News

6 July 2009

 

IQE’s CEO regional winner of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year award

Dr Drew Nelson OBE, CEO & group president of epiwafer foundry and substrate maker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK, was recently named a regional winner at Ernst & Young’s London & South Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards 2009.

Since Nelson co-founded IQE in 1988, the firm has grown from a single manufacturing operation in Cardiff to having six manufacturing sites in three continents as well as a global customer base.

Picture: Dr Drew Nelson OBE.

Now in its 11th year in the UK, the awards encourage entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. They celebrate those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.

Nelson was one of 23 London and South regional winners who will go forward to a national final in October, where 53 executives from across the UK will compete for the title Ernst & Young Overall UK Entrepreneur of the Year.

“The winners are all outstanding entrepreneurs who are growing market share and succeeding despite the worst economic conditions in living memory,” said Iain Wilkie, partner and London & South Entrepreneur Of The Year leader at Ernst & Young. “These entrepreneurs and the businesses they lead will be in the vanguard in driving our economy out of recession,” he added.

“It is encouraging to see that, in these tough economic times, the entrepreneurial spirit is not only alive and well in the UK but is being widely acknowledged as the key attribute for driving the economy to prosperity in the years ahead,” commented Nelson.

IQE presents final-year graduate prizes at University of Bath

IQE has sponsored a number of final-year prizes to engineering graduates as part of the graduation ceremony at the UK’s University of Bath.

The winners were:

• Christopher Elsey, for the best final-year project in optoelectronics/optical communications;
• James Gilbert, for the best final-year project in the area of sensors;
• Joe Kinrade, for the best examination result in optical devices and communications systems.

All prize winners achieved first-class M.Eng. degrees, which were awarded at last week’s graduation ceremony.

“IQE is honored and proud to be associated with the electronic and engineering department at the University of Bath,” commented IQE’s Chris Meadows on presenting the awards. “The commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated by the entrants for these prizes is a clear sign that Britain can continue to build on its long heritage of producing world-class, high-calibre engineers.”

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