Southern Spars has appointed Uli Sommerlatt as head of research and development.
The appointment will strengthen the company’s commitment to innovation in high performance composite spar and rigging systems.
Sommerlatt joins Southern Spars with a career in the professional marine and watersports sector.
He is a qualified naval architect with experience across performance yacht design and advanced composite engineering.
His career includes key roles at Judel/Vrolijk & Co, Core Builders Composites/ Oracle Racing, SailGP and most recently as an member of the North Kiteboarding & North Foils development team.
His expertise spans structural design, hydrodynamics, composite manufacturing, and product innovation across multiple sectors of performance sailing.
New technologies
In his new role, Sommerlatt will lead Southern Spars’ global R&D programme, with a focus on accelerating the development and deployment of new technologies across both Southern Spars and the wider North Technology Group.
“Uli brings a combination of deep technical expertise, hands-on composite experience, and a strong understanding of performance sailing systems,” said Vincent Guiot, group sales director.
“His appointment reflects our continued investment in advancing what is possible in rig design, engineering, and manufacturing.”
Sommerlatt added: “Innovation is at the heart of performance sailing, and Southern Spars is a leader in driving that progress.
“I’m excited to help develop the next generation of technologies that will shape the future of rig design.”
