Imagination appoints ex-Arqiva exec as CEO
Beresford-Wylie was previously chief executive of Arqiva, a UK provider of communications, broadcast and media services. Prior to Arqiva he was executive vice president of the networks business unit of Samsung Electronics. Beresford-Wylie has also been founding CEO of Nokia Siemens Networks, and a member of the executive board of Nokia Corp.
Beresford-Wylie replaces interim CEO, Ray Bingham, who remains Imagination’s executive chairman.
Imagination is a leading semiconductor company headquartered in the UK but which has been through difficult times since it lost the backing of key customer Apple in 2017 (see Apple hires group of UK GPU engineers). This resulted in a free-fall in the company’s share price and its eventual sale to Canyon Bridge Capital Partners Inc., where Bingham was a founding partner.
Although originally based in California, Canyon Bridge was administering Chinese funds and concerns were expressed over the ultimate intentions of the owners and this led to the resignation of former CEO Ron Black (see Imagination’s senior executives quit over potential Chinese coup).
Bingham has served as CEO in the interim.
In a statement Bingham said: “Simon’s vision for Imagination’s future leverages our leading AI and GPU technologies to take advantage of a rapidly changing global competitive landscape. His appointment demonstrates Canyon Bridge’s commitment to enabling Imagination to hire the best talent across its leadership, technical, commercial, and support teams, to create new technology, and to gain, serve, and retain customers worldwide.”
Beresford-Wylie said: “Imagination is an exciting and important company built with the best of British and International talent.” He added that Bingham would continue to be closely involved with Imagination as executive chairman.
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Imagination’s senior executives quit over potential Chinese coup
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