EQONIC Group, the UK battery‑technology developer pioneering lithium‑free, sodium‑free and rare‑earth‑free energy‑storage solutions, has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of two senior industry figures. The move comes as the business scales up its operations and accelerates the commercialisation of its next‑generation composite‑based battery technology.
John Saunders (pictured left) joins the company as executive director, bringing three decades of senior leadership experience spanning banking, financial regulation and law. His career includes senior posts at Coutts, Barclays, UBS and Deutsche Bank, with a track record covering acquisitions, product launches and the management of complex business units. He has advised boards across a wide range of strategic and regulatory matters.
Angela Knight CBE (pictured right) has been appointed as a non‑executive director, adding extensive governance expertise from her long career across financial services, energy and public‑sector organisations. She has held senior leadership roles including chief executive of the British Bankers’ Association and chief executive of Energy UK, and has served on the boards of Taylor Wimpey, Tullett Prebon, Brewin Dolphin and Arbuthnot Banking Group. She has also chaired the Office of Tax Simplification and served on the board of Transport for London.
The appointments come as EQONIC advances its proprietary battery platform, which is designed to overcome three major barriers to wider adoption of energy‑storage systems – cost, safety and sustainability. The company’s breakthrough composite materials deliver an estimated 70% reduction in raw‑material costs when compared with lithium‑based technologies. Being entirely lithium‑free, sodium‑free and rare‑earth‑free, the materials also eliminate the supply chain constraints associated with conventional chemistries, while offering inherent non‑flammability and full recyclability.
Paradigm shiftJohn Saunders said: “EQONIC’s breakthrough technology represents a genuine paradigm shift in the battery sector. The combination of cost reduction, enhanced safety, and sustainable materials addresses the fundamental barriers that have constrained the industry. I am excited to bring my experience to support the company's growth trajectory as we move toward demonstrating market-ready products and securing strategic partnerships.”
Angela Knight added: “EQONIC exemplifies the kind of innovative British technology that can lead global markets. The company's approach – developing transformative technology first, then building robust commercial frameworks around it – is hugely compelling. Strong governance will be critical as EQONIC scales its business model and establishes partnerships with established OEMs. I look forward to contributing to the board's strategic oversight during this pivotal phase.”
EQONIC’s R&D roadmap sets ambitious performance targets, with expectations to exceed sodium‑ion battery performance in 2026, surpass LFP performance by 2027 and reach competitive levels with NMC chemistries by 2029. The company intends to pursue a licensing‑based commercial model and form strategic collaborations with OEMs, enabling global deployment while mitigating significant capital investment risk. Alongside its technology programme, EQONIC has built a commercial division supplying LFP‑based energy‑storage systems to clients across multiple sectors. Demand for these systems has resulted in deployments across numerous high‑profile projects and has created a multi‑million‑pound pipeline.
Jas Kandola, founder and CEO of EQONIC Group, said: “John and Angela bring exactly the calibre of leadership we need at this critical juncture. John’s regulatory expertise and commercial acumen will be invaluable as we navigate partnerships and licensing arrangements, while Angela's governance experience across complex, regulated industries will strengthen our board oversight. These appointments reflect our commitment to building a world class organisation capable of delivering on the enormous potential of our technology.”
Mr Kandola is an award‑winning corporate‑finance specialist and former Barclays adviser to large corporate clients, now focused on commercialising sustainable technology. EQONIC’s strategic advisory board already includes Craig Wilson MBE, whose background spans Williams Advanced Engineering, Toyota Australia and TWR Group, and Stuart Dyble, who brings four decades of senior leadership including Ford’s vice president of European communications and board roles at Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo.