Dialight CFO Resigns, Adding to Company’s Executive Turnover
Earlier today, we reported that Dialight’s CFO, Carolyn Zhang, has resigned. We contacted the company for comment and hoped to hear back by the end of the business day. However, as Dialight is based in the UK, we hope to hear from them on Tuesday.
This departure marks another significant shift in Dialight’s executive ranks. On 31 January, then-CEO Fariyal Khanbabi shared her enthusiasm about Zhang’s appointment as Group CFO, stating, “We are delighted to announce Carolyn’s appointment as our Group CFO.” Yet, just 16 days later, Khanbabi stepped down and was replaced by Steve Blair.
In a press release issued this morning, Dialight explained that Ms. Zhang has left her position as Group Chief Financial Officer for personal reasons, effective immediately. While personal reasons are common in executive departures, Dialight has seen an exceptionally high turnover rate in recent years.
Our 25 September article on Dialight’s legal troubles highlighted the company’s pattern of leadership changes, noting that it has seen six CEOs since 2015:
- Roy Burton
- Richard Stuckes
- Michael Sutsko
- Martin Rapp
- Fariyal Khanbabi
- Steve Blair
This frequent turnover reflects a need for stability within the company. Ms. Zhang’s resignation adds to Dialight’s ongoing challenges in establishing a steady leadership team.
Notably, a quick search of Dialight’s website shows an empty page for the management team, with the same result appearing on Safari and Chrome. This vacancy raises further questions about transparency and continuity within the company’s leadership.
We’ll update you as soon as we receive additional information from the company.