POET Technologies Names New Finance Chief
Vendors and partners of POET should track the handover and the first quarterly earnings calls under new financial leadership.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
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POET Technologies has appointed Giovanni M. Pacelli as Chief Financial Officer, effective November 2, 2026, succeeding Thomas Mika, who served as CFO for ten years. Mika will remain with the company through December 2, 2026 to support the transition.
Why it matters
A CFO transition at a company that has raised more than $800 million over the past decade places financial oversight, capital planning, and reporting cadence in new hands at a critical stage. Operators tracking capital-intensive photonics and semiconductor-adjacent suppliers will want to watch how the new finance leadership handles reporting and funding.
POET granted Pacelli 384,615 restricted share units under its 2025 Omnibus Incentive Plan, vesting in thirds over three years, and the company reports more than $800 million raised over the past decade. Mika held the CFO role for ten years, while Pacelli brings roughly three decades of financial leadership experience.
The players
POET Technologies
A Toronto-headquartered photonics company with operations in Singapore, Penang, Malaysia, and Shenzhen, China, that develops optical interconnect and light-based chip technologies.
Giovanni M. Pacelli
Incoming CFO with roughly three decades of financial leadership experience across Freescale Semiconductor, NXP, and Silicon Labs, and a licensed Texas CPA.
Thomas Mika
Outgoing CFO who served POET for ten years and will remain with the company through December 2, 2026 to support the transition.
The details
Pacelli joins from Silicon Labs, where he served as Senior Director of Finance, and previously held financial leadership roles at Freescale Semiconductor and NXP. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Texas and holds a Master in Professional Accounting and a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin. He will oversee financial operations and strategy alongside the executive leadership team and Board of Directors, while Mika remains through December 2, 2026 to support the handover.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: Pacelli's appointment as CFO takes effect.
November 16, 2026: POET reports third-quarter 2026 financial results.
December 2, 2026: Mika remains with the company through this date to support the transition.
Market Landscape
Pacelli's background at Freescale Semiconductor, NXP, and Silicon Labs places him in the semiconductor finance talent pool that smaller photonics firms increasingly draw from. The hire follows that pattern, bringing established chipmaker reporting discipline into a company operating across Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, and China.
Operators who supply to or partner with POET should note the handover of financial oversight and the first earnings calls under new finance leadership. Reviewing payment and reporting expectations in upcoming quarters is a sensible step for any vendor or partner with an exposure to the company.
The takeaway
Track POET's third-quarter results on November 16, 2026 and the first quarterly earnings call under new finance leadership to see how reporting and capital priorities evolve. Partners with payment or delivery exposure should file those results and review terms against them.
What happens next
POET Technologies will report third-quarter 2026 financial results on November 16, 2026, and intends to host an earnings conference call each quarter beginning with fourth-quarter and full-year 2026 results.
Further reading
For more on how leadership moves like this one fit into the wider business landscape, explore our People coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
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