News

14 July 2009

 

Ascent Solar appoints ex-Applied Materials and Intel manager as CEO

After an extensive search lasting nine months, Ascent Solar Technologies Inc of Thornton, CO, USA, a developer of flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), has appointed Dr Farhad Moghadam as president & CEO, effective from 3 August.

Moghadam has extensive senior executive experience in global operations, business development and commercialization of complex technologies. Most recently, he was senior VP & general manager at semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials Inc where, among other things, he led the Thin Films Product Group (the firm's largest business unit) and was responsible for managing over 1100 staff in the US, Europe and Asia. He also served on the board of directors of Sokudo Co Ltd (a joint venture between Applied and Japan’s Dainippon Screen Mfg Co Ltd).

Before joining Applied, Moghadam held management positions at Intel Corp. He received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. He has authored over 250 publications and is a named inventor on about 65 patents. Since 2007, Moghadam has been engaged with prominent private equity firms, and recently assisted firms seeking to participate in the US Department of Energy loan guarantee program with independent engineering assessments and bankability evaluations.

“Ascent Solar is moving rapidly on many business fronts, and we expect that the addition of Dr Moghadam to lead our company will help us meet the challenges associated with the rapid growth we see ahead,” says founder & chairman Dr Mohan Misra. “Moghadam possesses an impressive track record at Applied and Intel in shaping and building the businesses of those leading companies... Ascent Solar will benefit significantly from Dr Moghadam’s outstanding, broad based qualifications and experience,” he adds.

“Ascent Solar is among a very few PV companies which has proven technology ready for high-volume manufacturing of CIGS PV material on a plastic substrate,” says Moghadam. “There are two key constraints in solar industry today - efficiency and cost. I believe that Ascent Solar, through extensive process development and characterization, has a unique product ready for scale-up.”

See related items:

Ascent Solar’s production CIGS PV modules exceed 10% efficiency

Ascent Solar opens expanded headquarters in Colorado

Search: Ascent Solar CIGS thin-film PV modules

Visit: www.ascentsolar.com