PTK POET Technologies Inc

POET Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE:PTK)(OTCQX:POETF) ("the Company") -
developer of the planar opto-electronic technology (POET) platform for
monolithic fabrication of integrated circuit devices containing both electronic
and optical elements on a single semiconductor wafer - today announced major
changes to its Board of Directors and changes to the slate of Board candidates
for the Annual General Meeting. 


Ajit Manocha Joins POET as Executive Vice Chairman

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Ajit Manocha has joined the
Board as Executive Vice Chairman. In this capacity, Mr. Manocha will help in
determining the strategic direction of the Company, and work closely with the
Company's Executive Chairman and interim CEO in carrying out actions to support
that strategic direction, specifically including: mergers and acquisitions
(M&A), and related transitions; joint ventures, collaborations, partnerships and
other industry relationships; assistance in capital raises; and identification
and installation of a permanent CEO.


Mr. Manocha was most recently CEO of GlobalFoundries, the second-largest
semiconductor foundry in the world, formerly the manufacturing arm of Advanced
Micro Devices (AMD), and expanded via the acquisition of Chartered
Semiconductor. GlobalFoundries produces integrated circuits (IC) in high volume
for semiconductor companies such as AMD, Apple, Broadcom, Qualcomm, Samsung, and
STMicroelectronics. Globally, it owns five 200-mm fabrication plants, and three
300-mm fabrication plants, including a new 300-mm plant in New York. Mr. Manocha
continues in a role as advisor with GlobalFoundries.


Prior to his tenure at GlobalFoundries, Mr. Manocha was an advisor to Advanced
Technology Investment Company and Executive Vice President of Worldwide
Operations at Spansion, where he managed global IC manufacturing, and supply
chain management for its semiconductor division. Earlier he was Executive Vice
President and Chief Manufacturing Officer at Philips Semiconductors (now NXP).
He has also worked at AT&T Microelectronics and AT&T Bell Laboratories.


Mr. Manocha also serves on the Board of Directors for SVTC Technologies and
Signet Solar. He was previously on the boards of International Sematech, the
Crolles Alliance, Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (ASMC) and
served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Systems-on-Silicon Manufacturing
Company (SSMC) in Singapore. Since 2012, Mr. Manocha has also served on the U.S.
Presidential Committee for Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.


Mr. Peter Copetti, Chairman and interim CEO, said, "We are incredibly pleased to
have Mr. Manocha join us at POET Technologies, and validate our approach to the
future of the semiconductor industry. His wealth of M&A experience, and
remarkable turnarounds - including engineering GlobalFoundries' rise from fourth
to second-largest foundry in the world - is legendary. He is a visionary leader,
with an instinct for the future of the industry, and this insight and stature
will no doubt be pivotal in propelling POET to the next level."


The Board approved the grant of 2,000,000 stock options to Mr. Manocha, pursuant
to the Company's stock option plan. Pursuant to TSX Venture Exchange policies,
and based on market price, the exercise price of the options was at CA$1.75 per
share and expire on July 3rd, 2019. The options will vest and be exercisable on
the basis of 25% immediately and 25% every six months thereafter.


Mark Benadiba Retires from Board

Mr. Mark Benadiba has announced his retirement from the Board, vacating the
Executive Vice Chairman position now occupied by Mr. Manocha.


Mr. Benadiba was, along with Mr. Copetti and Dr. Samuel Peralta, part of a
re-invigorated Board of Directors that in 2012, recognized the inherent value in
the semiconductor intellectual property held by the Company; and transformed a
then-faltering photovoltaic firm into what POET Technologies is today, one of
the leading firms in the semiconductor industry's race to establish a new
manufacturing paradigm to further Moore's Law. 


Mr. Benadiba served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Company, setting the
groundwork and the impetus for its new strategic direction.


Mr. Copetti noted, "On behalf of the Company, and the Board, I would like to
thank Mr. Benadiba for the vision and guidance that he has provided throughout
his tenure. His integrity and steadfast devotion to shareholders continue on in
the culture of the Company as part of his legacy."


Board Candidate Changes for Annual General Meeting

Mr. Sheldon Inwentash has been endorsed by the Board as a new candidate for the
Board of Directors to be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on August
12, 2014. Mr. Inwentash is Chairman and CEO of Pinetree Capital Ltd., a
diversified strategic investment, financial advisory and merchant banking firm,
and a major shareholder of POET. Mr. Inwentash brings more than 25 years of
experience in the investment industry and a deep understanding of progressive
investment and financial management strategies. 


Mr. Leon Pierhal has decided not to stand for re-election to the Board of
Directors. Mr. Pierhal is expected to finish his term of service with the Board
at the time of the AGM.


About POET Technologies Inc.

POET Technologies is the developer of the POET platform for monolithic
fabrication of integrated circuit devices containing both electronic and optical
elements on a single semiconductor wafer. With head office in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, and operations in Storrs, CT, the Company, through ODIS Inc., a U.S.
company, designs III-V semiconductor devices for military, industrial and
commercial applications, including infrared sensor arrays and ultra-low-power
random access memory. The Company has several issued and pending patents for the
POET process, with potential high speed and power-efficient applications in
devices such as servers, tablet computers and smartphones. The Company's common
shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "PTK" and on the OTCQX
under the symbol "POETF". For more information please visit our websites at
www.poet-technologies.com.


ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michel Lafrance, Secretary

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term
is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility
for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 
Taylor Rafferty, LLC
Christopher Chu
(908) 251-9869
poet@taylor-rafferty.com

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