Advanced nuclear technology company newcleo has elevated co-founder Elisabeth Rizzotti to Deputy Chief Executive Officer and appointed Jon Stranske as Group Chief Financial Officer, the company announced on January 9, 2026. The back-to-back appointments underscore newcleo's executive consolidation as the Paris-based developer of lead-cooled fast reactors accelerates growth ahead of regulatory approvals and deployment expansion across Europe and North America.
Stefano Buono, founder and CEO, said the appointments come at a pivotal moment as newcleo advances its nuclear energy and fuel recycling business and prepares for expected strong growth. Buono highlighted Rizzotti's instrumental role in building the company from inception and her deep understanding of technology and operations. Stranske, he noted, brings proven ability to build investor confidence, scale finance operations, and guide companies through complex transactions. No search firm involvement was disclosed. In her new role, Rizzotti will continue overseeing global operations while working closely with Buono on strategic direction.
Rizzotti, a physicist by training, has served as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Italy since newcleo's founding in September 2021. Her career spans the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, where she began as a researcher, followed by more than a decade at Accenture in strategic consulting for financial services clients. She subsequently held senior leadership roles in retail banking, marketing, and communications at UBI Banca, one of Italy's largest banking groups at the time. Stranske joins from NASDAQ-listed Certara, where he served as Senior Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, building scalable finance functions and driving digital transformation. His background spans technology and life sciences, including expertise in capital structure strategy, merger and acquisition transactions, and stakeholder management. He played a crucial role leading GeneDx through a successful $500 million initial public offering at a $3 billion valuation, and previously served as Senior Vice President of Head of Investor Relations and Strategic Finance at Univision Communications, a $3 billion multimedia company.
newcleo, founded in 2021 by Buono, Rizzotti, and Luciano Cinotti, develops advanced lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs) fueled by mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel derived from reprocessed nuclear waste. The company is based in France with locations in Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom, employing approximately 900 people. As of 2024, newcleo had generated 70 million euros in revenue and raised 570 million euros in private funding. The company has more than 100 partnerships and collaborations across the nuclear industry and has executed strategic acquisitions in nuclear engineering, manufacturing, and waste management. In February 2026, newcleo closed an $85 million financing round, bringing total capital raised over the preceding 12 months to more than $125 million and lifetime capital to more than $755 million since founding.
The dual appointment suggests newcleo is structuring operations to manage anticipated scaling and capital deployment as it pursues nuclear licensing in France and technology deployment in the United States and other jurisdictions. Rizzotti's promotion within the organization reflects continuity in operations management, while Stranske's recruitment from public market experience signals preparation for potential future capital raises, public market listings, or substantial merger and acquisition activity. The appointments appear timed to coincide with the company's expansion phase, with projects including a 30-megawatt reactor planned for France by 2031 and a larger 200-megawatt unit under development for the UK.
