all aboard

ExxonMobil adds energy transition leader, investor to board

Maria Jelescu Dreyfus is CEO and founder of Ardinall Investment Management, which is an investment firm that works in “sustainable investing and resilient infrastructure.” Photo via ExxonMobil

An energy transition expert and investor has joined Houston-headquartered ExxonMobil Corp.’s board of directors.

Maria Jelescu Dreyfus is CEO and founder of Ardinall Investment Management, which is an investment firm that works in “sustainable investing and resilient infrastructure.”

She previously spent 15 years at Goldman Sachs as a portfolio manager and managing director in the Goldman Sachs Investment Partners Group that focused on energy, industrials, transportation and infrastructure investments across the capital structure.

She currently serves as a director on the board of Cadiz Inc. and on the board of CDPQ. She also works in the energy transition space as a director on several companies' boards.

“We welcome Maria to the ExxonMobil Board as the company executes its strategy to grow shareholder value by playing a critical role in a lower-emissions future, even as we continue to provide the reliable energy and products the world needs,” Joseph Hooley, lead independent director for Exxon Mobil Corporation, says in a news release. “Her deep financial background combined with her extensive work in sustainability will complement our Board’s existing skill set.”

Dreyfus is the vice chair of the advisory board of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, and serves as co-chair of its Women in Energy program.

“With the close of our Pioneer merger, we gained a premier, tier-one Permian asset, exceptional talent and a new Board member who brings keen strategic insight,” says ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods in the release. “Our boardroom, shareholders and stakeholders will greatly benefit from Maria’s experience.”

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A View From HETI

The company has developed thermal insulation technology that improves efficiency and safety in buildings and outdoor infrastructure. Photo via LinkedIn

Houston-based NanoTech Materials has closed a $29.4 million Series A.

The round was led by Austin-based HPI Real Estate & Investments. Houston-based Goose Capital and Austin-based Milliken & Company also participated.

Nanotech has developed its patented Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP) technology, which reduces heat transfer in buildings and outdoor infrastructure, improving efficiency and safety. It's known for its Cool Roof Coat, Wildfire Shield and Insulative Coat: Cool Touch product lines.

With the new funding, Nanotech plans to scale operations and expand its market reach for its products.

“We’re addressing one of the pressing and urgent challenges facing infrastructure owners today: controlling energy costs and extending asset life,” Mike Francis, CEO and co-founder of NanoTech Materials, said in a news release. “This financing marks a transformative moment for us. It allows us to rapidly scale production and bring our high-performance materials to market faster, while delivering measurable cost savings and redefining what resilience looks like in today’s built environment.”

Nanotech launched in 2020 and was the first company selected for Halliburton Labs. It moved into a 43,000-square-foot space in Katy in 2023. It brought on new partners that expanded the company's reach in the Middle East and Singapore the following year. Its technology was recognized as one of Time magazine's 200 Best Inventions of 2024.

“We were early investors in Nanotech Materials and are pleased to continue supporting the company as it becomes a leader in breakthrough materials science and technology,” John Chaney, investor at Goose Capital and board member at NanoTech, added in the release. “NanoTech’s ability to elevate fire resilience and energy efficiency in the built environment is critical for strengthening and hardening infrastructure. Its pioneered approach is transforming current building standards and making our lives safer.”

The company has secured $34.4 million in total to date, according to the release. It raised an oversubscribed funding round in 2023 and a $5 million seed round in 2020.

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