January 19, 2026: CRU said on January 12 that Vlasios Voudouris had joined the research consultancy as its new chief product officer.

Voudouris will work with CRU’s product, data, commercial and customer success teams to accelerate the development of market leading analytics, enhance the rigour and relevance of CRU’s price benchmarks, and scale proprietary datasets and AI driven solutions for clients across mining, metals and fertilizers.

CRU chairman Robert Perlman said Voudouris brought exactly the mix of technical depth and commercial focus needed to drive the consultancy’s next phase of product innovation.

“His leadership in AI and proven ability to translate advanced analytics into tangible client value will strengthen CRU’s position as the independent, trusted provider of intelligence the market relies on.”

Last August, CRU and Battery Council International published a new expert study on growth rates and future trends of lead battery markets.

BCI said the report was powered by decades of metals market intelligence at CRU and the proprietary data BCI had collected on battery sales and manufacturing.