Simin Cai
President and CEO, Go!Foton
Leadership Styles and Teams in the Corporate Environment
Discover the critical qualities of successful leaders from entry-level to CEO and learn about the values and characteristics that Go!Foton cherishes in its leaders. Explore how diverse personalities and perspectives can strengthen teams and drive innovation.
About the Speaker
Simin Cai serves as President and CEO for Go!Foton – an optics technology company he founded in 2009 through a management buyout with operations in US, Japan, Philippines and China. Go!Foton brings innovation to the market with its expertise in optics and photonics to solve real world problems for its customers. Simin’s strategy of vertical integration downstream with core competencies helps Go!Foton to grow rapidly in optical communication market serving brand name customers including Tier 1 services providers and OEMs. Go!Foton also serves customers in medical devices market.
Before creating the company in 2009, Simin joined NSG America, a wholly-owned US subsidiary of Tokyo-based NSG Group, as a Regional Sales Manager in January 1998 and worked in various sales, marketing, and business development positions before being promoted to President and COO in 2001 and later CEO in 2005.
Prior to joining NSG, Simin had worked for several start-up companies involved in optics and optical instrumentation and participated in the founding of Avanex, now part of Lumentum, after several mergers and acquisitions. Simin started his career with China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) in 1988. Simin also served two terms on Corporate Associates Committee, and later a two-year term as Chair of OIDA, now Corporate Engagement Council at OPTICA. He also served a term on OPTICA’s Board and its Finance Council. Currently, he serves on the Board of OPTICA Foundation. Simin is a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine where he shares his perspectives with other entrepreneurs.
Simin holds a BS degree in Applied Physics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China, a Master of Engineering degree in Engineering Optics, and a Ph.D. degree in Physics, both from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.
