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Cellulosic ethanol technology company Qteros Inc. has replaced William Frey as CEO with industrial biotechnology veteran John McCarthy.
McCarthy joins the company from Microbia Inc., where he was chief business officer for the bio-based chemicals business. He also was executive vice president at Cambridge cellulosic ethanol company Verenium Corp., in charge of integration of acquisition and developing a corporate partnership with oil and gas giant BP plc.
In an interview Wednesday, McCarthy said his main goal is to take Qteros’ microbe-based technology for breaking down and fermenting cellulose and piloting that in facilities owned by corporate partners.
“I knew Qteros’ technology very well from my time at Verenium, which has its own production facilities down in Louisiana, and Qteros’ really dovetails nicely with what they are trying to do,” he said. “Our technology is very close to being prepared to go into a facility, and I’m focused on building corporate partnerships to accelerate that technology.”
The company has already received investment from both BP and oil refining concern Valero Energy Corp., and the CEO said he is talking to other energy players — both traditional oil and gas companies and existing ethanol producers — about piloting the Qteros technology in those facilities.
McCarthy said the company is continuing progress on a pre-treatment facility in Chicopee but has no plans on building a full-scale pilot plant.
While Qteros officials would give few details on the circumstances surrounding Frey’s departure, including exactly when he left, McCarthy said he was approached by the company’s board of directors who “felt that the company needed to take a slightly different direction.”
“We are thrilled to have John join us at this important stage of Qteros’ development to lead and accelerate our technical, commercial and organizational growth plans,” said Steve Goldby, Qteros board member and Partner at Venrock Associates, in a statement. “John’s experience building pioneering companies in the biofuels industry such as Verenium, together with his proven track record of developing and managing complex strategic corporate partnerships, make him uniquely qualified to lead and position Qteros for significant growth.”
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