5B Gets New Chief Technology Officer

• Simeon Baker-Finch has joined 5B as its new CTO from Australian utility AGL
• Baker-Finch will lead 5B's flagship Maverick solution and develop broader technology and automation platform
• He has previously worked with First Solar developing the latter's future factories concept

5B, the solar technology start-up from Australia, has bagged Simeon Baker-Finch as its new chief technology officer (CTO) with effect from September 2021. He joins the company from national utility AGL Australia where he was the head of Technology and Commercial Strategy (Future Business).

Baker-Finch's LinkedIn profile also shows he was also heading AGL's future business strategy. However, 5B's new CTO comes with a deep knowledge and experience of solar PV technology as he is a Ph.D in solar energy engineering from the Australian National University (ANU) and went on to work with established PV companies as Hanwha Solar America.

For First Solar, he worked on its future manufacturing systems, advising the top leadership to deliver manufacturing execution system (MES) for First Solar's future factories. His LinkedIn bio shows he was one of the 4 expatriate technical consultants of First Solar to deliver the 100 MW TetraSun silicon solar cell production line for the company in Malaysia.

Backed by investors as former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, 5B has introduced its portable, prefabricated solar array called Maverick solution to the PV industry (see 5B Raises AUS 12 Million In Pre-Series B Funding). It is also a technology partner for Sun Cable's previously stated as a 10 GW solar farm project. The project is now planned to have 14 GW solar energy capacity (see Australia's 5B Tech Partner For 10 GW Solar Project).

"We're so lucky to have someone who shares our vision leading the ongoing innovation of our flagship Maverick solution and the development of our broader technology and automation platform," stated 5B while welcoming Baker-Finch to the team.