Coherent Divests Defense Unit to Advent, Launches Attalon with 500 Employees Led by John Bergeron
Coherent Corp has divested its aerospace and defense business to Advent International, forming the independent company Attalon with over 500 U.S. employees and John Bergeron as CEO. This divestiture refocuses Coherent on its core photonics markets and removes its defense revenue stream, potentially altering future revenue mix.
1. Coherent to Showcase Leadership at SPIE BiOS and Photonics West 2026
Coherent will have eight senior executives and technical experts presenting in 14 thought leadership sessions over six days (January 17–22, 2026) at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Chief Marketing Officer Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi will lead a panel on co-packaged optics for data infrastructure on January 20, while Aditya Suresh, Leigh Graham, Riyaz Mohammed Abdul Khadar, Bernd Köhler, Jörg Neukum, Joshua Bradford, Robin Rammelsberg, Alexander Fox, Vartan V. Ter-Mikirtychev and Clemence Jollivet cover topics ranging from bio-compatible specialty fibers and multiphoton microscopy to high-power semiconductor lasers, inertial fusion energy pump modules, double-clad Tm-doped fibers, HTS-tape production, potassium terbium fluoride crystals and Er-doped fiber comparisons. These sessions highlight Coherent’s R&D depth in advanced laser architectures, specialty materials and precision processing techniques.
2. Investor Implications and Exhibition Strategy
In addition to its speaking program, Coherent will exhibit its latest lasers, materials, fibers and optical components at Booth 4805 from January 20–22, inviting more than 5,000 expected industry attendees to explore commercial and industrial applications. The company’s presence at the world’s largest photonics trade fair reinforces its market leadership across datacenter, communications and industrial segments. Investors should note Coherent operates in over 20 countries with a diversified global customer base, leveraging its broad technology stack and supply-chain resilience to drive continued revenue growth and margin expansion through new product introductions and deeper end-market penetration.