Management Team

Executive Board

Dr. Thomas Renner

Chief Sales Officer (CSO) & President

With a background in ultrashort laser development and a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Munich, Thomas Renner combines a passion for photonics with a strong sense for markets and customers.
He started his career at Baasel Lasertech in 1995, first in R&D and later as Head of Innovation and Marketing, where he helped develop new markets for laser micromachining. Thomas joined TOPTICA in 2005 and has played a key role in shaping our market approach ever since. His focus remains clear: understanding what our customers need and turning great technology into lasting success.

Dr. Mathias Schindler

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Mathias Schindler combines a strong engineering background with a passion for turning technological excellence into reliable processes and scalable production.
He earned his Diploma and PhD in Electrical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University, working on topics ranging from THz spectroscopy and high-k thin films to bioelectronic sensors at Forschungszentrum Jülich. He then joined Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH as a process engineer and later became Head of Electronic Manufacturing. Mathias joined TOPTICA in 2016 and took our volume manufacturing capabilities to the next level. 

Fabian Uhl

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Fabian Uhl brings together a strong financial background, international experience and a deep understanding of technology driven businesses.
After studying auditing and taxation at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Stuttgart, he started his career at KPMG. He later earned a master’s degree in finance and international business from Aarhus School of Business in Denmark and joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in Munich, working in Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services. Following positions in the aviation industry and as Vice President Finance & Administration at Proteros Biostructures, Fabian joined TOPTICA in 2019. Today, he creates the financial foundation for sustainable growth, connecting business perspective with the scientific and technological ambition that drives TOPTICA.

Dr. Frank Lison

Chief Technical Officer (CTO) & President, Spokesman of the Executive Board

Frank Lison has spent his career at the intersection of photonics, technology development and entrepreneurship. He graduated from Leibniz University Hannover and received his PhD in Physics from the University of Bonn.

After starting his professional career at Bayer, Frank joined TOPTICA Photonics as VP of Research & Development in 2002. He later became CEO of TILL Photonics and, following its acquisition by FEI, Managing Director of FEI Munich, where he was responsible for the company’s global cell and tissue biology business. After several years as an independent consultant in the photonics industry, with a particular focus on start-ups, Frank returned to the TOPTICA family in 2016 as CEO of TOPTICA Projects. In 2026, he transitioned into his role as CTO and member of the Executive Board of TOPTICA Photonics, bringing his broad technological and entrepreneurial experience.

Management

Mark Tolbert

President TOPTICA Photonics USA
(TOPTICA Photonics Inc.)

Mark Tolbert combines a background in physics with many years of experience in international business, sales and market development.
He studied Physics at the University of Rochester and received his MBA from the Simon School of Business. Mark began his career in plastic optics as Director of Sales and Marketing at Germanow-Simon Corporation before moving into leading positions at Burleigh and EXFO. There, he focused on scientific product lines and international business and developed OEM and R&D markets in automation, nanotechnology and biophotonics. Mark joined the TOPTICA family in 2006 and has been driving our presence in the United States ever since, bringing TOPTICA technology closer to customers and research communities.

Armin Zach

Managing Director & Chief Technical Officer (CTO) TOPTICA Projects

(TOPTICA Projects GmbH)

Armin Zach’s journey with TOPTICA goes back to our early start-up days. He graduated in biomedical engineering and precision engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Ulm in 1998. During his diploma thesis in Prof. Hänsch’s group at Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, he discovered his enthusiasm for laser physics and joined the young TOPTICA soon afterwards.

Over the following years, Armin worked on the research and development of semiconductor lasers and ultrafast fiber lasers, contributing to technologies that later became part of TOPTICA Photonics’ product portfolio. He subsequently headed R&D activities in fiber lasers and frequency comb technology.

Claus Heitmann

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) TOPTICA EAGLEYARD

(Eagleyard Photonics GmbH)

For Claus Heitmann, THINKING BEYOND is more than a company mindset. It describes the way he approaches technology, business and customer challenges.

Claus joined TOPTICA EAGLEYARD in 2020 and has since shaped the company’s growth and strategic positioning. With almost 25 years of industry experience, including positions at Siemens, Infineon and Lumics, as well as the successful integration of his own company C2GO into TRUMPF, he brings a broad perspective on markets, innovation and entrepreneurship. His focus is on looking beyond the obvious, understanding customers’ visions and turning them into meaningful opportunities. He is particularly passionate about projects that combine technological and commercial success with a positive impact beyond the business itself.

Dr. Nicholas Traynor

President TOPTICA France

(TOPTICA Photonics SAS)

Nicholas Traynor brings 30 years of experience in the research, development and innovation of optical amplifiers and laser technology.

Following an academic career at ORC Southampton and the University of Melbourne, Nicholas held positions at Corning, Photonics Bretagne and Alphanov. In 2010, he founded Azurlight Systems with a strong focus on high power, single frequency fiber lasers for quantum technology and metrology applications.
Over the following 13 years, Azurlight Systems grew successfully before joining the TOPTICA family in 2023 and becoming TOPTICA Photonics SAS. Today, Nicholas continues to drive the team and its technology forward, combining scientific expertise with the entrepreneurial mindset that has shaped the company from the beginning.

Taro Saito

President TOPTICA Japan

(TOPTICA Photonics K.K.)

Taro Saito combines commercial experience with an in-depth understanding of the Japanese photonics market.

He began his career in the financial industry before discovering the world of lasers. For nearly 20 years, he worked at laser trading company Indeco, primarily serving customers in optical communications and semiconductor applications. In 2011, he became Director of Sales & Marketing. In 2016, Taro established TOPTICA Photonics K.K. and has been growing our presence in Japan ever since. Under his leadership, TOPTICA has continued to expand its business across both scientific and industrial markets, building strong relationships with customers throughout Japan.

Jason FU (FU Lei)

General Manager TOPTICA China

(TOPTICA Photonics (China) Co., Ltd.)

Jason FU combines a strong background in optical engineering with extensive experience in the Chinese photonics market.

After earning his master’s degree in optical engineering from Tianjin University in 2007, Jason started his career in the optical instrumentation industry, focusing on sales and marketing for gas sensing and LiDAR applications. He later spent more than ten years as Sales Manager at Universal Technology Hong Kong, TOPTICA’s distributor in China until 2019. During this time, he developed a deep understanding of our products, markets and customers. Jason joined TOPTICA Photonics China during its early days and played an important role in building the local organization. Today, he leads the team across sales, service and administration, strengthening TOPTICA’s presence and customer relationships in China.

Dr. Wilhelm Kaenders

Founder

For Wilhelm Kaenders, fascination with light has always been more than a profession. It has been the driving force behind TOPTICA from the very beginning.

His journey started in cold atom physics as a PhD student at the Institute of Quantum Optics in Hannover in Prof. Meschede’s group, followed by his work with the technology of Prof. Hänsch’s group at the Max Planck Institute in Garching. This scientific foundation sparked the business idea around tunable diode laser technology that would eventually become TOPTICA. From frequency division in the early days to frequency combing today, Wilhelm’s curiosity and passion for precision have helped shape TOPTICA’s scientific product portfolio and its path into new and growing markets. As founder, he shaped the company not only through technology, but through the enthusiasm for photonics that remains at the heart of TOPTICA today. Wilhelm served on the Executive Board until September 2026.