Fermi appoints Lee McIntire as CEO to lead nuclear-AI projects

Fermi Inc. has appointed Lee McIntire as its new CEO, marking the end of a leadership period characterized by internal turmoil. McIntire, a former independent board member, officially assumed the role on August 11 following the removal of co-founder and former CEO Toby Neugebauer in April.

McIntire brings extensive experience in engineering and infrastructure, having previously served as CEO of CH2M Hill and TerraPower. His background is expected to assist Fermi in executing its flagship initiative, ‘Project Matador,’ which is part of a larger HyperGrid campus planned for the Texas Panhandle. The project aims to develop between 11 and 17 gigawatts of capacity, combining data centers with nuclear-powered energy generation.

The leadership change follows a period of strategic restructuring known as ‘Fermi 2.0’ and legal disputes involving Neugebauer, who remains a significant shareholder. Additionally, the company has secured its first binding customer lease agreement with TensorWave.