EVgo Expands Executive Leadership Team With Four New Hires

Rhea-AI Summary

EVgo, the largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles in the U.S., has appointed four senior executives to strengthen its leadership team. Francine Sullivan joins as Chief Legal Officer, bringing 16 years of clean energy legal experience. Christopher O’Toole, former Comcast executive, becomes Vice President of Strategy. Ted Brooks, with over 25 years in finance, is the new Vice President of Investor Relations. Karren Fink joins as Senior Vice President of Human Resources, possessing extensive HR leadership experience. These appointments are aimed at accelerating EVgo's expansion in the EV charging sector.

Positive

• New leadership team enhances expertise in legal, strategic planning, finance, and HR management.
• Francine Sullivan's background strengthens legal and partnership capabilities in clean energy.
• Christopher O’Toole's experience in infrastructure deployment may improve operational efficiency.
• Ted Brooks brings extensive investment experience, potentially boosting investor relations.

Negative

• The transition phase may cause initial disruptions in company operations.
• Concerns about continuity and cohesion within the leadership team during the transition.

EVgo, the nation’s largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles (EVs) and first powered by 100% renewable electricity, today announced four additions to its leadership team: Francine Sullivan as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Christopher O’Toole as Vice President of Strategy, Analytics and Network Planning, Ted Brooks as Vice President of Investor Relations, and Karren Fink as Senior Vice President of Human Resources.

“The leadership, talent and public markets expertise brought by these seasoned executives reinforce EVgo’s position at the helm of the EV charging sector,” said Cathy Zoi, CEO of EVgo. “I am thrilled to welcome Francine, Chris, Ted, and Karren onboard as we accelerate the shift to an all-electric future for transportation and deploy fast and convenient charging for drivers across the country.”

Francine Sullivan has spent the past 16 years in the clean energy sector, building an extensive international legal career focusing on major transactions, finance and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Prior to joining EVgo, she held a variety of executive positions at REC, a publicly listed integrated solar and advanced materials company, including Chief Legal Officer and Vice President, Business Development. There, she helped build REC’s EV battery business by developing strategic partnerships with battery technology companies. Previously, she was part of the energy group at Milbank’s Los Angeles office. Sullivan has also held positions with leading corporate London-based law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, in its Asian and European offices, as well as Australian firm King & Wood Mallesons in its Melbourne and Sydney offices. An Australian native, she received her Bachelor of Laws (Honors) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics & Finance) from the University of Melbourne and is admitted to the Bar in both California and New York.

With significant career experience deploying 21^st century infrastructure, Christopher O’Toole will join EVgo from Comcast, where he was responsible for strategic network deployment for Comcast Business. In his role, O’Toole leveraged advanced analytics and geographic information system (GIS) tools to identify attractive investments and achieve greater scale and construction efficiencies for Comcast. Previously, O’Toole spent nearly a decade in business, finance and corporate leadership roles at Level 3 Communications (now Lumen), where he negotiated major acquisitions and commercial deals, helping the company build and grow its enterprise business. He received a B.A. from Yale University and earned his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Chris starts at EVgo in early July.

Bringing over 25 years of experience in finance and investment, Ted Brooks joins EVgo from CenterSquare Investment Management, where he was the sole portfolio manager and head of the global listed infrastructure group. In his role, Ted managed strategies for investing in equities of global companies across the utilities, transportation, telecommunications and energy sectors. Previously, he served as a Director in the equity research groups at Barclays Capital and Lehman Brothers, where he was responsible for covering US utilities. Ted also held prior positions at Credit Suisse First Boston in Investment Banking and Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette. He received his B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and earned his M.B.A. in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Ted is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute. Ted starts at EVgo later this month.

Karren Fink brings over 20 years of experience as a human resources leader for public and private companies, most recently serving as Managing Director, Global Head of Human Resources at Colony Capital, a leading global real estate investment firm which invests in private and public digital infrastructure and real estate equity and debt. At Colony Capital, she was responsible for managing human resources activities and supporting the global base of more than 350 employees. Previously, she was Chief Human Resources Officer at Edmunds.com, a provider of online automotive advice, news and reviews, where her responsibilities included employee development, staffing, and benefits for the company’s 600+ employees. Fink has also held various human resources leadership roles at Westfield, LLC, Citigroup and General Mills over the course of her career. She received her B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and earned her M.B.A. with a major in Human Resource Management from The Ohio State University College of Business.

About EVgo

EVgo is the nation’s largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles, and the first to be powered by 100% renewable energy. With more than 800 fast charging locations, EVgo’s charging network serves over 65 metropolitan areas across 34 states, owns and operates the most public fast charging locations in the U.S. and serves more than 250,000 customers. Founded in 2010, EVgo leads the way on transportation electrification, partnering with automakers; fleet and rideshare operators; retail hosts such as hotels, shopping centers, gas stations and parking lot operators; and other stakeholders to deploy advanced charging technology to expand network availability and make it easier for drivers across the U.S. to enjoy the benefits of driving an EV. As a charging technology first mover, EVgo works closely with business and government leaders to accelerate the ubiquitous adoption of EVs by providing a reliable and convenient charging experience close to where drivers live, work and play, whether for a daily commute or a commercial fleet. EVgo’s parent company is LS Power, a New York-headquartered development, investment and operating company focused on leading edge solutions for the North American power and energy infrastructure sector. On January 22, 2021, EVgo announced that it entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Climate Change Crisis Real Impact I Acquisition Corporation (“CRIS”) (NYSE: CLII). For more information visit evgo.com and lspower.com.

About LS Power

LS Power is a development, investment and operating company focused on the North American power and energy infrastructure sector. Since its inception in 1990, LS Power has developed, constructed, managed or acquired more than 45,000 MW of power generation, including utility-scale solar, wind, hydro, natural gas-fired and battery energy storage projects, and has developed more than 660 miles of high voltage electric transmission. Additionally, LS Power actively invests in businesses focused on renewable energy and renewable fuels, as well as distributed energy resource platforms, such as CPower Energy Management, Endurant Energy and EVgo. Across its efforts, LS Power has raised in excess of $47 billion in debt and equity capital to support North American infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.lspower.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210615005589/en/

FAQ

Who are the new executives appointed at EVgo?

EVgo appointed Francine Sullivan as Chief Legal Officer, Christopher O’Toole as Vice President of Strategy, Ted Brooks as Vice President of Investor Relations, and Karren Fink as Senior Vice President of Human Resources.

What is the background of Francine Sullivan at EVgo?

Francine Sullivan brings 16 years of experience in the clean energy sector and has held various executive positions focusing on legal affairs and business development.

What impact could the new leadership have on EVgo?

The new leadership team is expected to enhance EVgo's operational efficiency and strategic initiatives in the electric vehicle charging sector.

When did the new executives start their roles at EVgo?

Christopher O’Toole will start in early July, while Ted Brooks is set to join later this month.

What is EVgo's position in the electric vehicle charging market?

EVgo is the nation’s largest public fast charging network, operating over 800 locations across 34 states.