powerlase
company management
The management team has a strong background and relevant experience, supported by a board with extensive experience of managing high technology manufacturing companies and of making successful exits.
Samuel Simonsson, Chairman of the Board and Non Executive Director
Samuel joins Powerlase following a long-standing career in the laser industry. In 1975 he co-founded Rofin-Sinar Laser GmbH. As CEO he led the company for 19 years while it grew to become a globally positioned industrial laser world market leader. In addition Samuel brings over 10 years experience in directing fast growing technology companies in a variety of sectors including software, MEMS, sensor technology and construction industries.
Les Lockwood, Vice President - Sales & Marketing
Les has 25 very successful years experience in commercial roles in the high technology capital goods field. Prior to joining Powerlase Les was Vice President Corporate Sales & Marketing at Aixtron AG reporting to the Executive board. Aixtron are a global leader in the manufacture of high value scientific equipment for use in the semi-conductor industry.
Julia Collins, Finance Director and Company Secretary
Julia qualified as a certified accountant over 15 years ago and joined Powerlase in 2002. Prior to joining Powerlase, she worked at an Express Dairies Plc site and managed the transition from Limited company to PLC. As part of the senior management team, she was responsible for finance, IT, HR and admin functions. At Express, Julia successfully implemented the inventory and purchasing system and headed a team to re-launch the system across other sites in the group.
Previous to that she worked for a SME and improved the internal control systems and restructured the funding. Julia launched her accountancy career within practice where she successfully completed her accountancy exams and had exposure to audits and taxation with a small portfolio of her own clients.
David Ward, Non Executive Director
David is a Partner at leading UK early stage VC fund, MTI Partners. He has a BA/MA in Materials Science and, after an early career in corporate life, had responsibilities at Director and CEO level for two venture-backed businesses before joining MTI in 1999. David’s current portfolio responsibilities include a number of companies that operate in the Materials and Communications (including Wireless) sectors, and include Eleksen, Message Pad, and Sarantel.
Hazel Moore, Non Executive Director
Hazel is Managing Partner of FirstVentures, which represents FNI Venture Capital, a technology venture capital fund. Prior to setting up FirstVentures in 2005, in 1999 Hazel co-founded FirstCapital, a UK-based boutique investment bank specialising in high growth technology companies and venture capital. Previously Hazel worked for Asian stockbroking firm WI Carr in a variety of roles including Head of Equity Research based in Hong Kong, where she was responsible for a team of analysts and for the investment strategy for the Hong Kong stockmarket for a global institutional client base. Hazel is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and has a BA and an MA in Natural Sciences (Materials Science and Metallurgy) from the University of Cambridge.
Catrina Holme, Non Executive Director
Prior to joining Esprit Capital Partners LLP, Catrina was a senior associate at Travers Smith Braithwaite, a leading city law firm where she specialised in private equity and M&A. Catrina studied law at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University from 1989 until 1992 and completed her Law Society studies in Bristol. As an Investment Director of Esprit Capital Partners LLP, Catrina is responsible for all areas of investment, including sourcing, executing and working with portfolio companies. She is a member of the Investment Committee responsible for all investment decisions. She currently works with the Boards of three portfolio companies, Intense Photonics Ltd, Avantium International BV and Powerlase Limited.
Cyril Bertrand, Non Executive Director
Cyril Bertrand is a Partner at DVC, with a focus on semiconductors and telecom investments. He joined DVC in 2002 from TeleSoft Partners, a Silicon-Valley venture capital group, where he was a Senior Associate contributing to the build-up of the wireless investment group. Prior to that, his 7-year tenure at Alcatel brought him to the position of Director in charge of creating and growing Alcatel’s first generation of 802.11 products across France, Spain and Israel in 2000. Between 1997 and 1999, Cyril held technical management responsibilities as the project leader of various physical and MAC layer subsystems. Between 1994 and 1996, he was a research engineer and a digital designer, in charge of the patenting activities of Alcatel Telspace’s Digital Communication lab. Cyril holds 3 patents and started his industrial career in 1993 at CERN, Geneva, as a real-time software engineer. In addition a Technical Advisory Panel of prominent academics provides insight and advisory services.