Dave Savastano05.29.12
SmartKem Limited, the developer of high performance, printable organic semiconductor materials for flexible electronics, today announced the appointment of Bill Freer as company chairman.
Freer holds extensive experience in the global display’s and semiconductor industries, having built up a successful track record in senior management positions for a variety of industry-leading organizations, worldwide. The past 10 years have seen him work with a number of venture capital backed start-up companies, utilizing his corporate experience at large multinationals to assist them in developing strategies and strengthen their positions in the market. This experience, coupled with a proven track record of building relationships with electronics manufacturers in Asia, make him perfectly suited to guide SmartKem’s expansion into the Asian market.
Having worked with leading organizations throughout a career spanning 40 years, Freer has built up and maintained a variety of companies, including managing the turnaround of an ailing LCD organization in Hong Kong into a highly profitable business with a 35% market share. His knowledge of growing businesses in Asia, along with the networks he has built up in the region will facilitate SmartKem’s aim of supplying its materials to device manufacturers and OEMs in the Asian market.
“There is a clear need for SmartKem’s state-of-the-art materials in the rapidly changing printed electronics industry,” Freer said. “The company has developed its materials to meet market demand for low cost, low energy and lightweight electronics, while also ensuring that they have better levels of mobility than those of its high-profile competitors. SmartKem’s flexible market approach allows it to respond quickly to changing needs of the market, making the company hugely appealing to potential investors.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Bill to the team” said Steve Kelly, CEO at SmartKem. “We made the decision to appoint Bill as his second-to-non industry experience in the international displays market, combined with the networks he has built up over the years in our desired regions mean Bill will bring invaluable knowledge to the company. We are confident that Bill will fit in with SmartKem’s strategy seamlessly and help reinforce our position industry-wide, whilst his strong connections in the venture capital market will provide us with a platform for further growth and investment.”
This appointment is another step in SmartKem’s global strategy and comes following the recent appointments of representatives in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Freer holds extensive experience in the global display’s and semiconductor industries, having built up a successful track record in senior management positions for a variety of industry-leading organizations, worldwide. The past 10 years have seen him work with a number of venture capital backed start-up companies, utilizing his corporate experience at large multinationals to assist them in developing strategies and strengthen their positions in the market. This experience, coupled with a proven track record of building relationships with electronics manufacturers in Asia, make him perfectly suited to guide SmartKem’s expansion into the Asian market.
Having worked with leading organizations throughout a career spanning 40 years, Freer has built up and maintained a variety of companies, including managing the turnaround of an ailing LCD organization in Hong Kong into a highly profitable business with a 35% market share. His knowledge of growing businesses in Asia, along with the networks he has built up in the region will facilitate SmartKem’s aim of supplying its materials to device manufacturers and OEMs in the Asian market.
“There is a clear need for SmartKem’s state-of-the-art materials in the rapidly changing printed electronics industry,” Freer said. “The company has developed its materials to meet market demand for low cost, low energy and lightweight electronics, while also ensuring that they have better levels of mobility than those of its high-profile competitors. SmartKem’s flexible market approach allows it to respond quickly to changing needs of the market, making the company hugely appealing to potential investors.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Bill to the team” said Steve Kelly, CEO at SmartKem. “We made the decision to appoint Bill as his second-to-non industry experience in the international displays market, combined with the networks he has built up over the years in our desired regions mean Bill will bring invaluable knowledge to the company. We are confident that Bill will fit in with SmartKem’s strategy seamlessly and help reinforce our position industry-wide, whilst his strong connections in the venture capital market will provide us with a platform for further growth and investment.”
This appointment is another step in SmartKem’s global strategy and comes following the recent appointments of representatives in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.