Xanadu Quantum Technologies has appointed Tara Deakin as Chief People Officer to support its next phase of global growth. The appointment was announced on September 22, 2026, as the Canadian photonic quantum computing company continues expanding its organization. Deakin joins Xanadu with extensive experience in people strategy, enterprise transformation, leadership effectiveness, and organizational development. Her appointment places workforce strategy alongside the company’s broader plans for technological and organizational expansion.
Workforce Strategy Supports Xanadu’s Global Growth
Deakin previously served as Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President at Spin Master. In that role, she held global responsibility for people strategy, corporate communications, real estate, and workplace experience. Her career also includes executive positions spanning human resources, operations, talent, and enterprise strategy at TD Bank Group, Citi, and Rogers Communications.
Building Organizational Capability
At Xanadu, Deakin will work with founder and Chief Executive Officer Christian Weedbrook and the wider leadership team. Her mandate includes developing organizational and leadership capabilities for the company’s next growth stage. Xanadu is developing photonic quantum computing systems while working toward utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing.
The company said Deakin’s experience in aligning human capital with business strategy will support its organizational expansion. Her background includes guiding organizations through periods of growth, increasing complexity, and transformation. These experiences are particularly relevant as specialized technology companies build teams around emerging technical disciplines.
Xanadu is also maintaining continuity within its people function during the leadership transition. Current Chief People Officer Rebecca Laramée will become Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Laramée will continue working with Deakin on Xanadu’s high-growth workforce initiatives. The transition creates a broader leadership structure for the company’s expanding workforce requirements.
Connecting People and Technology Growth
The appointment highlights the increasingly strategic role of HR leadership within advanced technology businesses. As companies develop specialized technologies, their workforce requirements can extend across technical talent, leadership development, organizational design, and employee experience. Deakin’s responsibilities will connect these areas with Xanadu’s wider business objectives.
Her experience across multiple industries also brings exposure to organizations operating at different stages of transformation. At Spin Master, she helped guide organizational development as the company expanded globally and became more complex. Earlier roles at major financial and communications organizations added experience across enterprise operations and talent strategy.
Xanadu’s appointment of Deakin therefore represents a significant addition to its executive leadership structure. Her responsibilities will focus on building the organizational capabilities needed for continued growth while working alongside an experienced internal HR leader. As Xanadu advances its quantum computing ambitions, its ability to develop leadership and talent structures will remain closely connected to its expansion plans.
