Optalysys announces new CEO
Photonic computing company Optalysys has appointed former Intel executive Chris Walker as CEO to lead its next phase of commercial growth and international expansion.
Optalysys has appointed semiconductor industry veteran Chris Walker as chief executive officer, marking a new phase of growth for the UK-based photonic computing company.
Walker, who previously held senior leadership roles at Intel and most recently served as CEO of Untether AI, will be based in Santa Clara, California, and will oversee Optalysys’ commercial expansion and growing presence in the US market.
Co-founder Dr Nick New will transition from CEO to chief product officer, focusing on product development and the continued advancement of the company’s silicon photonics technology.
The appointment follows a period of momentum for Optalysys, including a £23 million Series A2 funding round announced earlier this year and the planned delivery of its first photonic computing system to a key US partner.
The company said the system will enable enterprise customers to evaluate its photonics-based approach to AI and secure computing workloads.
Optalysys develops silicon photonics technology designed to address growing demands for AI infrastructure and high-performance computing by using light-based processing architectures to improve performance and efficiency.
The company said Walker’s experience in semiconductors, AI and technology commercialisation will help accelerate adoption of its photonic computing platform and strengthen connections with customers, partners and investors in Silicon Valley.
