Blue Whale Materials Names Jack Johnson Chief Executive Officer to Lead Next Phase of Commercial Growth
Appointment comes as BWM closes a significant growth capital financing round led by Breakwall Capital and Ara Partners and enters its commercial scale-up phase
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — July 6, 2026 — Blue Whale Materials ("BWM"), a leading domestic lithium-ion battery recycling and critical minerals recovery company, today announced the appointment of Jack Johnson as Chief Executive Officer. Johnson takes the helm as BWM enters its commercial scale-up phase, backed by a newly expanded capital base and a growing pipeline.
Johnson brings more than two decades of experience in advanced manufacturing, with a decade leading battery and energy-storage companies. He previously led the design, construction, and commissioning of one of the first large-scale lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in the United States and has founded and led multiple advanced materials companies. His operational track record aligns with BWM’s next phase: scaling a differentiated advanced materials manufacturing process into one of the largest battery recycling operations in North America.
Co-founder Robert Kang, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since the company’s founding, will transition to support BWM’s commercial partnerships.
BWM’s scale-up is supported by a significant growth capital financing including a senior secured credit facility from Breakwall Capital and an upsized equity commitment from Ara Partners, which first invested in BWM in 2022. Together with a $55 million Department of Energy grant awarded in January 2025, this new financing gives the company the resources to execute its multi-phase buildout from a position of strength.
BWM's baseline operations came online in August 2025, with an initial capacity expansion expected to become operational this month, bringing total annual processing capacity to 20,000 metric tons of battery feedstock. Using its proprietary process, BWM recovers high-purity critical minerals — including nickel, cobalt, copper, and lithium — from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and production scrap, producing Blacksand®, which re-enters the domestic battery supply chain.
"Blue Whale Materials has done the hard part, proving the commercial value of its differentiated process," said Jack Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Whale Materials. "My focus is execution: scaling the Bartlesville facility, deepening customer relationships, and strengthening the domestic battery supply chain. The team, the technology, and the capital are all in place to move quickly."
“The foundations for BWM’s success are firmly in place, and the market demand for domestic critical minerals has never been higher,” said Cory Steffek, Partner at Ara Partners. “Our next phase of growth is focused on unlocking our full commercial potential, deepening our industry partnerships, and scaling our advanced manufacturing capabilities. With the backing of Ara Partners, Breakwall, and the DOE, we are uniquely positioned to lead the market.”
"Blue Whale Materials is exactly the kind of company Breakwall seeks to support," said Daniel Flannery, Managing Partner and President of Breakwall Capital. "A differentiated process, a proven commercial model, and a clear path to scale. Our senior secured credit facility, along with additional equity investment from Ara Partners and support from the Department of Energy, gives BWM a balance sheet built for growth, and we're proud to be a long-term financing partner."
New leadership and a strengthened balance sheet give BWM the resources it needs to scale capacity and strengthen the domestic critical minerals supply chain.
About Blue Whale Materials
Blue Whale Materials is an industry-leading battery-recycling company focused on closing the loop in the lithium-ion battery ecosystem. With proprietary technology, BWM converts spent cells, modules, packs, and production scrap into high-grade Blacksand®—a premium black mass optimized for efficient refining and reuse in new battery production. Its Bartlesville, Oklahoma facility serves as the cornerstone of its rapidly expanding domestic strategy. BWM is backed by Ara Partners. For more information, please visit www.bluewhalematerials.com.
About Breakwall Capital LP
Breakwall Capital is a leading energy specialist focused on direct lending capital solutions to middle-market and developing-energy companies. As an independent asset manager and employee-owned firm, Breakwall seeks to fill the gap that other financing providers appear reluctant to service. Breakwall is led by Christopher Abbate, Jamie Brodsky, and Daniel Flannery and since 2014, the Breakwall team has built a credit investment franchise that focuses exclusively on energy credit. During the team’s 12-year history together, Breakwall has invested over $6.0 billion to energy and energy-related companies or projects across more than 75 transactions. Breakwall is headquartered in New York with offices in Texas and Rhode Island, and as of March 31, 2026, had approximately $3.2 billion in assets under management. For more information, please visit www.breakwallcap.com.
About Ara Partners
Founded in 2017, Ara Partners is a global private markets firm focused on decarbonizing the industrial economy. The firm invests in the middle market across three strategies: Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Energy. The firm scales commercially demonstrated decarbonization solutions, supports the businesses and infrastructure that enable their adoption, and reduces emissions at the source across the conventional energy value chain. Ara's model combines investing, market and policy expertise, project execution and operational optimization, and rigorous carbon accounting to reduce emissions economically and unlock growth at an industrial scale. The firm operates from Houston, Boston, Dublin and Washington D.C., and, as of March 31, 2026, had approximately $8.2 billion in assets under management.
For more information about Ara Partners, please visit www.arapartners.com.
Media Contacts
Jane Merkler, Ara Partners