New CEO at Southampton Photonics

Southampton Photonics (SPI) has announced the appointment of David Parker as president and chief executive officer with effect from today, 16 April 2002.

Until recently Dr Parker was president and chief executive of Marconi Optical Components (MOC) and it was under his stewardship that MOC was successfully sold and transitioned to Bookham Technology in February this year.

Prior to this, he served as vice president and general manager of Agilent Technologies' Ipswich components operation, with responsibility for its single mode fibre-optic components. Co-founder Don Spalinger, former acting president, said, "In David Parker, SPI has found a perfect wish-list match for CEO.

We are fortunate in bringing him on board and I am greatly looking forward to working on his team." David Payne, SPI's chairman, commented, "I have known and admired David Parker for many years.

He is very highly regarded in the optical components industry and has a tremendous reputation both as a technologist and as a very successful business leader and manager.

He will bring great strategic and tactical direction to Southampton Photonics where he will apply his proven expertise in developing new opportunities to our world-leading in-fibre technology." David Parker commented, "At MOC I enjoyed taking world class science and technology and, with the help of a great team, moving it towards commercial reality.

I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to repeat that.

There is little doubt in my mind that there will be a recovery in the optical components sector and the companies that deliver innovative and cost-competitive solutions to customers will be well positioned. SPI has the potential to be in this category.

Combining the SPI team with the substantial and proven invention funnel in Southampton University's Optoelectronics Research Centre under David Payne's leadership is, in my view, a winning strategy."