BluGlass continues board refresh
Australian laser company BluGlass has appointed CEO Jim Haden as executive director, subject to obtaining a director's ID. Haden joined BluGlass as president in September 2021 and transitioned to CEO in March 2023.
As CEO, Haden has led the business to secure strategic partnerships with the US Department of War (DoW), the Indian Ministry of Defence, and industry pioneers serving critical defence, aerospace and quantum verticals.
He also spearheaded the acquisition of a dedicated Silicon Valley laser production facility (fab); enabling faster development and production, improved manufacturing quality, and the ability to pursue next-generation high-fidelity capabilities to capture high-growth precision markets.
Haden has more than three decades’ laser expertise and a track record transitioning advanced technology businesses to profitable, high-growth commercial entities. Before joining BluGlass he held senior leadership positions at several of BluGlass’ potential customers and competitors, including Kyocera SLD, nLight, Coherent and JDS Uniphase (now Lumentum).
Haden replaces Jean-Michel Pelaprat, who is stepping down as non-executive director. .
BluGlass’ executive chair Omer Granit said: “BluGlass is currently at a critical crossroads, with demonstrated technical progress executed at a pace that stands out in the global GaN laser sector; however it also has some significant growth and commercialisation hurdles to overcome to ensure it is positioned to capture tactical markets across the global defence, aerospace, quantum and biotech sectors.
“Haden’s appointment expands his remit, further supporting the turn-around from an underfunded innovator to a global leader as we continue to build our US laser fab capability, accelerate product development, and secure strategic defence and quantum opportunities that validate both our technology and our strategy."
Haden said: "Leadership’s fresh approach to market execution and capital strategy positions us to leverage our strong project pipeline, collectively valued at over US$100 million. We are in advanced negotiations with several major industry players, and these projects are expected to deliver significant revenue contracts, strengthen our industry reputation, and further enhance our technical capabilities. Alongside our proven go-to-market strategy, the board is actively exploring broader opportunities to accelerate growth by leveraging our US manufacturing capabilities and innovative product portfolio.”
