Our Company Vision & Values

Our overall company vision is to improve wellbeing through innovation. We achieve this through our mission to improve patient care by using the latest digital technologies to transform the speed and accuracy of diagnosis. Together, the vision and values provide strategic direction for the organisation, informing its current and future business strategies. At Cirdan our values are at the heart of our business and should be the building blocks of our continued growth and development.

Wellbeing
Innovation

Trust

Collaboration

Innovation is at the heart of Cirdan and as a company our vision is to “improve wellbeing through innovation.” This vision drives our product development and all business activities.

Our Track Record

Established in 2010, Cirdan is a leading provider of informatics software and imaging solutions that enhance and speed up the diagnosis of patients. Headquartered in the UK, with offices in Canada and Australia, Cirdan is recognised as one of the leading suppliers of laboratory information systems worldwide. Our innovative systems are currently helping to increase efficiency and streamline operations in multiple public and private clinical laboratories across the world.

Following the acquisition of Belfast-based Philips Digital and Computational Pathology business (formerly known as PathXL) in July 2020 Cirdan has added digital pathology education software to its product portfolio and enhanced its digital pathology and artificial intelligence capabilities, further strengthening its position as a leader in the pathology market.

Innovation is at the heart of Cirdan and as a company our vision is to “improve wellbeing through innovation.” This vision drives our product development and all business activities.

Founded by Industry Leaders

Dr. Hugh Cormican, CEO

Dr Hugh Cormican, originally studied Physics at Queens University Belfast and is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.

During his PhD studies he became involved in the start-up of Andor Technology. Hugh acted as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Andor Technology from its inception in 1989 and guided Andor through its successful stock market listing in December 2004.

In 2008 Hugh moved to the US to seek medical imaging opportunities and took up the post as acting CEO for Bioptics Inc in Tuscon, Arizona.

Hugh returned to Northern Ireland in 2010 and became a founding member and CEO of Cirdan. As the CEO, Hugh orchestrated the successful purchase of the ULTRA LIS from GE Healthcare in 2013 and has helped grow the company to over 50 employees.

Stephen Dunniece, Chief Officer Imaging

Stephen Dunniece is CO for Imaging where he helps lead product design and development with the aim of introducing new products and technologies that truly meet the increasing needs of today’s healthcare service providers.

Before helping co-found Cirdan, Stephen worked at Andor Technology as senior R+D engineer leading the delivery of several generations of product which helped underpin Andor’s success.

Beyond upcoming new product introductions which improve and extend Cirdan’s offerings in visible and x-ray imaging, Stephen looks forward to the next generation of products which will rapidly provide information directly related to the pathological state of specimens which will greatly aid outcomes in the treatment of cancer.

Board Members

Frank Bryan OBE,  Chairman of the Board

Frank Bryan is a C-Suite executive coach and business mentor, with a portfolio of non-exec. board directorships. He is a Chartered Director (CDir), Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Honorary Life-Fellow of the Institute of Directors (FIoD).

Prior to this he was Managing Director of his own tech-based contract engineering business for 25 years, a Non-Exec. Director and CEO of QUBIS Ltd (Queen’s University’s venture capital vehicle), and a founding member of MATRIX, the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel. He was also a Non-Exec. Director on the UK National Board for the Institute of Directors, Chair of IoD Northern Ireland, Chair of Belfast Metropolitan College, and a Trustee on a number of local charity boards. He is currently a Board Member and Governance Officer for Basketball NI.

Denise Sidhu, Board Member

Denise is a Partner and Director at Kernel Capital. Denise joined the Kernel Capital team in 2001 and is a Venture Capital executive with significant operational, commercial and financial experience. Denise is an active board member across a number of the Kernel Capital portfolio investees. Prior to joining Kernel in 2001, Denise’s corporate finance experience varied from debt financing as Head of Finance in Ulster Bank Commercial Finance Limited.

Neil Simms, Board Member

Neil is Finance Director and Investment Director at Clarendon Fund Managers Ltd, who manage Co-Fund NI. A 20 year career in venture capital he has either led or been heavily involved in negotiating and completing multiple investment rounds and exits in over twenty Northern Ireland based SMEs, across a broad range of sectors. This includes a number of innovative and successful med-tech companies.

Bernard McGuire Jr. , Board Member

Bernard McGuire Jr. is a Managing Director and member of the Investment Committee at 57 Stars, a global private markets investment firm. Since joining the firm in 2008, he has been actively involved in sourcing, due diligence, and monitoring of fund investments and co‐investments across all the firm’s markets. He leads the firm’s Northern Ireland program, participating in the full investment lifecycle – from originating and evaluating opportunities to structuring transactions that support long-term growth. Beyond individual deals, he has been instrumental in shaping the broader institutional investment ecosystem in Northern Ireland, helping to strengthen connectivity, accelerate company formation, and expand access to capital.

Mr. McGuire has extensive experience in global private equity and alternative investments. Prior to 57 Stars, he served as Director in the Investment Funds Department at Overseas Private Investment Corporation (now known as US Development Finance Corporation). Earlier in his career, Mr. McGuire worked across Asia executing venture capital and private equity transactions, while living in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Sydney.

He currently represents 57 Stars and its investors on multiple portfolio company boards, bringing deep expertise in governance, strategic growth, and international markets to the Cirdan board.