Management Team

Christian has a proven track record of developing high growth businesses with a focus on technology companies, global FMCGs (Fast Moving Consumer Goods Companies) and emerging markets. He takes a hands-on approach, helping guide companies from initial idea and project phase right through to developing efficient supply chain and manufacturing processes. Prior to joining Heptagon in 2010, Christian served as CEO for Singapore-based Hymite, a VC backed company that designs, develops, and manufactures silicon-based wafer-scale packages for light emitting diodes, micro-electromechanical systems, and RF applications. Hymite was sold to a leading global semiconductor foundry. Before that he worked in Shanghai, China as senior vice president at Jabra-GN, a global maker of business headset solutions. Christian began his career as an attorney focused on M&A and corporate legal counsel. He holds a master's of law from Copenhagen University and Université Libre de Bruxelles.

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Desmond has a broad wealth of experience working at multinational companies and within the financial services sector in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Prior to joining Heptagon, he was vice president and global treasurer for semiconductor company Avago Technologies, where he was responsible for global treasury, risk management, credit & collections, shared services and global risk insurance. He also managed portions of investor public relations and the global tax function. Before that, Desmond served as vice president and chief financial officer at Honeywell International, Asia Pacific. He has also worked for companies including Deutsche Bank, General Electric Capital Corporation and Arthur Andersen. Desmond holds a bachelor's of commerce from the University of Western Australia and is a qualified chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

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Hartmut is an expert in replication processes for prototyping and mass fabrication of micro-optical components. He received his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from M.I.T. and is a recipient of the MRS Gold Medal.

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Formerly head of CSEM Zurich Replicated Micro-Optical Elements, Markus became CTO of Heptagon after CSEM's microoptics division was acquired by Heptagon in 2000. He is an expert on fabricating diffractive and refractive micro-optic components for industrial applications in the European and US markets. Markus holds a Ph.D. from the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland and a master's degree in physics from ETH Zurich.

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Prior to joining Heptagon, René worked in the semiconductor and flat panel display equipment & component industry holding various positions in product marketing, program management, sales and key account management. Among the companies he worked at was semiconductor company ASML. René has played a key role in introducing the world's first immersion lithography semiconductor systems and has successfully created and grown businesses throughout Asia, Europe and the US. He holds a bachelor's of science in applied physics.

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Sow Chun brings more than 25 years managerial experience to the job, having worked in management positions with global companies including Fairchild, Conner Peripherals, IBM and Hitachi. He was vice president and site general manager at IBM and Hitachi. He holds a bachelor's in electrical engineering from the National University of Singapore.

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