Allan Swan (left) and Yann VincentImage: ACCYann Vincent has led ACC since its founding by Stellantis and TotalEnergies and remained CEO of the battery manufacturer even after Mercedes-Benz joined the circle of investors. Vincent is now retiring.“Under Vincent’s leadership, ACC achieved major milestones, including the establishment of its first Gigafactory, the development of its proprietary battery technologies, and the creation of a strong European industrial ecosystem dedicated to electric mobility,” the company stated.ACC has appointed Allan Swan as its new CEO, effective 1 May 2026. Swan previously served as President of Panasonic Energy USA, where he successfully led the ramp-up of two new battery Gigafactories supplying Tesla,’ according to his new employer. ACC expects Swan to draw on his ‘experience in scaling complex industrial operations and driving high-growth manufacturing environments’ to accelerate the company’s development.For now, Swan is unlikely to focus on building new battery factories at ACC. Instead, he will prioritise ramping up production at the company’s only existing facility in Douvrin, France. Despite being opened in 2023, the plant has yet to meet its production targets and, among other issues, is producing excessive scrap. As a result, battery deliveries to Stellantis have stalled, and reports from February indicate that lead times for some models have extended to as much as eight months.The two other ACC plants planned for Germany and Italy have been completely abandoned. In a notable statement, the company described committing to the construction of new gigafactories in Germany or Italy as “totally irresponsible, in such a context.”With new leadership in place, ACC is now focused on resolving its challenges.“Appointing Allan Swan as CEO is a clear signal of the shareholders’ commitment to ACC,” said Alex Nediger, Chairman of the Board. “His proven expertise in large-scale battery manufacturing and his leadership in fast-growing industrial environments will be instrumental as ACC continues to ramp-up its footprint and reinforce its position as Europe’s EV battery pioneer. We also extend our deepest gratitude to Yann Vincent, whose dedication and leadership have been essential in building ACC’s foundations.”“I am honoured by the trust placed in me by ACC’s shareholders and excited to join the company at such a pivotal moment for the EV industry,” Swan said. “Building on the strong foundation established by Yann Vincent, I look forward to working with ACC’s teams to accelerate growth, scale our manufacturing capabilities, and support Europe’s ambition for clean, competitive, and energy-independent mobility.”acc-emotion.com