Glasgow remote sensor pioneer Novosound unveils key hire to further drive growth

Simon Patterson, a graduate in materials chemistry from the University of Edinburgh, has been appointed chief commercial officer, joining the firm from Innospection in Aberdeen.

Patterson has spent the last decade working in senior commercial roles at companies servicing global energy and industrial markets, including Aker Solutions and TechnipFMC.

Novosound’s patented thin-film manufacturing process, which is said to eliminate conventional limitations in ultrasound sensors including the high cost of high-resolution imaging, underpins the company’s non-destructive testing products - the Kelpie, Belenus, and Nebula.

Simon Patterson, Dave Hughes, and Katie Fergus of Novosound. Picture: Stewart Attwood

The firm recently announced a series of contract wins, including with aerospace groups BAE Systems and GE Aviation, and Israeli-based digital health company dSound.

Chief executive and co-founder Dave Hughes said: “Simon brings global experience in the non-destructive testing industry, which is a great fit as we begin to ramp up sales in the UK and other territories including Europe and North America.”

Katie Fergus has also joined the company, joining from Crux Production Design in Bristol.

Fergus, who was previously at Dutch electronics giant Philips, is now on board as a project manager where she will work closely with a number of Novosound’s customers including dSound.

Meanwhile, Karen Robertson, who joined Novosound as a production manager in 2020, has been promoted to operations manager.

Hughes added: “As we continue to strengthen our team, we’re really pleased to have Katie join the fold, and Karen’s new role reflects the significant and positive impression she has made during her time with the business.”

The firm is planning further hires during 2022, including a number of software engineers.

In December 2019, Novosound, which was the first spin-out from the University of the West of Scotland, secured a £3.3 million investment round led by private equity investment management firm Foresight Group (via the Foresight Williams Technology EIS Fund).

Par Equity, Kelvin Capital, Gabriel Investments and Scottish Enterprise also participated in the funding round.

The firm’s Kelpie sensor flexes, twists and bends to inspect difficult shapes and surfaces. The pandemic has increased demand for remote monitoring to advance safety and efficiency.

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