Redwood Materials has announced the retirement of its chief operating officer Chris Lister, a move that comes amidst recent restructuring and mass layoffs within the company. Lister, who previously held key roles at Tesla, joined Redwood in late 2023 as its chief supply chain officer before being promoted to COO last year.

Redwood Materials has implemented a significant reduction of approximately 10% of its workforce—around 135 employees—as part of this restructuring. CEO JB Straubel, who is also Tesla’s former CTO, informed staff that the changes aim to support the company's expanding energy storage business.

Other recent departures include Bradley Mayhew, Redwood’s vice president of integrated supply chain; Guillermo Urquiza, its mechanical engineering VP; and Carlos Lozano, manufacturing VP. These executives have all left for other leadership roles at Panasonic and Rivian, respectively, according to LinkedIn profiles.

Despite the workforce reductions and executive departures, Straubel remains optimistic about Redwood's future in critical materials and energy storage, stating that the company can deliver on its projects with a more focused team. However, these changes may signal broader challenges for Redwood as it navigates market pressures and competition.