Hawthorn Photonics is delighted to announce that Stuart Lawson has joined the organisation as Vice President of Sales. This appointment reflects the group’s continued investment in strengthening its global commercial capabilities and expanding its presence across key photonics markets.
Stuart brings with him more than two decades of international experience in the optics, thin-film, and photonics industries, holding senior commercial roles across Europe, Asia, and North America. He spent over 14 years with Materion Precision Optics, most recently as Sales Director, leading global account development and customer relationship management from the United States. Earlier in his career, Stuart held sales leadership roles with EIS Optics in Shanghai, Optics Balzers in Germany, and Oerlikon in Liechtenstein, supporting customers in advanced optical coating and precision component markets. A graduate of the University of St Andrews with a master’s degree in Optoelectronics and Laser Devices, and of Northumbria University with a bachelor’s degree in Optoelectronic Engineering, Stuart combines strong technical knowledge with extensive global sales experience.
In his new role, Stuart will oversee global sales across the Hawthorn Photonics group, leading the integration of commercial operations among its three subsidiaries, Covesion (UK), AdvR (USA), and Radiantis (Spain). Working within a technology-rich environment that serves government, OEM, and academic customers, Stuart will spearhead market strategy and drive revenue growth across Hawthorn’s core markets, which include defence, aerospace, and scientific instrumentation, as well as emerging quantum applications. He will collaborate closely with scientific, engineering, and marketing teams to ensure that advanced photonics solutions are precisely matched to customer needs, while leading the development of systems, processes, and reporting structures to support scalable growth.
As part of the group’s leadership team, Stuart will also guide business transformation across the subsidiaries, integrating sales systems and culture, mentoring high-performing teams across continents, and strengthening long-term relationships with key customers and partners. His appointment reflects Hawthorn Photonics’ ambition to bring its world-class photonics expertise to a unified global market, combining technical excellence with commercial strength.
Commenting on Stuart’s appointment, Mike Day, CEO of Hawthorn Photonics, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Stuart Lawson to the leadership team. His industry experience and understanding of customer needs across the photonics sector make him the ideal person to guide our global sales strategy. Stuart joins at a pivotal moment as we integrate and grow our group businesses, and his leadership will be key in ensuring Hawthorn Photonics continues to deliver exceptional service and technology to our clients.”
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