Sallmard takes control of Forth Photonics

STEPHANE Sallmard, the former chief executive of eye-scanning group Optos, has taken day-to-day control of medical devices company Forth Photonics following the sudden departure of its chief executive.

Fiona Lowrie, who has headed Forth since 2007, has left the group to "embark on a new business opportunity" which was not disclosed yesterday.

Sallmard, who floated Optos in 2006 and now chairs Forth, insisted Lowrie had indicated a desire to leave the company last summer, resigning in October.

"It was the natural end of a phase," Sallmard said of Lowrie's tenure, praising her work in developing the group's strategy and recruiting staff for its next phase of improved commercial development. Last year Lowrie led a 7 million fundraising – worth 6.1m at the time.

Based in Livingston, Forth Photonics has developed a technology for non-invasive detection of diseases. Its first product, which detects cancer in the cervix, has been launched in several European countries, with regulatory approval for a launch in the US expected within months.

Lowrie said yesterday: "I'm proud of what we've achieved in my time at Forth Photonics both for the business and for women, for whom the early detection of cervical cancer is vitally important."

Sallmard, who has chaired Forth Photonics since 2007, dismissed the prospect of taking on the role of chief executive permanently, saying he had "no ambition" to take on the role again.