After gaining a PhD in Laser Physics at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Dr Andrew Robertson came to the Bay in 2000 as part of the influx of highly skilled technical people drawn to the area by the global telecommunications giants Nortel and JDS Uniphase, located in Paignton and Torquay respectively. Following the collapse of the dot.com bubble in 2002, Andrew decided to remain in South West Devon and was one of the founders of SIFAM Fibre Optics, which has, after its successful sale to Somerset based photonics company, Gooch & Housego PLC, become the largest Hi-Tech company in Torbay, employing over 200 people at a cutting edge, modern facility in Broomhill Way. 

A passionate advocate of photonics and micro-electronics, Andrew has served as a board-member on a number of local, national and international Hi-Tech organizations aimed at creating an effective platform for representing industrial, R&D and other relevant stakeholders in a cohesive manner to enable the fostering of collaboration and innovation as well as providing resources and influence to facilitate the growth of business opportunities. Andrew has served on the board of the SouthWest Microelectronics iNet, Photonics21, the Photonic Leadership Group (PLG). As current Chair of the Torbay Hi-Tech Cluster, Andrew represents a membership of globally renowned companies that employ over 600 people in and around Torbay.

Andrew was intimately involved from an early proposal stage in the successful bid to secure funding for what is now the brand new, £8M, Electronics & Photonics Innovation Centre (EPIC) located at White Rock Business Park, Paignton. Opened in 2019, the EPIC centre provides a modern facility with a flexible mixture of laboratory and office space dedicated to Hi-Tech companies. Andrew is currently Research & Innovation Manager at Bay Photonics, located in the EPIC Centre.