Wolfratshausen, Germany – October 2026
SmartRay has appointed Clare Rathsack as Managing Director. Clare, who has been with the company since 2018, assumed the role in September 2026 and has full responsibility for SmartRay’s operations, including research and development, sales, service and customer relationships.
Co-founder and majority shareholder Mathias Reiter continues in his role as Managing Director, focusing on future technologies and long-term innovation beyond the current product roadmap.
At SmartRay, Clare initially held roles in marketing and sales channel management before taking over as Business Unit Manager for the ECCO sensor family in 2020, with full P&L responsibility. Over six years in this role, she gained extensive international management experience: she built SmartRay’s global partner network across Asia, Europe and the US, and played a key role in establishing the company’s own operations in China and South Korea, including selecting and hiring the local teams.
Before joining SmartRay, Clare spent seven years at Cognex, a global leader in machine vision, and previously worked at Fujifilm and ABB. With more than 20 years of experience in industrial technology, she brings extensive industry knowledge and a strong understanding of international markets and customer needs. She holds an Executive MBA from Warwick Business School.
Clare Rathsack commented:
“SmartRay has excellent technology, strong customer relationships and a highly skilled team. My focus is on building these strengths, working closely with our customers, connecting our development even more tightly with their needs, and maintaining a clear focus on execution. I look forward to doing this together with the team and with Mathias.”
Mathias Reiter, co-founder and majority shareholder of SmartRay, commented:
“Placing SmartRay’s operational leadership in Clare’s hands is a deliberate step to prepare the company for its next generation. Clare is highly focused: she sets clear, achievable goals and enables people to reach them. She builds efficient organisations and motivates her teams to go the extra mile. With her clear understanding of our business, she has what it takes to lead SmartRay, and she has my full confidence. I will continue to focus on exploring future technologies and driving long-term innovation, while Clare takes full responsibility for leading and developing SmartRay’s business.”
About SmartRay
Founded in 2005 and based in Wolfratshausen, Germany, SmartRay GmbH develops 3D sensors based on laser triangulation and software for industrial machine vision. Its solutions are used in automotive, battery, consumer electronics, semiconductor and solar manufacturing. With its own operations in China and South Korea and a global partner network, SmartRay serves customers worldwide.