News: Optoelectronics
9 December 2025
BluGlass appoints CEO Jim Haden as executive director, replacing non-exec director Jean Michel Pelaprat
BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — has appointed CEO Jim Haden as executive director, subject to obtaining a director’s ID.
Haden joined BluGlass as president in September 2021 and transitioned to CEO in March 2023. Since then, he has led the business to secure strategic partnerships with the US Department of War (DoW), the Indian Ministry of Defence, and industry pioneers serving critical defence, aerospace and quantum verticals. He spearheaded the acquisition of a dedicated Silicon Valley laser production facility, enabling faster development and production, improved manufacturing quality, and the ability to pursue next-generation high-fidelity capabilities to capture high-growth precision markets.
Haden has more than three decades’ laser expertise and a track record of transitioning advanced technology businesses to profitable, high-growth commercial entities. Before joining BluGlass he held senior leadership positions at several potential customers and competitors, including Kyocera SLD, nLight, Coherent and JDS Uniphase (now Lumentum).
Haden replaces Jean-Michel Pelaprat, who is stepping down as non-executive director. The board thanks him for his industry perspectives and guidance over several years during the most critical development phase in the company’s history.
“To further align management’s interests with those of our shareholders; and to embed a true ‘founder mentality’ across the business, we are pleased to appoint Jim to the board — signalling to the market that the CEO is not simply an employee but an owner-operator with long-term strategic accountability,” notes executive chair Omer Granit. “It also strengthens alignment between the board and shareholders as we adopt governance practices common among leading US public companies and expand our US footprint across both commercial and capital markets. BluGlass is currently at a critical crossroads, with demonstrated technical progress executed at a pace that stands out in the global GaN laser sector; however, it also has some significant growth and commercialization hurdles to overcome to ensure it is positioned to capture tactical markets across the global defence, aerospace, quantum and biotech sectors,” he adds.
“Jim’s appointment expands his remit, further supporting the turn-around from an underfunded innovator to a global leader as we continue to build our US laser fab capability, accelerate product development, and secure strategic defence and quantum opportunities that validate both our technology and our strategy,” Granit continues. “Jim and his team have cultivated trust with tier-1 partners and defence primes… as we scale BluGlass into a leading commercial force in next-generation GaN lasers,” he adds.
“I thank Jean-Michel for his long-standing, valuable contribution and guidance as the company completed its pivot to a pure-play GaN laser leader,” Granit concludes.
“Leadership’s fresh approach to market execution and capital strategy positions us to leverage our strong project pipeline, collectively valued at over US$100m,” comments Haden. “We are in advanced negotiations with several major industry players, and these projects are expected to deliver significant revenue contracts, strengthen our industry reputation, and further enhance our technical capabilities. Alongside our proven go-to-market strategy, the board is actively exploring broader opportunities to accelerate growth by leveraging our US manufacturing capabilities and innovative product portfolio.”
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