Enviva Names Thomas Meth CEO

Enviva Inc. has announced that Thomas Meth, Enviva’s President, has been appointed the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and will become a member of Enviva’s board of directors, while retaining his title as President.

This announcement comes at the same time Enviva announced that John Keppler, Chairman and CEO, is expected to assume the role of Executive Chairman, consistent with the succession plan developed by the Board. Prior to doing so, Keppler will be stepping down from his responsibilities to pursue medical and surgical treatment to address a cardiac valve issue. Enviva expects Keppler, who co-founded the company in 2004 with Meth, to remain available to the company, and return in the active Executive Chairman role early in 2023. Ralph Alexander, who has been a member of the Board since 2013, will fulfill Keppler’s duties as Chairman of the Board until Keppler’s return, when Alexander is expected to become Lead Independent Director.

“After careful consideration, I have decided with my medical team and family to step back and focus on my heart condition,” Keppler comments. “The Board and I are delighted that Thomas Meth will serve as our next CEO. Thomas has been my closest business partner in building Enviva into the great company it is today, and I know he will continue to excel in leading Enviva’s growth trajectory as we execute our plan for the future. Thomas is an exceptionally skilled leader who has full command of all facets of the company and has earned the respect of our employees, customers, investors, and other key stakeholders.”

Meth speaking at the 2022 Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, Atlanta, Georgia.

Thomas Meth says, “All of us at Enviva wish John the best as he prioritizes his health and full recovery, and we look forward to his return as Executive Chairman. We are laser-focused on executing the previously announced business plan and are on track to deliver results for 2022 in line with the expectations we outlined recently on our third-quarter earnings call. The world wants cost-effective, ready-to-deploy bio-based alternatives to fossil fuels, from secure sources, and that’s exactly what we offer.”

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