Interlink Electronics, Inc. Announces the Strategic Hire of Darren Whittaker as European Business Development Director
Rhea-AI Summary
Interlink Electronics (Nasdaq: LINK) announced the appointment of Darren Whittaker as European Business Development Director, a newly created role to support the company's organic growth strategy across Europe effective Jan 5, 2026.
Whittaker brings over 20 years of sales experience, including increasing revenue 8.3x over eight years at Teledyne FLIR and managing EMEA sales exceeding $10 million at Knowles. He has operated across the UK, Baltics, Nordics, and Israel and will focus on expanding Interlink's regional presence, OEM relationships, and commercial opportunities.
Positive
- Hired experienced leader with over 20 years of high-tech sales
- Track record: Revenue +8.3x at Teledyne FLIR over eight years
- Managed EMEA sales >$10M at Knowles, including multimillion-dollar contracts
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction 1 Alert
On the day this news was published, LINK declined 4.44%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. This price movement removed approximately $3M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $59M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus 1 Up
LINK was up 4.38% with mixed peer moves: GAUZ -11.19%, NEON +4%, ELTK -2.07%, HOLO +2.59%, RELL -1.1%. Momentum scanner only flagged LPTH at +4.10% without news, suggesting stock-specific factors rather than a broad sector move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 12 | Q3 2025 earnings | Positive | -0.2% | Reported double-digit revenue growth and margin improvement with narrower net loss. |
| Oct 20 | Conference presentation | Positive | +12.3% | LD Micro talk highlighting SBIR grant, UK acquisition LOI, and capital structure simplification. |
| Oct 16 | Conference notice | Positive | -2.3% | Announcement of LD Micro appearance and milestones including grant and preferred conversion. |
| Oct 15 | Capital structure change | Positive | -16.4% | Mandatory conversion of 8.00% Series A preferred into common shares after price trigger. |
| Oct 02 | SBIR grant award | Positive | -7.0% | Award of $200,000 FDA SBIR grant for electrochemical food-safety sensor development. |
Over the last five events, LINK often showed negative or muted price reactions to generally positive operational and financing news, with only one clear positive alignment.
In the past six months, Interlink reported steady growth, with Q3 2025 revenue of $2.96M, up 10.8% YoY, and improving gross margins and losses. Earlier, a $200,000 FDA SBIR grant supported expansion into food-safety sensors, while the company pursued a U.K. acquisition to deepen European capabilities. Capital structure was simplified via mandatory conversion of Series A preferred into common stock and a 50% stock dividend. The current European business development hire fits this ongoing focus on organic growth and international expansion.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement adds an experienced European business development director to support Interlink’s organic growth strategy in Europe. It follows a period of revenue growth, an FDA SBIR grant of $200,000, and efforts to expand through a U.K. acquisition and capital structure simplification. Investors may watch how effectively the new leader converts regional relationships and prior EMEA experience, including managing sales above $10 million, into sustained growth in the company’s targeted end markets.
Key Terms
oems technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Interlink Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq: LINK), a global leader in sensor technology and printed electronics solutions, has announced the appointment of Darren Whittaker as the European Business Development Director.
This newly created position is aimed at supporting Interlink's organic growth strategy across Europe. Whittaker will play a crucial role in implementing the company's strategic growth plan and will help expand its presence throughout the region.
Whittaker has over 20 years of sales experience in high-tech sectors. Most recently, he served as the Business Development Manager at Teledyne FLIR, where he successfully increased revenue by 8.3 times over eight years. He is recognized for his ability to identify and seize new opportunities, negotiate effectively, and build long-term relationships with OEMs. Additionally, he has managed business activities across the UK, the Baltics, the Nordics, and Israel.
Before his role at Teledyne, Whittaker managed EMEA sales exceeding
Steven Bronson, CEO of Interlink Electronics, stated, "We are committed to driving significant growth across our technology offerings globally. We are excited to have Darren as part of the Interlink team."
About Interlink Electronics, Inc.
Interlink Electronics is a leading provider of sensors and printed electronic solutions, boasting 40 years of success in delivering mission-critical technologies across diverse markets. Our customers, including global blue-chip companies, trust our products and solutions, which span various markets, including medical, industrial, automotive, wearables, IoT, and other specialty markets. Our expertise in materials science, manufacturing, embedded electronics, firmware, and software enables us to create custom solutions tailored to our customers’ unique needs.
We serve our international customer base from our corporate headquarters and proprietary gas sensor production and product development facility in Fremont, California (Silicon Valley area); our Global Product Development and Materials Science Center and distribution and logistics center in Camarillo, California; and our advanced printed-electronics manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen, China; Irvine, Scotland; and Barnsley, England. For more information, please visit www.InterlinkElectronics.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be generally identified by phrases such as “thinks,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” and similar words. Forward-looking statements in our press releases include statements about our projected financial and operating performance, our acquisition program, our strategy and prospects, and our opportunities for organic growth and synergies. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are inherently subject to uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statement. Such statements are based upon, among other things, assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management, including management’s own knowledge and assessment of the company’s industry, R&D initiatives, competition and capital requirements. Other factors and uncertainties that could affect the company’s forward-looking statements include, among other things, the following: our success in predicting new markets and the acceptance of our new products; efficient management of our infrastructure; the pace of technological developments and industry standards evolution and their effect on our target product and market choices; the effect of outsourcing technology development; changes in the ordering patterns of our customers; a decrease in the quality and/or reliability of our products; protection of our proprietary intellectual property; competition by alternative sophisticated as well as generic products; continued availability of raw materials for our products at competitive prices; disruptions in our manufacturing facilities; risks of international sales and operations including fluctuations in exchange rates and tariffs; compliance with regulatory requirements applicable to our manufacturing operations; and customer concentrations. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by our forward-looking statements are described under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our most recent Annual Report (Form 10-K) or Quarterly Report (Form 10-Q) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of the respective release, and we expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Company Contact:
Interlink Electronics, Inc.
Steven N. Bronson, CEO
LINK@IESensors.com
805-623-4184
FAQ
Who is Darren Whittaker and what role did he accept at Interlink Electronics (LINK) on Jan 5, 2026?
What relevant experience does Darren Whittaker bring to Interlink (LINK)?
Which European regions will Darren Whittaker focus on for Interlink (LINK)?
How does Interlink (LINK) describe the purpose of the new European Business Development Director role?
Does the announcement for Interlink (LINK) provide financial guidance or timelines tied to the hire?
