Quantum computing giant Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) has appointed former HSBC Bank CEO, Colin Bell, to its board.
Bell is also a non-executive director at Serendipity Capital and brings expertise in global banking, compliance and financial crime risk.
Prior to his CEO role at HSBC Group, he was group chief compliance officer and group head of financial crime risk at the banking giant, following senior leadership roles at UBS, including head of compliance and operational risk control.
Before entering financial services, Bell served for 16 years in the British Army, where he held a range of command and staff roles, including operational tours in Iraq and Northern Ireland.
He also held appointments with the UK Ministry of Defence and NATO, contributing to national security, defence strategy and international coordination.
He holds advanced degrees in defence, cyber and technology from King’s College London and Cranfield University, and is a Chartered Engineer as well as a Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (UK).
The appointment strengthens the board’s focus on quantum applications in financial services and enhances OQC’s depth across sovereign and critical infrastructure domains.
It comes just three weeks after Gerald Mullally took up the role of CEO of the company after spending 14 months leading OQC on an interim basis.
“OQC stands out for its clarity of vision in bringing quantum computing to sectors where security, resilience, and performance are critical,” said Bell.
“With world-class technology and scientific depth, the company is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.
“I’m excited to join the board at this pivotal moment and support OQC’s next phase of growth and global scale.”
Mullally added: “Colin’s appointment strengthens OQC’s leadership as we deliver on a clear strategy: unlocking quantum capabilities for sectors vital to national and economic security.
“Quantum is here now – and Colin’s expertise in global finance, defence and risk will be pivotal as we accelerate commercial adoption and extend our global reach.”
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