Hirofumi Katase, A Distinguished Leader in International Affairs, Science and Technology, Joins I-Pulse in Senior Executive Roles

San Francisco, California--(Newsfile Corp. - December 18, 2017) - I-Pulse is pleased to announce the appointment of Hirofumi Katase to multiple leadership roles of Executive Vice Chairman, Director General of Industrial Science and Technology, and as a member of the Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Concurrent with his appointments at the I-Pulse parent company, Mr. Katase also has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of I-Pulse Japan, a newly formed subsidiary to expand the company's operational presence in Japan.

As the world's third-largest economy, Japan's dominance in the manufacturing and sale of high-tech products, vehicles and electronics, as well as its insatiable appetite for energy and natural resources, present I-Pulse with significant opportunities to deploy its technologies in those markets.

Among highlights of Mr. Katase's career:

• He most recently served as Japan's Vice Minister for International Affairs at the Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) since June 2016. He held numerous management positions in trade, energy and industrial policy at METI since joining in 1982.
• During his time at METI, Mr. Katase served in multiple Director General positions, including for the Industrial Science and Technology Policy Bureau, Environment Bureau and Trade Policy Bureau, where he led efforts that contributed to the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, among other international agreements.
• He previously served as Deputy Secretary-General of the Secretariat of Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy at the Cabinet Office, where he helped establish the Office of National Space Policy - the headquarters responsible for Japan's development and maintenance of space policy and infrastructure.
• He also was Director of the Oil and Natural Gas division at METI, where he led Japan's upstream hydrocarbon policy for four years.
• Also at METI, he was Director of the Aerospace and Defense Industry division where he worked on launching the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) program and cultivated international partnerships for the development of aircraft and aircraft engines.
• Mr. Katase earned a Bachelor's degree in law from the University of Tokyo and a Master's degree in applied economics from the University of Michigan.
    

Figure 1 - Image of Mr. Hirofumi Katase

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:
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Mr. Katase commented, "I am very pleased to accept my appointments at I-Pulse and I-Pulse Japan. I am very proud to be a member of the I-Pulse executive team working to transform the world through its unmatched technologies. I-Pulse group companies have enjoyed strong working relationships with Japanese institutions, and I plan to grow these relationships while maintaining I-Pulse's reputation of being a respectful and trustworthy partner, and a careful steward of capital."

Robert Friedland, co-founder and Chairman of I-Pulse, said, "We are delighted to have Katase-san on board, and look forward to drawing upon his extensive experience and expertise to accelerate I-Pulse's global development activities and build a lasting, significant and respected corporate presence in Japan under our new subsidiary, I-Pulse Japan."

Laurent Frescaline, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of I-Pulse, said, "Katase-san's deep understanding of industry and technology in Japan will be instrumental in opening new markets and partnership opportunities for I-Pulse's proprietary suite of high-pulsed-power solutions currently deployed in the world's largest commercial industries, such as advanced manufacturing, mineral and water exploration, and oil and gas."

About I-Pulse

I-Pulse powers great ideas with proprietary, pulsed-power electrical energy technologies, unmatched data analytics and machine learning applications. Operating across six continents, the I-Pulse team of experienced business leaders and pulsed-power research scientists develops innovative solutions to today's greatest energy challenges. From lightweighting and energy-efficient assembly of the next generation of transportation, to discovery, production and management of critical energy sources and natural resources, our technologies deliver unique capabilities across myriad industries.

We believe that anything is possible when you power great ideas.

For more information, please visit the I-Pulse website at www.ipulse-group.com.

Information contact

Investors and media
Kimberly Lim
Kimberly.Lim@ipulse-group.com
+1.778.996.8510