Inox Eco M appointed a battery materials business strategy specialist as its new chief executive. Inox Eco M said on Wednesday it named Jung Cheol-geun (정철근) as its new CEO at an extraordinary shareholders meeting and board meeting.

Jung led LG Chem’s battery materials business for cathode materials. He later served as head of the South Korean unit of global lithium company Arcadium Lithium, and worked as head of strategic planning at holding company Inox. His current position is head of strategic planning at Inox.

Inox Eco M said Jung has business experience and an industry network built in key battery materials. It said he is the right person to strengthen competitiveness and lead growth in its core silicon anode materials business. Silicon anode materials include Si powder, SiO and SiP.

Silicon anode materials are used in anodes, where electricity flows during battery charging and discharging. They are seen as next-generation materials because they have higher energy density than conventional graphite-based anode materials, which can increase battery capacity and reduce charging time. Inox Eco M has made the material a core business.

Inox Eco M also said it plans to use the appointment to apply technology capabilities and networks across the battery materials value chain to product development. It aims to improve product competitiveness and strengthen responsiveness to major battery cell makers and automaker customers to speed up business expansion.

CEO Jung said, "I will actively use the practical experience and network I have built in the global battery materials industry to take Inox Eco M's Si anode materials business competitiveness to the next level." He said, "I will focus on enhancing corporate value and shareholder value through stable business operations and the creation of tangible results."