SAN JOSE, Calif. — SunPower, a leading solar technology and energy services provider, today announced the appointment of consumer marketing veteran June Sauvaget as the company’s chief marketing officer (CMO).
As adoption of solar accelerates – on track to grow over 25% year over year according to Wood Mackenzie – the typical solar owner is transforming to include consumers across generations, regions and income brackets. Despite continued growth, residential solar remains in its infancy used by less than 4% of households. A seasoned expert in the intersection of product, brand and experience, Sauvaget will help guide SunPower to engage the new and future solar user.
“Today’s announcement underscores our ongoing commitment to inspire more homeowners to choose SunPower whenever and wherever they decide to go solar,” said Peter Faricy, CEO, SunPower. “June has a proven track record of building some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and her leadership will be critical in reimagining how solar companies market, innovate and operate.”
Sauvaget brings more than two decades of experience introducing and scaling global brands into international markets, including her time as global head of consumer & product marketing for Spotify. She introduced the streaming music platform to new audiences, including the launch of the service in Asia, Middle East and Africa. Prior to Spotify, Sauvaget worked with Shiseido and Gap to expand into high-priority emerging markets. Sauvaget will work to cement SunPower’s position as an accessible solar and battery storage provider for homeowners of all backgrounds, including communities that have been historically marginalized.
Update on SunPower’s Commercial & Industrial Solutions Business
As part of its growing focus on and investment in its Residential and Light Commercial business, earlier this year the company announced it was exploring strategic options for its Commercial & Industrial Solutions (CIS), which serves public and private sectors. Following this review, SunPower has decided to pursue the sale of the CIS business. This decision was made to optimize SunPower’s capital deployment, while enabling CIS to take better advantage of its growing addressable opportunities such as community solar and front-of-meter storage. SunPower is in advanced discussions regarding a potential sale of its CIS business. The company is seeking to finalize discussions as early as the first quarter of 2022, focusing primarily on residential in 2022 and beyond.
“Solar is becoming part of the fabric of America and, with the right partner, the commercial business has an opportunity to fight climate change on a larger stage. The potential buyer shares CIS’ strategic and financial goals as a champion of affordable, reliable and clean energy solutions with the expertise, balance sheet and capital resources appropriate for large-scale solar and storage projects,” added Faricy.
