Shauna McIntyre joins as CEO of Northvolt’s Cuberg

We are pleased to welcome Shauna McIntyre as the new CEO of Cuberg, Northvolt’s lithium-metal battery subsidiary in Silicon Valley. An accomplished business leader, Shauna will lead Cuberg towards securing its full potential as a next-generation battery company, enabling new frontiers of electrification.

Shauna arrives with an exceptional level of business experience, having most recently served as leader of electric commercial vehicle producer Electric Last Mile Solutions, where she successfully extended the company’s cash runway while navigating considerable governance challenges.

With a record of driving success and innovation in both Fortune 100 and emerging growth companies, Shauna’s prior accomplishments include having held leadership positions in Google’s vehicle and consumer device divisions, and as VP of the Commercial Vehicle Platform at Honeywell International. As CEO at 3D imaging sensor company, Sense Photonics, Shauna pivoted the company’s product line and led a successful ~$100 million exit at the top of the market.

With a career that has seen her leading in automotive industrial settings and the Silicon Valley tech scene alike, Shauna has held two previous roles as CEO and multiple executive positions. Her experiences have ranged from stewarding product industrialization programs across technology types, to revitalizing product portfolios.

Introducing herself, Shauna comments: “I would say three things define who I am, and the career path I’ve taken: I’m an engineer, I like to push boundaries and I’m a caretaker.”

“Engineering has been in my blood since I was a child — I love to build and solve complex problems. While I’ve spent time in software, I’m a Mechanical Engineer at heart and certainly have a bias for physical systems.”

“Still today, I find myself with a compassion for the fact that things don’t always work the first time. And that’s okay — it takes analysis, simulation and empirical testing to get to the bedrock of truth. But when we do, then we can tap into the power of engineering and make extraordinary things happen. To direct that creative and analytical process towards solutions that make the world better, that drives me.”

A native to California, having grown up in large parts in Berkeley (and Lausanne, Switzerland), a curiosity for finding solutions and fixing things led Shauna to undertaking an MS and BS in Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley and UCLA, respectively and an MBA from Harvard Business School. There she found herself one of few women on the course. Shauna notes: “I would say that since an early stage in my career I’ve questioned the status quo and have asked many questions to understand how to positively change it.”

Throughout her career, a pioneering attitude has been a key feature to Shauna’s approach. “However challenging things may appear, I tend to approach things pragmatically and by breaking them down into comprehensive objectives.”

“I enjoy facing unknowns and charting a course forward... however unpredictable the circumstances might be. Across roles and projects I’ve faced, I’ve found that taking a practical approach, determining what’s the base of truth and working with great people building a direction forward, is key to success.”

In one instance Shauna described, a pragmatic approach was key to determining a business direction that led to turning around a major automotive supplier and shifting a forgotten product line into a market leader with over $1 billion in sales and double-digit margins.

“A practical attitude is key, but I believe in other values too — I hold truth and honesty as the bedrock for all business building. Without it, there is no opportunity to create value,” she says.

A mother to two teenaged daughters, Shauna describes her outlook on being a caretaker: “I have a visceral desire to make a positive impact on the climate, and to apply myself to work that helps ensure that my daughters and their children can appreciate nature in the ways I have.”

While attending John Doerr’s TEDTalk in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2021, Shauna describes a sense of experiencing a call to action.

“In his talk, Doerr described how the next 25 years will be essential in turning the tide on global warming. For me, that realization was a very real call to action. In 25 years, I want to look back on my career and feel like I’ve done my part to leave the planet in a good spot.”

“With that said, I feel incredibly fortunate to join such a historic journey as Northvolt’s.”

“Joining Northvolt, and leading Cuberg, is a tremendously exciting opportunity to do my part. After all, Northvolt is probably the most inspiring company on the scene today, and the technology under development at Cuberg takes it to the next level. What we need now is to define a clear roadmap to make the most of our potential.”

Asked what’s key for the battery industry, Shauna answered: “Well, at least one part is what Doerr was speaking about: speed and scale. What’s funny now, looking back on that moment in 2021, is how exactly that — speed and scale — has been part of Northvolt’s mission since day 1. Adding to that Northvolt’s commitment to sustainability, I absolutely feel that I've arrived in the right place.”

Shauna concludes: “Having now visited Northvolt Ett in northern Sweden, and seen first-hand what speed and scale looks like in the real world, I’m equally impressed and excited! Cuberg is of course at an earlier stage in its development of lithium-metal, but much of what has led to success in the north of Sweden can be brought to support Cuberg. Finding the right areas in which to integrate and benefit from the resources and experience of Northvolt is critical to delivering on the huge potential of lithium-metal battery technology.”