Plug Power Wins Injunction Against Former Director Over Noncompete Breach

Q: What secret hydrogen energy projects was the fired Plug Power executive allegedly taking to a direct rival?

The public court reporting does not identify any specific “secret hydrogen energy projects” that Mazdak Shokrian allegedly took to a rival. What is described in the available news and court summaries is broader: Plug Power argued that, as a former senior director of technology, engineering and design, Shokrian had access to confidential technical information, commercially sensitive business plans, and customer relationships in Plug Power’s hydrogen-energy operations. The court accepted that this access created a risk of irreparable harm if he worked for a direct competitor while the case proceeds. So, based on the reporting now available, the allegation is not that named projects were publicly detailed in court coverage, but that he could use Plug Power’s nonpublic know-how and customer intelligence for a rival’s benefit. The injunction was granted on that basis, along with the company’s breach-of-contract claim tied to his noncompete agreement. If you need the exact projects, they were either not disclosed in the public reports or may be contained only in sealed filings or more detailed court papers not reflected in the news coverage.

1 articles · Updated · Bloomberg Law · Jul 27

A New York federal court granted Plug Power a preliminary injunction against a former senior director of technology, engineering and design on breach-of-contract claims.
The judge found he violated a noncompete agreement by taking a job with a direct competitor in the hydrogen energy business after Plug Power terminated him.
Plug Power argued the move risked irreparable harm through loss of confidential information and customer relationships, a finding the court accepted in issuing the order.