A123 Systems, the Massachusetts battery-maker now owned by Chinese giant Wanxiang, has hired former Johnson Controls executive Patrick Hurley as its Chief Technology Officer.

Hurley will lead the company’s R&D arm, A123 Venture Technologies, and will also be responsible for integrating A123’s battery development in China. The change is part of the compnay’s move away from operating its R&D as a separate entity and toward making it a more cross-developmental department, said CEO Jason Forcier.

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Hurley received a doctorate in inorganic chemistry at Purdue University and did postdoctoral work in chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. At Johnson Controls, he was the industrial liaison between the company and the DOE. He also served in various other roles, including director of research and development for technology and innovation as well as senior strategic planning manager for energy storage systems.

Source: Automotive News