M squared lasers

DR GRAEME MALCOLM

Chief Executive Officer

Graeme is ideally suited to the CEO position, having already held pivotal roles as co-founder and then Managing Director of a highly successful laser company, growing it to >$25M in revenue.

Graeme attained a first class honours B.Sc. degree in Laser Physics and Optoelectronics at Strathclyde University in 1989. From 1989 to 1992, he continued his academic and practical interest in laser technology, conducting post-graduate Ph.D. research into compact solid-state laser sources. His research work resulted in many world firsts in this field and many technical publications.

In 1992, he co-founded Microlase Optical Systems Ltd to develop commercially the technology pursued within his Ph.D. studies. Microlase developed rapidly as one of the most successful Scottish optoelectronic startup companies. Graeme held the roles of Research Director, Joint Managing Director and Managing Director at Microlase through the period 1992 to 2000. During this period Graeme was responsible for the technological and commercial growth of the business, and pioneered new commercial applications of laser technology in many fields. These fields varied from microscopy to semiconductor inspection to optical data storage, and the company had a major impact in developing the global market for solid-state lasers, acquiring a worldwide reputation for excellence and innovation.

Graeme has travelled extensively worldwide, building partnerships with both key blue chip and specialist technology companies. Using this experience, he led the strategic alliance that culminated in the acquisition of Microlase in 1999 by Coherent, Inc (NASDAQ listed, and one of the world's largest laser companies). After the acquisition, Graeme continued in the role of Managing Director of the newly renamed Coherent Scotland Ltd, growing the business to a turnover of $25M, and leading the development of and move to a new world-class R&D and manufacturing facility for the company.

DR GARETH MAKER

Managing Director

Dr Gareth Maker attained a first class honours degree in Physics from Southampton University in 1986. The laser research group at Southampton is one of the largest and most prestigious in the U.K., and as part of this group Gareth completed Ph.D. research into laser development in 1989, producing many firsts in the field of diode-pumped solid-state lasers.

He then spent a year working on laser research within the new Optical Research Centre (ORC), also based in Southampton. This was part of a government initiative to create centres of excellence for research within U.K. universities, and as such the ORC represented a £10M investment by the U.K. government.

In 1991 he co-founded Microlase Optical Systems Ltd. Gareth then took the company from a startup to one having a turnover of around £3M and a worldwide reputation for excellence. The technical and financial success of this business eventually led to a trade sale to Coherent Inc (one of the world's largest laser companies and NASDAQ listed) in 2000. Gareth continued as joint Managing Director until 2002, at which point the business had grown to 50 employees, had achieved a turnover of £7M, and occupied purpose-built prestigious premises within Glasgow, Scotland.

He then acted as a technical consultant to several photonics companies, helping them to remain forward looking both in their R&D activities and in key areas of product design and manufacturing.

DR LEIGH BROMLEY

VP Sales & Marketing

With more than 20 years experience in the laser industry, Leigh has held senior engineering and marketing positions, and has had key involvement with several award-winning laser products.

Leigh received a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Physics from the University of Birmingham in 1985. Then, from 1985 to 1988, he studied optical parametric oscillators for his Ph.D. degree in Laser Physics at Southampton University, U.K., producing some world firsts. After conducting postdoctoral research into diode-pumped solid-state laser systems at the university, Leigh moved to Pilkington Optronics Ltd (now Thales) in Glasgow, Scotland. Here he was responsible for the design of a rugged diode-pumped laser oscillator-amplifier system, and was rapidly promoted to Senior Physicist. In 1994 he was then recruited as a Research Scientist by Positive Light, Inc - then a startup - in California. After successfully winning and completing research contracts from NASA, the Dept of Energy and the Dept of Defense totaling nearly $3M, Leigh was promoted to R&D Manager. In this position, he led the development of an industry-leading Q-switched, frequency doubled diode-pumped laser, and an award-winning one-box ultrafast Ti:Sapphire amplifier.

In 2000, Leigh fulfilled an ambition to transfer from R&D to a business role, becoming Product Manager and then Senior Product Manager at Coherent, Inc (one of the world's largest commercial laser manufacturers). In this role, Leigh had overall sales and marketing responsibility for several different multi-$M product lines worldwide, including an award-winning hands-off, tunable ultrafast oscillator. Under his tenure, sales of this oscillator grew to capture >70% market share, and in January 2003, it was awarded 'Photonics Spectra' magazine's 'Product of the Year'. Leigh holds 2 U.S. patents, and has more than a dozen publications and conference talks to his credit.

MR BILL MILLER

Technical Director

Bill is a leading commercial technologist, with over 25 years experience in electronic product design and development.

After graduating from Glasgow University, Bill joined Hewlett Packard in South Queensferry, Scotland, as a design engineer. Within a year he was made lead engineer on a new product, which became one of their highest selling telecommunications test products. After four years at Hewlett Packard, Bill joined Linn Products as their thirtieth employee to start up a Research and Development capability.

For over twenty five years at Linn, Bill was heavily involved in the development of around 100 products, managing the design engineering teams for almost twenty years and contributing to the continuous growth of what is now a >$45M business.

Bill joined M Squared at the end of January 2007, where his expertise is being utilised to help convert ideas into commercially successful products and business opportunities.