Leadership Team

Basil Garabet

President and CEO

Basil holds an M.Sc. in lasers and their applications and has extensive international management experience from leading positions in the photonics industry. Previously with EM4, Altitun, and Melles Griot.

Basil is closely involved in promoting research and performs numerous honorary duties including board seats on Bifrost Communication, EPIC, and the Danish Quantum Community Board.

Christian Vestergaard Poulsen

CTO

In 2001 Christian Vestergaard Poulsen joined NKT Photonics from IONAS, where he had focused on single frequency fiber laser and silica on silicon planar waveguides. Christian received his PhD degree from the Technical University of Denmark and has been a Research Fellow at the University of Southampton. He further holds a MBA degree focusing on Technology Companies from Copenhagen Business School.

Don Riddell

COO

With us since 2017, Don comes to us from SPI Lasers, where he was the COO. He has extensive experience in laser manufacturing, automation and supply chain management and has previously worked for Agilent, Bookham and Marconi Optical Components. Don holds a Master’s Degree in Opto-electronics from the University of Strathclyde.

Jakob Dahlgaard Fink

CFO

Jakob Fink is a seasoned finance executive with an extensive leadership track record from various international organisations. Jakob has operated in demanding environments including global private equity owned company, large-cap infrastructure company and investment banking. Experience includes all aspects of M&A as well as equity and debt capital markets. Jakob holds an MSc in Economics and Business Administration (cand.oecon.) from Aarhus University.

Kim Per Hansen

CCO

Kim Hansen has been with the company since 2001. First as project and product manager in Crystal Fibre and since 2011 with the responsibility for global marketing and corporate communication. He has an engineering background in physics and telecommunication with a PhD from the Technical University of Denmark and comes from positions within the sensing and telecommunication industry.

Carsten Thomsen

CEngO

Carsten Thomsen has more than 20 years of experience within ultrafast laser. He joined us in 2004 focusing on development of supercontinuum technology in collaboration with industrial partners and has extensive knowledge within strategic product- and business development. He holds a PhD degree in chemical physics from Aarhus University and a business degree from Copenhagen Business School.

Nicola Davies

VP Human Resource

Nicola Davies is a qualified HR Practitioner with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK. She has extensive experience of managing multi-site, multi-cultural workforces and has worked in the Photonics industry for 20 years. Previously with GSI Group where she was responsible for leading HR in EMEA.

Morten Halskov

VP, General Counsel

Morten has more than 20 years of experience as General Counsel and from executive positions within the Aerospace & Defense industry. Before that 10+ years in private practice with a leading Danish law firm focusing on commercial, corporate, and M&A. He joined us in 2020. He holds two Master of Laws degrees from the University of Copenhagen respectively the University of London, and is admitted to the High Courts of Denmark.

Svend Licht

VP, Corporate Development

Svend has more than 25 years international managerial experience within business development, commercial management, planning and M&A. Svend also has experience from several board positions in tech companies as well as foundations. He joined NKT Photonics in 2019 with responsibility for strategic corporate projects.

He holds a degree in chemical engineering, a degree in foreign trade, and an executive MBA with distinction.