EPIC, the European Photonics Industry Consortium, has elected of Dr Drew Nelson, CEO of IQE (Cardiff, UK) as president of EPIC. Dr Nelson succeeds Jean-François Coutris of Sagem Défense et Sécurité, who completed two terms serving as the 2nd president of the consortium. Dr Nelson began his term on 5 April 2011, presiding the annual general assembly of EPIC in Paris, France.
Dr Nelson co-founded EPI in 1988, raising start-up capital from Shell Ventures, and has held the role of chief executive officer at the company since 1996, when he led a management buy-out from Shell. In 1999 he led the merger of EPI with US-based QED, forming the IQE Group, which was subsequently listed, initially on EASDAQ in 1999, then fully listed on the LSE in 2000.
IQE has grown to be the largest outsource manufacturer of advanced semiconductor wafers, supplying all 12 of the top wireless chip companies globally, and now consists of a group of eight companies spanning Europe, the US and Asia.
In July 2000, Dr Nelson was awarded a silver medal by the Royal Academy of Engineering for his contribution to British Engineering, and he was awarded the OBE for services to the Electronics Industry in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, 2001. In 2004 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and was awarded an Honorary Dr Eng degree from the University of Sheffield in 2005.
