BrainChip Holdings has appointed Sean Hehir, a proven technology executive with significant experience in driving explosive revenue growth for the world’s largest technology organizations, as Chief Executive Officer. He would guide the company towards full commercialization of its Akida neuromorphic computing platforms out of the new North American offices in Laguna Hills, California.

Sean Hehir “I’m excited to join BrainChip at this pivotal time in their history. It is a time when the company is heavily invested in working with partners that will benefit from AI at the edge. I believe my experience in building strong relationships with top-tier global clients will prove beneficial to BrainChip as they enter this next phase of growth. Preparing for the broad commercial launch of Akida silicon and intellectual property will be my top priority, so BrainChip can begin its transformation from a company developing groundbreaking AI technology to a company supplying cutting-edge markets like automotive, transportation, consumer, aerospace, medical, and industrial IoT with the best AI technology available.”

Hehir’s track record of organizational development, strategic alliances, and go-to-market programs have driven revenue growth for large technology organizations, including HP, Compaq, and Fusion-io. As a relationship-builder, he has executed programs and partnerships with companies such as Microsoft, Intel, AMD, Oracle, Cisco, SAP, and Accenture. He currently serves as a board member of the Silicon Valley Executive Network and holds a bachelor’s in business from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst plus an MBA from Georgia State University.

Antonio J. Viana, member of BrainChip’s board of directors and chair of its Remuneration and Nomination Committee says “We are delighted to have Sean join us. Sean’s strength in building strategic relationships with top global technology providers, and his ability to lead companies to major revenue stages, made him stand out to the board during our search. We look forward to Sean making a major impact, from product marketing and alliances to stakeholder and employee engagement.”

The Akida NSoC and intellectual property can be used in applications including Smart Home, Smart Health, Smart City and Smart Transportation. These applications include but are not limited to home automation and remote controls, industrial IoT, robotics, security cameras, sensors, unmanned aircraft, autonomous vehicles, medical instruments, object detection, sound detection, odor and taste detection, gesture control and cybersecurity.

Peter van der Made, co-founder and CTO, BrainChip says,  “As outgoing (interim) CEO, I welcome Sean to the company and am happy to hand over the reins of a world-class company that is in an excellent position to commercialize our unique product that is years ahead of the competition. We have every confidence that Sean is the right executive to guide BrainChip into the future, to make sound decisions about the business opportunities before us and ignite industry enthusiasm for the new AI capabilities made possible by Akida. After more than a decade of R&D and design, he will lead the shift into commercialization and bringing new technologies to life, which has long been our vision.”