Peter Fendel

Peter Fendel serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Thorlabs since December 2012, where responsibilities include shaping the strategic direction for global research and development across diverse business units in lasers, photonics, and quantum technologies. Fendel previously held the position of Director of the Laser Division at Thorlabs, overseeing financial performance, R&D roadmap, and operations management. Co-founding idesta Quantum Electronics, Fendel contributed as a CEO and Board Member, guiding technical and operational strategies for ultrafast laser technologies. Other professional experiences include roles as Ultrafast Laser Program Manager at Coherent, General Manager at Menlo Systems Inc., and Visiting Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Fendel holds a PhD in Physics from Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München and has a Diplom in Physics from the University of Essen, Germany.