Amperesand Appoints Leadership for Gigascale Transformer Deployment
Amperesand, a pioneering leader in grid infrastructure, has appointed three seasoned industry experts to its executive leadership team: Gary Lawrence as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Brian Dow as Chief Product Officer (CPO), and Tommy Joyner as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This strategic leadership overhaul is poised to drive the global adoption Transformer of Amperesand’s innovative Solid State Transformer (SST) solutions.
These cutting-edge hardware and software technologies are revolutionizing traditional electrical systems by reducing the time to deploy power from 24-36 months to just 100 days, delivering substantial reductions in both capital expenditure (CapEx) and operational expenditure (OpEx) for industries such as data centers, Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, renewable energy, and energy storage.
Amperesand’s SSTs are based on highly scalable modular technology with streamlined supply chains, offering a solution that replaces multiple pieces of conventional equipment, including medium-voltage transformers, switchgears, and uninterruptible Transformer power supplies. The SSTs enable the seamless integration and management of various energy resources and loads, facilitated by a unified, AI-driven software controller. This comprehensive approach simplifies control, optimizes energy use, and ensures the efficient management of diverse electrical systems.
In late 2024, Amperesand demonstrated its advanced 6MW SST platform, marking a significant milestone for the company. Looking ahead, Amperesand has ambitious plans for 2025, with multiple deployments scheduled, including a high-profile pilot project at the Port of Singapore in collaboration with PSA International.
Visionary Leadership to Accelerate SST Technology Adoption
Gary Lawrence, the newly appointed CEO of Amperesand, brings over a decade of transformative leadership experience. Prior to joining Amperesand, Lawrence spent 11 years at Schneider Electric, where he played a pivotal role in driving strategic growth. As the global president of Schneider’s power and grid segment, Lawrence led the charge in digitalization and sustainable energy Transformer initiatives, helping to more than double the segment’s revenue to over €3 billion by 2024.
His leadership transformed Schneider’s relationships with utility customers and bolstered its sustainability efforts, making the power and grid segment the company’s second-largest end-user sector. Lawrence also co-founded and scaled Schneider’s Global Major Pursuits group, which specialized in securing large-scale, complex customer accounts.
Before his tenure at Schneider Electric, Lawrence held senior leadership roles at ABB, where he managed large-scale electrification projects across diverse markets. Notably, he co-established ABB’s e-house business unit, which generated $900 million in sales within four years. Lawrence’s extensive background in the electrification sector positions him to guide Amperesand as it seeks to revolutionize the energy industry with its breakthrough SST solutions.
“Over the years, I’ve seen the acceleration of demand for electrical infrastructure as global electrification progresses,” Lawrence remarked. “However, the energy bottleneck continues to slow down progress. Traditional solutions are no longer sufficient, and this is where Amperesand’s SST technology makes the Transformer difference. Our ability to drastically reduce the time to power from years to just 100 days will have a transformative effect on global electrification, offering much-needed speed, flexibility, efficiency, and resilience to meet the growing demand for sustainable energy.”
Innovating at the Intersection of Hardware and Software
Brian Dow, Amperesand’s new CPO, is a well-established leader in clean energy innovation, having spearheaded several game-changing projects throughout his career. Notably, Dow led the development of the 129MWh Hornsdale Power Transformer Reserve in South Australia, completing the project in under 100 days. He also played a critical role in scaling Tesla’s Powerpack and Megapack energy storage systems, which have redefined global energy storage capabilities. At Tesla, Dow was instrumental in designing and validating the Supercharger V3, setting a new benchmark in DC fast-charging technology.
His work at Tesla also included overseeing the 14-day overhaul of the Model 3 battery production line, which doubled production throughput and helped Tesla achieve its target of manufacturing 5,000 vehicles per week. Additionally, Dow led the formation of Tesla’s 4680 battery cell vertical manufacturing at the Fremont Gigafactory, achieving 10X improvements in capital and density over previous technologies.
“I’m thrilled to join Amperesand, as the company is positioned to drive the next wave of innovation in electrification,” Dow said. “By eliminating the need for numerous legacy hardware solutions and integrating AI-driven software for optimization, we Transformer can maximize the resilience and efficiency of electrical systems worldwide. Amperesand’s SST technology represents the next step in the electrification revolution, and I’m excited to be part of this journey.”
Driving Innovation in Manufacturing and Automation
Tommy Joyner, the newly appointed CTO of Amperesand, brings over 22 years of experience in electronic design, software development, and automation. Joyner has an extensive background in manufacturing leadership and is known for his pivotal contributions to Tesla’s energy products, including the Powerwall 3 and 4680 cell formation technology. He was also instrumental in the creation of novel power architectures, such as the first-ever dual-voltage architecture (400V/800V) for Tesla’s Cybertruck, setting new standards for the industry.
At Tesla, Joyner led the successful delivery of 150GWh of 4680 cell capacity, utilizing a groundbreaking software routing engine. His leadership in test engineering and factory automation was critical to Tesla’s ability to rapidly scale its manufacturing Transformer operations worldwide. Joyner’s experience in scalable solutions and automated manufacturing will play a key role in advancing Amperesand’s SST technology.
“Scaling advanced energy technologies requires manufacturing that is as innovative as the products themselves,” Joyner explained. “At Amperesand, we’re taking the same approach to manufacturing that defines our SST solutions. Our modular product architecture is designed Transformer for streamlined supply chains and automated manufacturing, which will enable short lead times and substantial cost reductions.”
Continued Strategic Support from Xora
As Amperesand embarks on this new phase of growth, it will continue to benefit from the active involvement of Xora, the company’s incubator and early-stage investor. Phil Inagaki, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Xora, will step down as the founding CEO of Amperesand, transitioning leadership to Lawrence. Inagaki will remain closely involved with the company Transformer, serving as Chair of the Board and providing strategic guidance as Amperesand scales its operations globally.
“In the early stages of Amperesand, we built a solid foundation for success by fostering world-class R&D and securing exceptional talent,” Inagaki said. “With Gary, Brian, and Tommy joining the team, we now have a leadership group that is unparalleled in terms of engineering, productization, manufacturing, and go-to-market execution. I’m confident that this team is poised to take Amperesand to the next level and make our vision of commercializing SSTs at gigascale a reality.”
Amperesand’s journey began as a research and development program at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, where co-founders Anshuman Tripathi and Gil Jr. Opina led the charge on pioneering SST technology. The culmination of years of R&D resulted in the development of a 1.5MW SST system in 2023. With the leadership of Lawrence, Dow, and Joyner, Amperesand is now positioned to bring this groundbreaking technology to market at scale, transforming the global energy landscape.
The company’s plans are ambitious, with the goal of surpassing $1 billion in revenue within the next decade, driven by its innovative SST solutions and the leadership team’s deep expertise in energy, manufacturing, and technology. As Amperesand embarks on its journey to revolutionize grid infrastructure, the company’s commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and speed will undoubtedly be key factors in its success.
