Technology >> CEO Interviews >> March 20, 2000
DR DREW NELSON is the Executive Chairman of IQE Plc. Dr Nelson was
educated at the University of Sheffield, where he obtained an Honours
Degree (1st Class) in Electronic Engineering and subsequently a PhD in
Semiconductor Technology. From 1981, he worked at British Telecom
Research Labs, leading a group which pioneered the MOVPE technology of
semiconductor lasers for optical fibre communications for BT & D
Technologies (now Hewlett Packard). In 1988, Dr Nelson co-founded
Epitaxial Products International Limited (EPI), subsequently becoming
CEO and Chairman in 1992. When EPI merged with QED in April 1999, to
form IQE, Dr Nelson became Executive Chairman and IQE subsequently
floated on EASDAQ in May 1999. Dr Nelson has been actively involved in
several Government and Industry Advisory Groups, has published over 50
papers and articles and made over 60 conference presentations. Dr
Nelson is also Chairman of the Welsh Electronics Forum, which is an
industry based organisation, formed in 1998, to co-ordinate and
represent the views of the Electronics Industry in Wales and develop a
strategy to further strengthen the sector and market its competitiveness
globally in conjunction with the Welsh Development Agency and Welsh
Assembly. Profile
the company, just to set the stage for the readers?
Dr. Nelson: IQE PLC was formed from the merger of two companies: one
