Dr. Laureen Meroueh is the Founder and CEO of Hertha Metals, a venture-backed startup developing novel technology to modernize iron and steel production with greater efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. She is also the inventor of Hertha’s proprietary pyrometallurgical process, which underpins the company’s breakthrough approach.
Before founding Hertha Metals, Dr. Meroueh was the CEO of Alchemr, a Hydrogen startup, where she led the development and commercialization of anion exchange membrane water electrolysis. She is widely recognized for her leadership and technical innovation, having received honors such as Forbes 30 Under 30, MIT Energy Initiative Fellow sponsored by ExxonMobil, Breakthrough Energy Innovator Fellow, and World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. Her work at Hertha Metals is also featured in Bill Gates’ new Netflix series “What’s Next?”.
Dr. Meroueh holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a graduate minor in Entrepreneurship and Business, and a dual bachelor’s in Civil and Mechanical Engineering. She is the Co-founder of MIT’s Graduate Engineering Leadership program, a program currently sponsored by former Apple executives.
Mark Cousin is an accomplished engineering leader with a proven track record in aerospace innovation and large-scale industrial development. Over his career, he has led complex engineering programs that drive efficiency, performance, and technological advancement. At Airbus, he played a key role in major aircraft programs, including serving as Head of the A380 team and later as Technical Director for the Beluga XL air transporter, which entered service in 2020.
Mark also served as Senior Vice President of Flight Demonstrators at Airbus, where he launched multiple high-profile technology programs. As CEO of A³, Airbus’s Silicon Valley Innovation Center, he drove cutting-edge aerospace advancements before taking on the role of CTO at Universal Hydrogen, where he led the development of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered regional aircraft that flew as a demonstrator in 2023.
Mark holds a BSc in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Southampton. With deep expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and large-scale system integration, he continues to push the boundaries of industrial innovation.
Dr. Dan Bullard is a leading expert in metallurgical innovation and technology development. As Vice President of Research and Development at Hertha Metals, Inc., he leads efforts to transform steel production through cutting-edge technologies that enhance resource efficiency and industrial resilience. With over 20 years of experience in the metals industry, Dr. Bullard specializes in metallurgy, alloy development, gas-metal reactions, and surface modification of metals, bringing novel concepts to life with impactful solutions.
Prior to Hertha Metals, Dr. Bullard founded Arcanum Alloys, where he developed and patented Spatially Optimized Diffusion Alloy (SODA) technology, a breakthrough now commercialized within the integrated sheet steel industry.
Dr. Bullard holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science with a minor in planetary science from the University of Arizona, where he pioneered a method for mining oxygen from lunar soil. He also holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business, combining technical expertise with strategic leadership to drive impactful change.
Mike Bailey brings decades of leadership and innovation across scientific and engineering-driven industries. An accomplished executive, he has held pivotal roles in aerospace, medical technologies, and advanced manufacturing. At Hertha Metals, Mike drives strategic initiatives that support the company’s mission to revolutionize steel production with cutting-edge technologies like HERS™ and Flex-HERS™, advancing industrial resilience and resource efficiency.
Prior to Hertha Metals, Mike served as CEO of Trajan Scientific and Medical, leading a 400-person global corporation specializing in scientific instruments and medical devices. He also held the role of Director of New Shepard at Blue Origin, overseeing the build, integration, safety, and reliability of the reusable, human-rated New Shepard rocket. Earlier in his career, Mike served as President and Founder of Upchurch Medical, part of the IDEX Corporation, where he drove significant innovation and commercialization growth through products that improved the quality of life.
With eight patents and extensive experience in board and advisory roles, Mike is known for his ability to build high-performing teams and deliver transformative results. A Mechanical Engineering graduate, he combines technical expertise with strategic vision to drive Hertha Metals’ pioneering work in reshaping the steel industry.
Ali Jamal is a senior finance executive with over 20 years of experience in investment banking, corporate finance, M&A, and infrastructure development. He has led and advised on more than $7 billion in transactions across the energy, renewables, and midstream sectors, with deep expertise in project finance, joint ventures, and strategic planning.
He previously served as CFO of Eligius Power and has advised institutional clients such as Goldman Sachs’ MN8 Energy on FP&A, IPO readiness, and long-range financial modeling. Earlier roles include senior leadership positions at Midcoast Energy and Enbridge Inc., where he represented multibillion-dollar joint ventures and led high-impact strategic finance initiatives.
Ali holds an MBA from Baylor University, a BA in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor.
Dorothea Soule leads commercialization operations at Hertha Metals, where she drives strategic partnerships, sales, and market expansion initiatives to support the company’s mission to revolutionize steel production. She brings deep expertise in scaling industrial businesses from startup to global enterprises, combining commercial excellence and commodity hedging acumen with entrepreneurial agility to mitigate market risks and optimize revenue generation.
Prior to joining Hertha Metals, Dorothea served as President of Lithium-Ion Recycling at Ecobat, the world’s largest battery recycler, where she scaled the business unit across multiple continents. As Chief Commercial Officer, she negotiated long-term off-take agreements, implemented margin-focused pricing strategies and commodity hedging practices, and led significant growth in the battery distribution business through strategic acquisitions. Earlier in her career, she led commercial operations at major agricultural companies including Biosev (Louis Dreyfus Company) and Adecoagro, orchestrating successful turnarounds and serving in board advisory roles across the metals and agricultural spaces.
Dorothea holds an Executive MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from Lafayette College.
Salvador Ceballos is a seasoned Chemical Engineer with extensive experience in process design, project engineering, and project management. For over 30 years, Salvador has successfully led teams on Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects, consistently delivering within budget and on schedule. As the Director of Plant Engineering at Hertha Metals, Salvador leads the design, buildout, and commissioning of the steel plants that deploy Hertha’s advanced ironmaking technology.
Salvador has worked for top engineering and construction companies throughout his career including Fluor, Bechtel, Foster Wheeler, and Jacobs/Worley. He has contributed to multibillion-dollar projects across North America, South America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Salvador holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. Additionally, he earned an MBA from the University of California, Irvine.
Yanna Jones leads talent and culture at Hertha Metals, where she is focused on building a mission-driven team and scaling people operations to support the company’s next phase of growth. She brings a strong foundation in recruiting and HR leadership across the finance and healthcare sectors, with a sharp instinct for identifying great people and creating environments where they thrive.
Prior to joining Hertha, Yanna founded and led Create The Date, an event planning company known for delivering highly imaginative and personalized experiences. Under her leadership, the team brought together designers, chefs, photographers, and artists to produce work that was both creatively ambitious and deeply meaningful to clients.
Yanna holds a degree in Business with a minor in Psychology. Her background as a founder shapes her people-first leadership style rooted in empathy, culture-building, and the belief that teams do their best work when aligned around purpose, values, and speed. At Hertha, she is helping shape a workplace where innovation, collaboration, and rapid execution go hand in hand.
Eder Trejo leads engineering at Hertha Metals, where he is responsible for advancing the company’s technology from pilot to commercial scale. He brings over a decade of steel industry experience, with particular depth in furnace design, thermal systems, and large-scale industrial integration.
Before joining Hertha, Eder held senior technical roles at Ternium Mexico and Nucor Steel Brandenburg. At Ternium, he oversaw major infrastructure and process upgrades across Direct Reduced Iron and Electric Arc Furnace operations. At Nucor, he helped bring a state-of-the-art mill into operation, with a focus on optimizing electric arc furnace performance.
Eder holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering, an MSc in Energy Efficiency, and a PhD in modeling and simulation of electric arc furnaces, all earned in Mexico. He is focused on delivering practical, scalable solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible in modern iron and steelmaking.
Dan Ryan brings more than 30 years of experience in steel operations, with a career grounded in safety, precision, and execution. At Hertha Metals, he leads plant operations as the company transitions from pilot production to full-scale commercial output.
He has played a key role in launching two advanced Compact Strip Production (CSP) facilities. At Acme Steel, Dan contributed to the commissioning of the industry’s first CSP plant with a seven-stand rolling mill. He later joined Steel Dynamics to help build a next-generation CSP facility incorporating a thick slab caster, dual roughing mills, and a six-stand finishing mill. Before joining Hertha, he served as Hot Mill Manager at ArcelorMittal Riverdale, where he drove major process improvements, strengthened safety culture, and elevated product quality.
Dan’s leadership combines deep technical understanding with a steady, team-first approach. His ability to build strong operating systems and mentor high-performing teams continues to shape Hertha’s foundation for long-term operational excellence.
Hertha Metals collaborates with visionary organizations committed to innovation and industrial advancement. With support from our partners, we are transforming steel production into a more efficient and economically viable process. Our partners share our mission to revolutionize heavy industry and create a resilient future for generations to come.
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