MISSISSAUGA, ON, Canada -- Xerox Corporation today named Paul Smith as vice president of the Xerox Research Centre of Canada. Smith will succeed Hadi Mahabadi, who will retire in September.  Smith currently serves as the associate manager of the centre.
 
Smith joined Xerox in 1995, and has held a number of management positions at the centre (XRCC), leading teams that have developed key materials for Xerox product platforms, including solid ink components and new inks for Xerox Phaser printers.
 
As vice president of XRCC, Smith will spearhead Xerox's materials research activities through a team of 120 scientists and engineers. The research centre's most recent innovations include advances in emulsion aggregation toner and the development of long-life photoreceptors. The centre has also played a key role in developing the next generation of solid ink, Xerox's proprietary ink that melts to a liquid in the printer and because it does not use cartridges to hold the ink, reduces consumables waste by 90 percent compared to competitive office laser-based products.
 
"Paul brings a strong research career and respected leadership ability to the Xerox Research Centre of Canada, which recently celebrated its 35th anniversary and this year received its 1500th patent," said Sophie Vandebroek, Xerox's chief technology officer and president of the Xerox Innovation Group.
 
A native of Lavenham, England, Smith received his doctorate in chemistry from the University of Bath and was a National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) fellow from 1995 to 1997.  In 2001, he received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. He is a named inventor on 55 U.S. patents and has published 16 research articles.
 
Smith will succeed Mahabadi, a 30-year Xerox veteran who this year received the company's prestigious President's Award for outstanding accomplishments. As centre manager, Mahabadi is credited for his significant contributions to productivity, innovativeness, and employee satisfaction at XRCC. As a researcher, he generated 86 patents in materials science and invented several key materials technologies in products currently used by Xerox customers. "It is difficult to say goodbye to such an excellent researcher, leader, and friend," said Vandebroek. "Hadi's significant accomplishments will continue to serve us well for many years to come."
 
Mahabadi was selected as a fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineering, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and recently served as chair of the Chemical Institute of Canada.
 
His research and development leadership has been recognized through a number of awards, including two of Xerox Corporation's highest awards and the University of Waterloo's 2008 Alumni Achievement Medal. Mahabadi was ranked number one among PrintAction Magazine's 50 most influential Canadians in Graphic Art Communications for 2008 and 2009 and, in 2010, he was voted one of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of the Year sponsored by Canadian Immigrant Magazine. In March he received the Printing Industries of America's Robert F. Reed Technology Medal for his outstanding contributions to the graphic communications industry.
 
Smith will assume the XRCC leadership role on Sept 1.