Robert Lamb is the Chief Research and Technology Officer for Electronics Division at Leonardo. He began his research career in 1986 at MOD in laser physics and in 1996 he initiated research into single photon counting lidar for remote sensing.
In 1999 he was awarded a three-year MOD research fellowship to investigate the use of ultrashort pulse supercontiuum lasers for remote sensing with atmospheric filamentation, during which he transferred to QinetiQ. He was appointed a QinetiQ Fellow in 2006. He led the Future Systems Group in Selex (now Leonardo) and was subsequently appointed CTO for EO Systems in 2009 where he led applied research in novel laser techniques, lidar, photonics, computational image processing, additive manufacturing and quantum technology. He has established several close collaborations with academia, especially in photonics, quantum sensing and neuromorphic processing, supervising numerous PhD students and linking academic research to Leonardo’s applied research programmes and future technology strategy.
In 2021 he was appointed CRTO to oversee emerging and strategic academic research for Leonardo’s Electronics Division, linking it to government strategies for semiconductors, quantum technologies, metamaterials and photonics. He has now initiated research into the use of quantum information processing techniques and integrated photonics for optical data processing and optical communications.
He represents Leonardo on the MOD/EPSRC Defence Academic Pathways Steering Group, is a Fellow and VP (Business) of the Institute of Physics, an Honorary Professor of Physics at Heriot-Watt University and he is the UK industry representative for NATO’s Sensing Technology (SET) Scientific and Technical Committee (STC).
Professor Lamb joined the SSAC on 1 October 2026.
