After less than a year at the helm of climate-tech incubator Greentown Labs, Kevin Knobloch announced Monday he will step down as chief executive and president at the end of July.
Knobloch took the top job at the Somerville nonprofit last September, following the departure of longtime chief executive Emily Reichert, who led Greentown from its infancy, after a decade at the organization. His appointment followed a national search process.
“It has been an honor to lead this incredible team and organization, and a true privilege to get to know many of our brilliant startup founders,” said Knobloch in a statement. “Greentown is a proven leader in supporting early-stage climatetech companies and I can’t wait to see all that it will accomplish in the coming years.”
In an email, a spokesperson for the organization said Knobloch is departing “to return to his consulting work which focuses on accelerating large-scale clean energy deployments.”
Knobloch’s tenure at the organization, which provides resources to startups developing climate-focused technologies in fields like electricity and agriculture, has been marked by spurts of controversy. Just last month, the organization announced it was laying off 30 percent of its staff — 12 positions in Somerville and 6 at its location in Houston.
Last week, The Houston Chronicle published a report in which Knobloch discussed Greentown’s links with oil company Aramco Americas, a partnership that has raised eyebrows from some members of the climate community. (The partnership was inked prior to Knobloch’s tenure.) The story also said that Greentown had been in talks with Exxon Mobil regarding a potential partnership, but that it did not bear out.
“It is important to proactively partner with companies that are leading the charge at the vanguard of climate responsibility,” Knobloch said to the Chronicle.
Prior to joining Greentown, Knobloch led Knobloch Energy, a consulting firm focused on clean energy and technology. He also served as president of New York OceanGrid (a project of Anbaric Development Partners focused on offshore wind), chief of staff of the Department of Energy during the Obama administration, and president of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
“On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I want to thank Kevin for his efforts to strengthen the foundation of Greentown Labs and for charting the next chapter for the organization through a strategic refresh process,” said Dawn James, the chair of Greentown Labs’ board of directors, in the statement announcing Knobloch’s departure. “His thoughtful leadership will leave a lasting impact on the team and community for years to come.”
In the statement, the organization also said it would name an interim chief executive in the coming weeks, and that the board would soon begin another national search for a new leader.
Dana Gerber can be reached at dana.gerber@globe.com. Follow her @danagerber6.