Experienced executive
to lead global operations and strategic
partnerships in drive to commercialize semiconductor
technology
MANCHESTER, England, March 10,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Smartkem (Nasdaq: SMTK), which
is seeking to change the world of electronics with a new class of
transistor technology, announced that it has appointed Jonathan Watkins as Chief Operating Officer
(COO), with responsibility for global operations and strategic
partnerships.
Commenting on today's announcement, CEO Ian Jenks commented, "Jonathan has held
strategic, commercial, and operational roles across
multi-billion-dollar multinationals, private equity ventures, and
high-growth start-ups. He brings a proven track record of scaling
global partnerships and manufacturing. As a consultant to Smartkem.
Jonathan has already provided significant benefits to our company
with his industry knowledge and expertise in commercializing
advanced materials manufacturing. I am excited to be
working closely with Jonathan in his expanded role at
Smartkem."
Jonathan added, " I am thrilled to be joining Smartkem as COO at
this pivotal time in its evolution and expect to leverage my
technical roots in manufacturing, engineering, and breakthrough
materials technology to help lead the company to the
commercialization of its products. I look forward to helping
to drive Smartkem's commercialization initiatives and
operations."
Jonathan Watkins has
over 30 years' experience commercialising and scaling novel
material technologies and working across large multinational
companies. He has played pivotal roles in managing complex
technical product portfolios and developing global supply
chains.
From July 2024 until his
appointment as the Company's Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan
served as a consultant to the Company. Since September 2024, Jonathan has served as the
Executive Chairman of HFQ Technology Associates, a materials
technology company. He also has served as the founder and chairman
of DITEVEN Limited, a technology consulting services company since
November 2015. From August 2016 through June
2024, Jonathan served as the chief executive officer of
Impression Technologies Limited ("ITL"), where he led the
development, licensing and scaling of a novel aluminum
light-weighting technology for automotive, aerospace and consumer
electronics markets, as well as securing manufacturing partners in
Europe, China and North America. ITL
entered voluntary liquidation in June
2024. Prior thereto, he served as an advisor to government
agencies on cleantech business models, including commercializing
novel technologies. From 2008 to 2015, Jonathan held roles as chief
operating officer and commercial director of Ceres Power plc, a
leading developer of fuel cell technology having responsibilities
for manufacturing, supply chain management and business
development.
Jonathan has a Postgraduate Certificate in Design Manufacture,
and Management from University of
Cambridge and a BEng degree in Materials Science &
Technology from University of
Birmingham. He is also a Chartered Engineer and holds a
Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance.
About Smartkem
Smartkem is seeking to change the world of electronics with a
new class of transistor using its proprietary advanced
semiconductor materials that have the potential to revolutionize
the display industry. Smartkem's TRUFLEX® semiconductor
technology enables low temperature printing processes that are
compatible with existing manufacturing infrastructure with the
potential to deliver low-cost, high performance displays in a range
of display technologies including microLED, miniLED and AMOLED, as
well as applications in sensors and logic.
Smartkem develops its materials at its research and development
facility in Manchester, UK and
provides prototyping services at the Centre for Process Innovation
(CPI) at Sedgefield, UK. It has a field application office in
Taiwan. The company has an
extensive IP portfolio including 138 granted patents across 17
patent families, 17 pending patents and 40 codified trade secrets.
For more information, visit our website or follow us on
LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release that are not historical are
forward-looking statements, including, among other things, its
market position and market opportunity, expectations and plans as
to its product development, manufacturing and sales, and relations
with its partners and investors. These statements are not
historical facts but rather are based on Smartkem, Inc.'s current
expectations, estimates, and projections regarding its business,
operations and other similar or related factors. Words such as
"may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "anticipate," "predict,"
"potential," "continue," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project,"
"believe," "estimate," and other similar or elated expressions are
used to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these words. You should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions
that are difficult or impossible to predict and, in some cases,
beyond the Company's control. Actual results may differ materially
from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a
number of factors, including those described in the Company's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company
undertakes no obligation to revise or update information in this
release to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if
new information becomes available.
Contacts:
Selena Kirkwood
Head of Communications for Smartkem
T: +44 (0) 7971 460 364
s.kirkwood@smartkem.com
U.S. Investors
David Barnard, CFA
Alliance Advisors Investor Relations
T: 1 415 433 3777
dbarnard@allianceadvisors.com
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