Why did Wasiq Bokhari, Chairperson at Pasqal, join the pioneering neutral atom quantum computing company?
In his own words in a recent interview: “Three principal reasons: first, I am just very interested in the whole quantum computing space. It is an amazing threshold of capability that we are about to cross, and I just want to be part of this.”
Bokhari’s enthusiasm for quantum computing’s transformative potential is palpable, but he also cites the caliber of Pasqal’s team as a driving factor.
“Second, it’s the team, it’s the people — brilliant, motivated, really good people,” he said. “One of the things I’ve learned is always work with exceptional people, so I want to be part of the team.”
However, it is Pasqal’s unique approach that sets it apart in Bokhari’s eyes.
“The third is the approach, and on the approach, there are two things I would like to point out,” Bokhari went on. “First is the neutral atom approach itself; it is very scalable and has a lot of built-in advantages that other approaches do not have. But the second is the overall engineering approach that the team has taken from the very beginning.”
This engineering mindset is a cornerstone of Pasqal’s ethos, as Bokhari elaborated: “It has never been about only demonstrating something in a lab but how can we build systems that can be deployed in the real world and can solve real-world problems today versus waiting for a long period of time? How can we engage with customers?”
Bokhari sees quantum computing as a transformative force.
“The advent of scalable quantum computing is a fundamentally disruptive and redefining moment for us,” he said, before adding that “Quantum computing, enabled by us, will become a pillar of all computation along with traditional high-performance computing and all sorts of generative or non-generative AI methods. It becomes a third pillar.”
At the heart of Pasqal’s approach is a relentless pursuit of solving complex problems.
“We are super mindful about solving the hard fundamental problems that give an edge to quantum computing; we don’t shy away from the hard problems, we run towards them because that’s the fundamental edge that you get through the use of quantum computing,” said Bokhari.
Pasqal’s commitment to real-world impact is unwavering, as Bokhari affirmed: “The second thing that’s important to us is to build systems that are not one-offs but are scalable. This requires very good, in fact, excellent engineering discipline and thinking about scalability, thinking about repeatability, thinking about yields from the very upfront in terms of the design, from every component all the way up to the systems.”
Engaging with customers and solving their critical challenges is paramount to Pasqal’s mission.
“We should not shy away from engaging with customers and engaging with their real business-critical problems because only by getting in direct contact with what matters and what delivers value can we focus our energies on delivering something that is valuable,” said Bokhari.
Under Bokhari’s leadership, Pasqal is forging a collaborative path with its customers: “Today, we view this journey as a journey together with our customers. It’s a collaborative journey. We would like our customers to challenge us with hard problems, with problems that matter to them.”
With its groundbreaking neutral atom technology, exceptional team, and unwavering customer-centric approach, Pasqal is poised to shape the future of quantum computing under Bokhari’s visionary guidance.
