About Us

Dr. Ghazaleh Nazari is a seasoned expert in hydrometallurgy and battery recycling, with over 18 years of experience developing and scaling cleantech solutions for critical material recovery. She is the Founder and CEO of SPARC Evolution, where she is advancing scalable, circular technologies to strengthen domestic critical material supply through a next-generation battery recycling platform.

Throughout her career, she led major programs at Hatch and Coherent, developing and scaling technologies to extract and refine critical elements such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earths. Her work spans the full innovation lifecycle, from lab development and piloting to commercialization and deployment, with successful projects across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

Ghazaleh holds a Bachelor’s and Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, with a minor in Business and Engineering Management, from the University of British Columbia. She is a licensed Professional Engineer, an inventor on multiple patents, and the author of numerous technical publications focused on sustainable metals recovery and purification. Her leadership integrates scientific depth, operational execution, and a commitment to clean technology innovation.

Renata Arsenault is a recognized global expert in advanced battery recycling and sustainability, with nearly two decades of leadership at Ford Motor Company. Since 2006, she has been at the forefront of Ford’s battery initiatives, developing recycling strategies, advancing supply chain circularity, and building collaborations with suppliers, recyclers, and research institutions to accelerate sustainable solutions for the EV and energy storage industries.

She plays a leading role across the industry as NAATBatt Chair Emeritus, Board Member, and Co-Chair of the Recycling Committee. She also serves as a program lead for the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), where she manages collaborative R&D initiatives spanning second life, lifecycle analysis, and closed-loop recycling pathways. Renata has been widely recognized for her ability to bridge technical innovation with industry adoption.

Renata holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University and began her career in process development and scale-up of specialty chemicals before transitioning into the battery sector. She brings deep industry ties across the global battery supply chain and continues to be a driving force in shaping sustainable materials strategies for the automotive industry.

Robert van Beers is a senior executive and chartered corporate director with over 30 years of experience in the financing, development, and execution of power and infrastructure investments around the world. He most recently served as Chair of e-Zinc, a Toronto-based long-duration energy storage company which he helped found.

Previously, Robert was founder and CEO of Tonbridge Power, leading an independent power transmission company to build the world’s first truly merchant international power line. He has held senior leadership and advisory roles across the energy and infrastructure sectors in North America and internationally, including at Enbridge, PwC, CRAI and Hatch. Over his career, he has served on more than a dozen boards and led complex projects in more than twenty countries, including serving as Project Lead on the competitively tendered $777 million East-West Tie transmission project.

Robert holds a master’s degree from Queen’s University as well as advanced program certificates from Chicago Booth School of Business, INSEAD and the Rotman School of Business. Today he advises energy-related companies on corporate and financial strategy.

Peter McArthur is a seasoned advisor in industrial and climate technology with decades of experience supporting the growth and commercialization of cleantech companies across Canada. He is currently a Senior Advisor at Fort Capital , where he works with founders and leadership teams operating in industrial and climate-tech sectors.

Previously, Peter spent more than a decade at Royal Bank of Canada, joining in 2013 and serving as Vice President and National Cleantech Lead at RBCx until retiring in June 2024. In that role, he supported cleantech companies from early-stage commercialization through public markets, working closely with management teams across capital access, growth planning, and STRATEGY  (DELETE -market development). His experience spans a broad range of companies and investors across Canada’s cleantech ecosystem.

Beyond his advisory and capital markets work, Peter has played a long-standing leadership role in Canada’s cleantech community. He is the Founding Chair of the Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association (OCTIA) and serves as Chair of the Canada Cleantech Alliance, a national network of cleantech associations, research organizations, and incubators. His work reflects a sustained commitment to advancing Canada’s industrial innovation and climate technology sectors.