Pam Fletcher, former CEO of Sion Power and board member at Lumentum and Chemours, joins the Boardroom Governance Podcast to discuss electric vehicles, batteries, U.S.-China competition, AI infrastructure, data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, and board oversight. She also shares why AI adoption is becoming essential across industries and what her experience as a CEO taught her about becoming a better director.
(00:00) Intro
(01:43) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel
(02:26) Start of interview *reference to the Boardroom Governance Summit 2027
(03:49) Pam Fletcher’s Origin Story: growing up in the Midwest, and why she always wanted to work in the automotive industry
(05:28) From GM to Electric Vehicles: Pam’s early career at GM, the evolution of electrification, the EV1, and working on the Chevrolet Volt
(07:39) From Automotive to Aviation: moving from electric and autonomous vehicles to sustainability at Delta
(09:46) Leading Sion Power: battery technology as an enabler of electrification, robotics, wearables, and other emerging technologies, and pivoting the company from automotive to defense
(12:15) Batteries, China, and National Strategy: China’s dominance across critical minerals, processing, batteries, and electric vehicles, and why Pam views battery supply chains as a strategic national issue
(18:00) The Road to EV Adoption: why electric vehicle adoption varies across the U.S., the importance of charging infrastructure and faster charging times, and what consumers need before EVs reach broader adoption
(20:56) Building a Board Career: how Pam moved from operating roles into board service.
(23:36) Lumentum, AI, and Data Centers: how optical technology enables data centers to scale compute while reducing some of the limitations associated with copper and heat
(27:24) Data Centers, Energy, and Water: why Pam believes innovation can address concerns around power consumption, cooling, and water use as AI infrastructure expands
(30:04) Chemours and Critical Technologies: the company’s role in semiconductor manufacturing, data-center cooling, and critical materials that enable emerging technologies
(32:32) Bringing Semiconductor Manufacturing Back to the U.S.: lessons from the pandemic chip shortage, the CHIPS Act, and why domestic manufacturing matters for supply-chain resilience and the middle class
(34:58) What Boards Are Focused on Now: why strategy needs to be revisited more frequently, how technology is changing customers and operations, and why AI has become a standing boardroom issue
(37:27) Helping Boards Put AI to Work: why Pam believes AI adoption is becoming non-negotiable and how boards can track small wins, usage, innovation, and operational impact
(40:00) Advice for Effective Directors: what serving as a CEO taught Pam about board service and why directors should ask whether they are showing up in the way the company actually needs
(41:01) Books, News: A Tale of Two Cities, business news consumption
(42:52) Pam’s Mentors: Mary Barra, Doug Parks, and the impact of Elon Musk on technology and industry
(44:12) Quotes and principles Pam Thinks About: taking risks, treating people as you would want to be treated, and surrounding yourself with people smarter than you are
(44:51) An unusual passion
(45:31) The living person she most admires: her husband, and the role he has played in her career and personal growth
Pamela Fletcher is the former CEO of Sion Power, serves on the boards of Lumentum and Chemours, and previously held senior leadership roles at General Motors and Delta.