SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Calix Limited announced the appointment of seasoned Calix executive Dan Rennie as CEO of the “LEILAC Group” – Calix’s CO2 mitigation business.
Calix CEO Phil Hodgson said “After an extensive global search program via an executive search firm, and following-on from the investment by Carbon Direct of €15m into our CO2 business to accelerate commercialisation of the LEILAC technology, I am very pleased to confirm that a seasoned Calix executive is being promoted to lead our CO2 business as CEO.
Dan Rennie has been instrumental in winning grant funding for, and coordinating, both our LEILAC-1 and LEILAC-2 projects, as well as developing a deep global network of cement and lime companies, decarbonisation stakeholders, policy makers and engineering companies.
He has been instrumental in raising the profile of Calix’s LEILAC technology from an unknown new technology only a few years ago to the European and then world stage. After assessing our internal executive talent against the best we could find externally, it is great to see one of our own filling this role, with the full support of our Board and our co-investor in this business, Carbon Direct.”
“We are ecstatic that Dan will be leading the LEILAC Group as CEO,” said Josh Dienstag, Carbon Direct’s Chief Investment Officer and LEILAC Group director. “Dan brings technical and commercial expertise as well as passion that are key assets to the company during this important phase of growth.”
Dan Rennie said “It is both a privilege and an honour to be selected to lead Calix’s business efforts for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries using its low-cost carbon capture technology. The teams involved in developing this breakthrough technology over Calix’s short history are an exceptionally talented set of individuals – immeasurably supported by the dedicated efforts of our industrial, academic and engineering partners.
With cement alone being responsible for 8% of global CO2 emissions, we are at a watershed moment to bolster collective efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and stabilise the climate.
While most of the emissions from cement and lime are unavoidable, solutions are available and I believe that Calix’s LEILAC technology has a leading role to play in decarbonising these industries. I look forward to building on the successes to date and working with our partners, clients and stakeholders to develop this into an effective global solution.”
Dan worked in the electricity sector, prior to moving to the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute. He also ran the European Commission’s CCS Network, then joined Calix in 2014 to investigate how Calix’s technology could be applied to the cement and lime industries.
Dan holds a Master’s degree in history from St Andrews University, and is based in France.
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