The South Wales-based Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult has appointed a new non-executive director to its board and a chief commercial officer to complete its leadership team.

Non-executive director Angela Noon, CFO Siemens UK and Ireland, joined the board in January.

She lends her expertise to the audit and risk committee.

Her experience will be invaluable to ensuring that all appropriate governance and compliance is followed within the Catapult.

Angela will also be pivotal to the next stage of the implementation of the strategy, the growth of the Catapult and be part of driving innovation in the compound semiconductor sector.

As CCO, Amar Abid-Ali, who comes from leading a large business development team at Future Electronics, will oversee the business development, communications, market research and intelligence teams and will drive the generation of commercial business and collaborative R&D projects for the Catapult.

He brings with him sector specific technology and market knowledge and is experienced in the government’s four Industrial Challenge areas: Artificial Intelligence and Data, the Ageing Society, Clean Growth and the Future of Mobility.

Amar said: “I’m very pleased to be joining the Catapult, bringing my entrepreneurial experience into the mix. I see this as a great opportunity to help drive the major technological change that compound semiconductors will bring and make the UK competitive in the related industries.”

With analysts predicting that the world market for compound semiconductors will increase from $74bn today to more than $300bn by 2030, it is essential that the UK plays a substantial part in that growth and the Catapult is here to help make that happen. The CSA Catapult is set to create around 100 new jobs internally and by 2023 it aims to have helped create 1,000 new high-tech jobs within the businesses it has supported around the whole of the UK.

Catapult CEO Stephen Doran said: “It is great to welcome Angela and Amar to the team to build upon the professionalism and expertise that we already have in the Catapult.

"This is a pivotal year that sees us move into our facility which will be an innovation hub for the compound semiconductor industry. 2019 has already started very well for us and we look forward to a successful year focused around collaboration throughout the supply chain and accelerating further innovation in compound semiconductors in the UK.”