POET Technologies Inc. announced that its Chief Operating Officer Dr. Subhash Deshmukh, resigned effective January 13, 2017 and will assume a new part-time role as special advisor to the CEO where he is expected to drive and lead special projects for the company. The company's Chief Financial Officer Thomas Mika, will fill the position Dr. Deshmukh previously on its Board of Directors meeting. Also effective as of January 13, the position of Corporate Chief Technology Officer has been eliminated. Consequently, Desimone is no longer with the company, and the role of CTO will be assumed by its Chief Executive Officer Dr. Suresh Venkatesan, who is intimately familiar with and had already been overseeing POET's technological development and product roadmap.