a full scale li-ion recycling plant in Japan. He has a degree in Chemistry and has deep connections to the li-ion recycling markets in Asia.  

Cory Spaugh, Chief Financial Officer

Cory Spaugh is responsible for directing Blue Whale’s financial strategy to drive fiscal health and ensure sustainable growth. Cory brings over ten years of finance & accounting experience for private equity sponsored companies to Blue Whale Materials. Before joining the Blue Whale as Chief Financial Officer, Cory served as CFO of Sapphire Gas Solutions, leading the company to an exit to Apollo in December 2021. He obtained his MBA from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX and earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Texas A&M University.

Brian Schupbach, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Operations

Brian Schupbach leads engineering and operations functions, including the design, build-out, and operation of Blue Whale’s advanced recycling plants.  Brian brings 20 years of experience in the lithium-ion battery industry, holding a variety of leadership roles in process/product development, capital project management, manufacturing, and recycling.  Brian joined from Redwood Materials where he served as the VP of Manufacturing Engineering, building out recycling capability​. He obtained his Masters in Engineering Technology from Pittsburg State University after earning his Bachelors of Science in Industrial Management/Technology from Missouri State University.

Christina Chilcote, Director of Business Development

Christina Chilcote is responsible for expanding Blue Whale’s commercial relationships, securing feedstock and offtake agreements, enhancing partnerships, and implementing strategies for growth. Christina brings 20 years of experience in international security and business relations to lead Blue Whale’s business development. She earned her PhD in Anthropology from The New School after obtaining a Bachelor of the Arts in Anthropology & Sociology from UC Irvine. ​

Carol M. Browner, Advisor

Carol Browner provides strategic guidance to corporations, start-ups, non-profits and advocacy organizations based on decades in public service focusing on environmental and energy policy. Ms. Browner is currently a Senior Counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group. Ms. Browner most recently served as Assistant to President Obama and Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, where she oversaw the coordination of environmental, energy, climate, transport, and related policies across the U.S. federal government. During her tenure, the White House secured the largest investment ever in clean energy and established the national clean cars standard that included both new automobile fuel efficiency standards and the first ever greenhouse gas reductions. She previously served as Administrator of the EPA from 1993-2001.

James Baek, Advisor

James Beak brings key insights on global partnerships and the establishment of innovative closed loop systems to Blue Whale as a Advisor. James formerly served as the Global Head of Recycling at CNGR, with a focus on Europe, America, and Africa, and Head of Global Battery Recycling Team at Gotion High-Tech. Prior to that, James led Samsung C&T Corporation's battery raw materials & recycling teams with background across metal trading and markets.

Zach Axelrod, Advisor

Zach has spent his career in clean energy with a focus on distributed resource finance and deployment.  He is currently Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Business Development at Arcadia Power, a venture-backed residential energy services company.  Prior to Arcadia Power Zach founded and was CEO of Skyline Innovations, which grew to be the largest commercial solar hot water finance and development platform in the country.  Prior to Skyline Innovations, he was in corporate strategy and market development at GridPoint.    

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