Carbon Revolution Strengthens Board With Appointment of Four U.S.-Based Senior Automotive Executives

By: Carbon Revolution Limited via Business Wire

September 18, 2023 at 07:57 AM EDT

Board Appointments Include Former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz

Carbon Revolution Limited (“Carbon Revolution” or the “Company”), a Tier 1 OEM supplier and a leading global manufacturer of lightweight advanced technology carbon fiber wheels, has announced Board appointments, effective upon completion of the proposed business combination (the “Business Combination”) with Twin Ridge Capital Acquisition Corp. (“Twin Ridge”) (NYSE: TRCA). These appointees will serve on the Board of Directors of Carbon Revolution Public Company Limited (“Carbon Revolution plc”), the surviving company resulting from the Business Combination, upon completion thereof.

"We are thrilled to welcome Bob Lutz, Burt Jordan, Jacqui Dedo and Matti Masanovich to the Board” said Carbon Revolution Board Chair James Douglas. “They have all held senior leadership and executive roles across the U.S. automotive industry. I have full confidence they will bring to the Company a high degree of additional experience, skills and insights that will be invaluable following our U.S. listing, as we pursue new growth opportunities globally."

The appointments will greatly enhance the group’s strategic leadership and auto industry experience. These four experienced and highly credentialed U.S.-based Directors are:

Robert A. Lutz.

Mr. Lutz has an extensive background in the automotive industry, having held executive positions at General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford Motor Company. Mr. Lutz also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exide Technologies from 1998 until 2002 and served on its board of directors until May 2004. Mr. Lutz has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Lutz Communications since May 2010. With significant board and executive experience in the automotive industry, Bob Lutz's expertise will be invaluable to Carbon Revolution plc’s board.

Burt Jordan

Mr. Jordan has served as the President and a director of Atlantic Coastal Acquisition Corp. and as the President and a director of Atlantic Coastal Acquisition Corp. II, respectively, since December 2020. He also previously served as an executive at Ford Motor Company for more than two decades, where he most recently held the position of Vice President of Global Purchasing Operations and Supply Chain Sustainability. With additional roles as a non-executive director in other companies, Mr. Jordan will bring extensive experience in executive management, supply chain development, sustainability and global strategy development.

Jacqueline A. Dedo

Ms. Dedo has served as a co-founder of Aware Mobility LLC, since May 2015. Prior to this, Ms. Dedo served as President of Piston Group and held various positions with Dana Holding Corp, The Timken Company, Motorola, Covisint LLC, Robert Bosch Corporation and Cadillac Motor Car Company. Ms. Dedo has served as a member of the board of directors of Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. (NYSE: LICY) since August 2022 and Workhorse Group Inc. (Nasdaq: WKHS) since May 2020. Ms. Dedo has more than 30 years of global automotive, off highway, industrial and aftermarket experience and will bring her extensive knowledge of technology commercialization and scale up to Carbon Revolution plc’s board.

Matti Masanovich

Mr. Masanovich has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Catalent since July 2023.

He previously held executive positions in various companies, including Tenneco Automotive, Superior Industries International Inc., General Cable Corporation and International Automotive Components. Mr. Masanovich also served as Global Vice President of Finance, Packard Electrical and Electronic Architecture (E/EA) Division in Shanghai, China at APTIV (formerly Delphi Automotive). Mr. Masanovich brings extensive executive management and financial experience from his numerous leadership roles.

The appointees will join the members of Carbon Revolution’s existing Board of Directors, James Douglas, Jake Dingle, Lucia Cade, Dale McKee and Mark Bernhard on the surviving company’s board following completion of the proposed Business Combination.

ABOUT CARBON REVOLUTION

Carbon Revolution is an Australian technology company, which has successfully innovated, commercialized and industrialized the advanced manufacture of carbon fiber wheels for the global automotive industry. The Company has progressed from single prototypes to designing and manufacturing lightweight wheels for cars and SUVs in the high performance, premium and luxury segments, for the world’s most prestigious automotive brands. Carbon Revolution is creating a significant and sustainable advanced technology business that supplies its lightweight wheel technology to automotive manufacturers around the world.

For more information, visit carbonrev.com.

Information about Proposed Business Combination

As previously announced, Carbon Revolution Limited (“CBR”, “Carbon Revolution” or the “Company”) (ASX: CBR) and Twin Ridge Capital Acquisition Corp. (“Twin Ridge” or “TRCA”) (NYSE: TRCA) have entered into a definitive business combination agreement and accompanying scheme implementation deed (“SID”) that is expected to result in Carbon Revolution becoming publicly listed in the U.S. via a series of transactions, including a scheme of arrangement. Upon closing of the transactions, the ordinary shares and warrants of the merged company, Carbon Revolution plc (formerly known as Poppetell Limited), a private limited company incorporated in Ireland with registered number 607450 (“MergeCo”), that will become the parent company of the Company and Twin Ridge, are expected to trade on the NYSE American in the United States, and Carbon Revolution’s shares shall be delisted from the ASX.

Additional Information about the Proposed Business Combination and Where to Find It

This communication relates to the proposed Business Combination involving CBR, TRCA, MergeCo, and Poppettell Merger Sub, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly-owned subsidiary of MergeCo (“Merger Sub”). In connection with the proposed Business Combination, MergeCo has filed the Registration Statement, including a proxy statement of TRCA and a prospectus of MergeCo relating to the MergeCo Shares to be issued in connection with the proposed business combination, with the SEC. This communication is not a substitute for the Registration Statement, the definitive proxy statement/final prospectus, or any other document that MergeCo or TRCA has filed or will file with the SEC or send to its shareholders in connection with the proposed business combination. This communication does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed Business Combination and other matters and is not intended to form the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of such matters.

BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, TRCA’S SHAREHOLDERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES ARE URGED TO READ DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/ PROSPECTUS, AND ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY TRCA OR MERGECO WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE THEREIN IN THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION AND THE PARTIES TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION.

TRCA commenced mailing the definitive proxy statement on September 8, 2023 to shareholders as of August 25, 2023. Additionally, TRCA and MergeCo will file other relevant materials with the SEC in connection with the proposed Business Combination. Copies of the Registration Statement, the definitive proxy statement/ prospectus and all other relevant materials for the proposed Business Combination filed or that will be filed with the SEC may be obtained, when available, free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by TRCA or MergeCo may be obtained, when available, free of charge from TRCA at www.twinridgecapitalac.com. TRCA’s shareholders may also obtain copies of the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, without charge, by directing a request to Twin Ridge Capital Acquisition Corp., 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 200, Naples, Florida 60654.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the proposed Business Combination or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. The proposed Business Combination will be implemented solely pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement and Scheme Implementation Deed, in each case, filed as exhibits to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by TRCA with the SEC on November 30, 2022, which contains the full terms and conditions of the proposed Business Combination. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act.

Participants in the Solicitation of Proxies

This communication may be deemed solicitation material in respect of the proposed Business Combination. TRCA, CBR, MergeCo, Merger Sub and their respective directors and executive officers, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from TRCA’s shareholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names and interests in the proposed Business Combination of TRCA’s directors and officers in the Registration Statement, TRCA’s filings with the SEC, including TRCA’s initial public offering prospectus, which was filed with the SEC on March 5, 2021, TRCA’s subsequent annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. To the extent that holdings of TRCA’s securities by insiders have changed from the amounts reported therein, any such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies to TRCA’s shareholders in connection with the business combination is included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed Business Combination. You may obtain free copies of these documents, when available, as described in the preceding paragraphs.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this communication are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” “target” or other similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations including as they relate to the proposed Business Combination and related transactions, pricing and market opportunity, the satisfaction of closing conditions to the proposed Business Combination and related transactions, the level of redemptions by TRCA’s public shareholders and the timing of the completion of the proposed Business Combination, including the anticipated closing date of the proposed Business Combination and the use of the cash proceeds therefrom. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this communication, and on the current expectations of CBR’s and TRCA’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from such assumptions, and such differences may be material. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of CBR and TRCA.

These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including (i) changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; (ii) the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed Business Combination, including the risks that we will not secure sufficient funding to proceed through to completion of the Transaction, any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed Business Combination, or that the approval of the shareholders of TRCA or CBR is not obtained; (iii) the ability to maintain the listing of MergeCo’s securities on the stock exchange; (iv) the inability to complete any private placement financing, the amount of any private placement financing or the completion of any private placement financing on favorable terms; (v) the risk that the proposed Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations CBR or TRCA as a result of the announcement and consummation of the proposed Business Combination and related transactions; (vi) the risk that any of the conditions to closing of the Business Combination are not satisfied in the anticipated manner or on the anticipated timeline or are waived by any of the parties thereto; (vii) the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination and related transactions; (viii) risks relating to the uncertainty of the costs related to the proposed Business Combination; (ix) risks related to the rollout of CBR’s business strategy and the timing of expected business milestones; (x) the effects of competition on CBR’s future business and the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth, establish and maintain relationships with customers and healthcare professionals and retain its management and key employees; (xi) risks related to domestic and international political and macroeconomic uncertainty, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict; (xii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against TRCA, CBR or any of their respective directors or officers; (xiii) the amount of redemption requests made by TRCA’s public shareholders; (xiv) the ability of TRCA to issue equity, if any, in connection with the proposed Business Combination or to otherwise obtain financing in the future; (xv) the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic and governmental responses on any of the foregoing risks; (xvi) risks related to CBR’s industry; (xvii) changes in laws and regulations; and (xviii) those factors discussed in TRCA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 under the heading “Risk Factors,” and other documents of TRCA or MergeCo filed with the SEC, including the proxy statement / prospectus. If any of these risks materialize or TRCA’s or CBR’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither TRCA nor CBR presently know or that TRCA and CBR currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect TRCA’s and CBR’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. TRCA and CBR anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause TRCA’s and CBR’s assessments to change. However, while TRCA and CBR may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, each of TRCA, CBR, MergeCo and Merger Sub specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, unless required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing TRCA’s and CBR’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.