Board of Directors
Mark Donaldson is a renowned expert in active noise control and an accomplished business leader with over two decades of experience in nurturing innovative audio technology companies from inception to successful exits. He recently spearheaded SoundChip SA, a world-leading supplier of active noise cancellation solutions, including silicon, software and acoustics, overseeing its growth and subsequent acquisition by DSP Group, a Nasdaq-listed semiconductor company, now part of Synaptics, Inc. M. Donaldson holds both Honours (First Class) and Masters (with Distinction) degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Digital Signal Processing from the University of Auckland. His accolades include Unlimited Magazine’s 2005 “Ones to Watch” and winner of the 2007 EY Entrepreneur of the Year in Technology.
Dr. Ben Skelton brings over 25 years of experience as a seasoned industry executive and a broad specialist across the automotive, semiconductor, industrial, and consumer electronics sectors. His expertise lies in the productisation and commercialisation of emerging technologies, and covers product planning, product development, and operational excellence informed by data. Dr. Skelton combines business acumen with technical savvy, and has established a track record of supporting emerging technology companies achieve sustainable commercial success.
Jonathon Beuchat is an experienced Swiss finance and accounting professional. He has collaborated with industry leaders in the pharmaceutical, legal, and consulting realms, both domestically and abroad. Mr. Beuchat is a founder of DYN Group, an alliance of enterprises specialising in accounting, finance, auditing, tax services, and insurance brokerage. Since 2010, DYN Group has taken pride in providing lean financial management services to successful high-growth start-ups, aiding in their financial structuring and reporting. A fluent speaker of English, French, and Spanish, Mr. Beuchat is skilled in international business. His work is characterised by a passionate drive and a staunch dedication to achieving excellence.
Technical Advisory Board
Dr. Hervé Lissek has been leading the Acoustics Research Group at EPFL for two decades, focusing on electroacoustics, active noise control, and signal processing. His innovations include the “electroacoustic absorber,” which turns loudspeakers into low-frequency absorbers, the “electroacoustic metamaterial,” which redefines acoustic physics with small speaker arrays, and the “plasmacoustic metalayer,” using ionized air to absorb sound. Dr. Lissek has collaborated with industry leaders like Safran Group, Stellantis, PSI Audio, Sonova, and Logitech. He has published approximately 100 scientific papers and holds 10 patent families.
Dr. Duleepa J. Thrimawithana earned his BE in Electrical Engineering (First Class Honors) in 2005 and his Ph.D. in Power Electronics in 2009 from the University of Auckland. From 2005 to 2008, he worked as a Research Engineer with Tru-Test Ltd., focusing on power converters and high-voltage pulse generators. Since 2009, he has been an Associate Professor at the University of Auckland. Dr. Thrimawithana has co-authored over 100 publications and holds 25 patent families in wireless power transfer. In 2014, he received the Jim and Hazel D. Lord Fellowship for his contributions as an early-career researcher. His research areas include wireless power transfer, power electronics, cryogenic electronics, and renewable energy.
