Harwin has appointed its Chief Revenue Officer, Andrew McQuilken, to the role of CEO. William de Laszlo, formerly Co-Chair with Damon de Laszlo, becomes the company’s sole Executive Chair.
Founded in 1952, the company is one of the world’s leading connector manufacturers and is headquartered in Portsmouth, UK.
Specialising in advanced hardware for extreme environments, the company’s high-reliability connector portfolios can be found across a wide range of applications that undergo high vibration, G-forces, and temperature or atmospheric extremes – including military jets, satellites, and racing cars.
The company’s portfolio of industrial and embedded connectors has also been integrated into a diverse array of applications – from EVs to commercial UAVs to medical systems.
Andrew McQuilken joined Harwin in 1999 and has served as Chief Revenue Officer, Sales Director and Executive Manager.
Damon’s retirement also means William de Laszlo, formerly Co-Chair with Damon, becomes the company’s sole Executive Chair. William has served on the board of Harwin since 2001.
Speaking at a handover event, Andrew McQuilken said: “It is an honour to have worked with Damon. Recent years have seen significant growth, both in terms of scope and our geographic reach, and has given such a strong platform for growth in what will be a pivotal moment in our company’s history.
“I’m delighted to say the new Portsmouth manufacturing facility is well under way, our product development is arguably the most advanced it’s ever been, our manufacturing team is truly outstanding and the leadership team is in an exceptionally strong position, not just from long-standing people, like William [de Laszlo], but also through strategic hires, for example our new Chief Operations Officer, Jon [Churchill].
“So, thank you Damon. And I look forward to continuing to work with you all in the years ahead.”
The construction of Harwin’s £30 million manufacturing facility began in February and is scheduled for completion in 2026. The facility will double Harwin’s manufacturing capacity and uses novel design techniques, combined with renewable energy generation to minimise the building’s impact on the local environment.
