Durham, NC (March 18, 2024) – 8 Rivers Capital, LLC, a world-leading decarbonization technology developer, announced today the appointment of Christopher F. Richardson as the firm’s new Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds Dharmesh Patel, who has served for six months as interim CEO and previously served as Vice President and Financial Controller. Mr. Patel will ascend to the new position of Senior Vice President of Finance, effective immediately.
Under Mr. Richardson’s leadership, 8 Rivers remains committed to championing and delivering net zero solutions to help the world achieve its climate goals. The urgency to deploy and commercialize diverse and comprehensive decarbonization solutions is at an all-time high and Mr. Richardson is focused on meeting this need with 8 Rivers’ suite of technologies and project experts.
Mr. Richardson joins 8 Rivers with over 20 years of experience in energy and infrastructure transactions and projects and previously served as the head of the Americas energy and infrastructure projects section at the global law firm White & Case. Mr. Richardson was based in the firm’s Houston office, which he established in 2018 as a founding partner. In this role, Mr. Richardson led and managed a team of over 100 lawyers across eight offices in the Americas. Mr. Richardson’s expertise on developing, financing, and executing large-scale energy and infrastructure projects and related transactions spans the U.S. and more than 50 countries worldwide.
“To achieve a cleaner tomorrow, we must move quickly and with purpose. I’m excited for the opportunity to join 8 Rivers in the push to decarbonize the world’s most impactful industries,” said Mr. Richardson. “Decarbonization is the challenge of our lifetimes, and we must meet it head on. 8 Rivers’ deep subject matter expertise, portfolio of innovative technologies, and supportive partners are all crucial to where we are headed together: a net zero future.”
“Chris Richardson is an ideal leader for 8 Rivers, guiding the company in commercializing its decarbonization solutions through strategic prioritization,” said Mr. Yang Taek Kim, CEO of SK Inc. Materials, a partner and investor in 8 Rivers. “We’re confident his expertise overseeing global transactions and managing various stages of energy projects will make an immediate, positive impact. He will explore potential business opportunities while navigating risks amidst rapidly changing market dynamics.”
“Companies at the forefront of the energy transition need pragmatic, steadfast leaders capable of inspiring their teams and driving collaboration with peers and partners,” said Bob Dudley, 8 Rivers Board Member and former BP CEO. “Chris meets and exceeds these requirements, bringing deep energy infrastructure and leadership experience to 8 Rivers. Together with the entire Board of Managers, I look forward to watching him lead the Company as it continues to establish a prominent position on the global energy stage throughout 2024 and beyond.”
As 8 Rivers remains intently focused on developing and deploying sustainable infrastructure-scale solutions to reach global net zero by 2050, Mr. Richardson’s leadership and expertise comes at a critical time. 8 Rivers is experiencing a period of strong business and technological growth. Recently, it announced the first commercial deployment of its 8RH2 ultra-low-carbon hydrogen platform at Cormorant Clean Energy, an ammonia plant planned for Port Arthur, TX. Additionally, Calcite, the Company’s direct air capture (DAC) platform, was selected as a winner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s DAC Hub Grant and will serve as an anchor technology for the Mobile County, Alabama-based Southeast DAC (SEDAC) Hub.
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ABOUT 8 RIVERS CAPITAL, LLC: 8 Rivers is a Durham, North Carolina–based climate technology company leading the energy industry towards achieving net zero. Founded in 2008, 8 Rivers is pioneering the clean energy and climate future through the invention and commercialization of infrastructure-scale technologies and projects that enable the global energy transition. The 8 Rivers technology portfolio includes cleantech innovations such as 8RH2, an ultra-low carbon hydrogen production technology, the Allam-Fetvedt Cycle, a transformative low-carbon power cycle, and Calcite, a hyper-efficient direct air capture process. Learn more at www.8Rivers.com.