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Martin McHugh to step down as CSA Catapult CEO

Date: 02.09.2024

A smiling man with gray hair stands in front of a backdrop featuring solar panels and a sunset sky. He is dressed in a dark suit and has his hands loosely clasped in front of him, embodying a sense of serene confidence. - CSA Catapult

Martin McHugh, Chief Executive Officer of CSA Catapult, plans to retire at the end of March 2025 and therefore step down from the CEO role. The Catapult is now looking for a new CEO to lead all strategic and operational activities. 

Martin McHugh joined the Catapult in 2019, initially as Chief Technology Officer. He became CEO in 2020 and was responsible for leading the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic, growing from 68 to around 100 people today. He played a leading role in the South Wales compound semiconductor cluster. In 2023, he led the expansion of the Catapult into clusters of compound semiconductor expertise across the UK. The Catapult has established a Future Telecoms Hub in Bristol and opened offices in the North East of England and Scotland.  

With over 40 years industry experience in sales, research and development, Martin McHugh will have a legacy. Since becoming CEO, CSA Catapult has created significant value for UK industry, leading key collaborative research and development programmes such as @FutureBEV, ESCAPE and Secure 5G. In that time, he led engagement with companies like BMW, McLaren Applied, BT Group and National Gas. CSA Catapult has a series of international strategic international partnerships with organisations in Taiwan, India and Malaysia to strengthen UK supply chains.  

CSA Catapult has an estimated GVA contribution of £600m and a long-term benefit to multi-factor productivity in the UK economy of between £55.7m and £85.7m, according to independent research.  

Since Martin McHugh became CEO, the Catapult has worked with around 128 SMEs, £18.6m of collaborative research and development projects were secured and 2,827 jobs created, secured and safeguarded. 

CSA Catapult’s internal analysis shows that between 2018-23, SMEs who have worked with the Catapult have secured £488m worth of private funding, £210m more than the comparator group who collectively raised £276.8m. SMEs supported by CSA Catapult grew employment faster and raised more investment and had greater asset growth.  

During his time at the Catapult, Martin created a community for the future, through industry convening, working with government and skills development. He led the way in creating opportunities in regions across the UK to develop new technology clusters and UK supply chains.  

“I would like to thank Martin for his inspirational leadership of the Catapult. His legacy will be the strong ecosystem that he and his team have set up across academia, industry and government. He has created a recognised community in compound semiconductors across the UK, by supporting the team and taking the time to inspire young people to become part of this industry. He successfully led CSA Catapult through COVID, created growth and supported industry in delivering key programmes that will help deliver Net Zero. He has collaborated with leaders nationally and internationally, creating a formidable reputation for the Catapult as a trusted neutral convener.  

"In the next five years, the Catapult will grow its commercial income generation as well as its impact, one of the key performance measures for the company. It will develop its technology clusters and local supply chains across the UK, creating a network of regional support hubs in areas of significant national strength and importance, including in areas such as quantum sensing, healthcare, defence and space. It will lead the industry by creating more prototypes, building on experience in automotive power electronics technologies to address new market opportunities. We are looking for an exceptional leader to take us to the next level.” 

Jonathan Flint, Chair of the Board, CSA Catapult

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