Philadelphia-based FMC Lithium has promoted Sara Ponessa to the role of general counsel, effective June 1.
FMC Corporation at present operates its businesses in two segments – FMC Agricultural Solutions and FMC Lithium – but has announced plans to separate the latter to create a new, publicly traded lithium materials company later this year.
In her new role, Ponessa reports to Paul Graves, who had previously been announced as CEO of the new lithium business upon its planned IPO in October. She will be responsible for all legal affairs and oversee government relations for the new company. She will also serve as corporate secretary and will take the lead on compliance, ethics, securities law and other legal matters.
Ponessa was most recently senior business counsel for FMC Lithium. Earlier in her career, she was senior counsel for AstraZeneca, vice president and risk management and compliance section manager for Wilmington Trust Company, and a legal associate with Saul Ewing.