Archer Materials (ASX: AXE) has appointed Dr Simon Ruffell as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. The promotion comes just months after Dr Ruffell joined the company, first as Engineering Manager in February 2024 and more recently as Chief Technology Officer.
A physicist and engineer with over two decades of global experience, Dr Ruffell brings a strong mix of technical and commercial expertise to the top job. He’s already played a pivotal role in advancing Archer’s core technologies — both the quantum computing platform and the company’s promising biosensor (biochip) — and has been central in launching a potential early revenue opportunity through TMR sensors.
Before joining Archer, Dr Ruffell held senior roles at some of the world’s leading tech companies. He was Principal Hardware Engineering Manager at Microsoft, leading a team developing hardware for Microsoft’s quantum computing program. He also spent a decade at Applied Materials in the US, where he helped drive a new product from R&D through to commercialisation, leading both hardware and process teams.
He’s held academic and industry liaison roles too, most recently as Quantum Engagement Manager at the University of Sydney, bringing together research and commercial interests in next-gen semiconductor technologies.
With a PhD in Physics and a First-Class Master’s in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Dr Ruffell is well placed to steer Archer’s development efforts as it targets the commercialisation of its innovative semiconductors across medical diagnostics, sensing, and computing.
Archer Executive Chairman Greg English was full of praise for the new CEO, saying:
“Simon has already made remarkable progress in leading the development of the biochip and quantum technologies since he first joined the Company 13 months ago… His experience at Microsoft and Applied Materials means Archer is well-placed through Simon’s expertise to bring our suite of semiconductors to market.”
With Archer positioned at the frontier of quantum and medical semiconductor development, Dr Ruffell’s blend of deep tech knowledge and leadership experience puts him in a strong position to guide the company’s next chapter.
