Canatu strengthens its executive leadership with new CTO and CMO appointments
Canatu Plc
Press Release
13.7.2026 at 10:30 a.m. EEST
Canatu strengthens its executive leadership with new CTO and CMO appointments.
Canatu appoints a new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), completing its executive leadership team and reinforcing the company’s ability to further scale its product development and accelerate commercial execution through closer alignment between innovation, customer, and market needs.
Vantaa, Finland – [13.7.2026] – Canatu Plc has made two key appointments to its executive leadership team. Walter Braun will join as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Bernd Meier as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), both taking effect on the 1st of September 2026.
“These appointments form a strong foundation for the next phase of the company’s development," says Maximilian Slawinski, Chief Executive Officer of Canatu. "Walter and Bernd bring an impressive track record of leadership that combines deep technical expertise with strong commercial execution, which is key to accelerating innovation, bringing new products to the market faster, and strengthening our customer understanding. These capabilities are essential as we scale the business and build long-term value for our customers and shareholders.”
Reinforcing technology leadership
As Chief Technology Officer, Walter Braun will lead the continued advancement and industrialization of Canatu’s technology.
Walter is an experienced international technology executive with over 20 years of leadership in industrial automation, semiconductor equipment, and advanced manufacturing systems. He has a strong track record in scaling high-complexity production environments, leading global operations, and driving organizational transformation across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Prior to joining Canatu, he held senior executive roles at Scrona AG, SÜSS MicroTec SE, Manz AG, and Homag Machinery Shanghai, where he led large-scale industrial ramp-ups and significant growth initiatives through operational transformation and excellence.
"Canatu has built a remarkable foundation with its unique technology. I am thrilled to join the team at such a pivotal moment. My focus will be on accelerating the industrialization of our platform to meet demanding global market needs. Together, we will reinforce Canatu's technology leadership and drive deep-tech innovation into high volume commercial success.” – says Walter Braun, CTO at Canatu.
Walter’s expertise provides a strong foundation for further development and scaling of Canatu’s technologyacross demanding industrial environments.
Walter Braun, CTO, Canatu
Building commercial excellence and execution
As Chief Marketing Officer, Bernd Meier will lead sales, marketing, and business development at Canatu.
Bernd brings over 25 years of international sales, product management, and executive leadership experience in the semiconductor, industrial technology, and robotics markets, with a proven track record of accelerating growth, expanding market share, and building high-performing global commercial organizations. Most recently, he served as Vice President, Global Service Sales at Teradyne Robotics, where he defined the global go-to-market strategy, rapidly grew the OEM business, and built a global After-Sales & Service organization. Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at Semikron Danfoss and Infineon Technologies, where he led large-scale go-to-market transformations, developed high-performing global channel structures, and drove the transition toward recurring, service-driven business models.
"I feel very honored to be able to join Canatu - the innovator in the field of Carbon Nanotubes - in the role of CMO, defining and driving the sales and marketing strategy for the future and taking Canatu to the next level of growth. I am deeply impressed about the technology, products, and manufacturing capabilities the Canatu team has developed and introduced during the last decade. Many thanks to Maximilian Slawinski and Timo Ahopelto for their trust and confidence in me. I am looking very much forward to working with our customers, partners, and the whole Canatu team." – says Bernd Meier, CMO at Canatu.
Bernd Meier, CMO, Canatu
Future-proof leadership foundation
These strategic additions complete the newly formed executive leadership team of Canatu, enabling the company to accelerate productization, internationalization and commercial execution.
Additional information
Maximilian Slawinski, CEO, maximilian.slawinski@canatu.com
Mikko Vesterinen, CFO, mikko.vesterinen@canatu.com
Certified adviser
DNB Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ), tel. +46 (0) 8 588 685 70
About Canatu
Canatu (CANATU, Nasdaq First North, Finland) is a deep technology scaleup company creating advanced carbon nanotubes (Canatu CNTs), related products, and manufacturing equipment for the semiconductor, robotics, mobility and defence, and medical diagnostics industries. Canatu partners with forerunner companies, together transforming products for better tomorrows with nano carbon.
Canatu’s versatile platform technology has broad potential applications. Its current core includes CNT membranes for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) processes in the semiconductor industry, enabling more effective manufacturing of the most advanced chips. Additionally, electrochemical sensors for medical diagnostics are in the development phase. Canatu’s patented CNT reactors and dry deposition method yield clean and pristine CNTs. The company operates through two business models: selling CNT products directly, as well as selling CNT reactors and licensing the related technology so that customers can produce CNT products under a limited license.
Headquartered in Finland, Canatu also operates in the US, Japan and Taiwan. Founded in 2004 as a spin-off from Aalto University’s Nanomaterials Group, Canatu currently has 185 full-time equivalent employees representing over 35 nationalities, with nearly 20% holding or pursuing doctorates. Discover more at www.canatu.com and follow us on LinkedIn.