Malcolm Knight

Induction Year: 2023

Malcolm is a key figure in the banknote and security document industry, with 31 years’ experience in the research and development of security document features (including the manufacturing and printing of such features). He led an R&D team that was seen as a global leader at the centre of innovation for security features, including the development of Gemini™, Optiks®, StarChrome®, Magform™ and Mask™.

During his working career Malcolm was seen as someone who championed the development of security features, both for De La Rue and across the industry. He strongly encouraged technology partnership, both within the industry and with universities and specialist suppliers.

Malcolm can be credited with the development of the ground-breaking Stardust Windowed Thread process, two of the most significant and widely used threads of their time (Cleartext® and StarChrome®) as well as the specialist and advanced Optiks® thread. Two decades after its launch StarChrome® is still circulating on 68 denominations and its liquid-crystal colour-shifting technology forms part of the next generation combinational threads via IGNITE®. Cleartext® is still in use 26 years after the patent application was filed.

The significance of Malcolm’s achievements with these threads and processes was recognised three times with the UK Government’s highly prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise/Innovation, which is the UK’s highest business award.

Malcolm is listed as an inventor or co-inventor on 11 patents relating to security document features and security document manufacturing techniques.

He also presented at numerous conferences whilst also serving the industry as a member of the organising committee and session chairman at the Optical Security and Counterfeit Deterrence Techniques / Optical Document Security series of biennial conferences.