Robotic Research, LLC, has appointed Josh Araujo as the company’s new chief financial officer and Don Lefeve as head of corporate affairs.
Araujo has more than 20 years of experience in financial leadership spanning military, energy and investment banking, and Lefeve has an extensive background in the trucking industry and government affairs.
Araujo brings significant corporate finance and investment banking experience in the defense and transportation sectors. Before joining Robotic Research, Araujo was CFO of OGT Engineering and Construction, specialists in midstream energy projects for the energy industry.
He previously served as senior vice president at Jeffries Industrial Investment Banking Group, and as an M&A associate at Lazard, where he handled public and private transactions in both industrial and consumer sectors. Araujo served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, enlisting as a rifleman and rising to the rank of Captain.
Lefeve will lead Robotic Research’s government affairs and public relations efforts. Before joining the company, Lefeve was president and CEO of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, the nation’s largest association of commercial truck driving schools, where he successfully led federal and state advocacy efforts to improve laws and regulations related to commercial driving training and driver’s licensing. Lefeve has more than 20 years of experience in government relations, spanning transportation, education, telecommunications and defense.
“We are delighted to add two professionals with the depth of experience that Josh and Don bring to the company,” said Alberto Lacaze, president and co-founder of Robotic Research. “Josh has a diverse background in the defense and industrial sectors, making him the ideal candidate to oversee Robotic Research’s financial operations, and Don’s expertise in commercial trucking and government affairs will be invaluable as the company expands commercial deployment of our autonomous vehicle technology for trucking, transit, and related markets.”
