IQE announces retirement of chief operating officer and formation of Executive Management Board

Epiwafer foundry and substrate maker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK has announced the planned retirement of chief operating officer (COO) Dr Howard Williams.

Williams was a founding member of EPI in 1988 (which became IQE in 1999) and was appointed to the board as COO in 2004. He will step down from the board at the end of July but remain employed in a full-time capacity for the remainder of 2019, after which he will remain engaged with IQE on a part-time basis as a consultant advisor.

“Howard Williams was one of the founder members of IQE, and has been pivotal in the development of the business from start-up to becoming the global leader in compound semiconductor wafer production,” comments chief executive Dr Drew Nelson. “His technical and project management skills have been outstanding, culminating in the design and build of our new Mega Foundry in Newport. Now that it is up and running in production, Howard has decided to execute his long-term retirement plan, stepping down from the board at the end of the month, but maintaining a full-time role for the next six months and thereafter, providing support on a part time basis,” he adds. “He has built and mentored a very strong team, and executed a clear succession plan.”

Also, as part of the continuing development of its organizational structure and to maximize the opportunities ahead, IQE has established an Executive Management Board (EMB) to work with the CEO and CFO. The EMB will initially comprise:

Dr Rodney Pelzel as executive VP, global innovation (CTO) - Pelzel joined IQE in 2000 as a production engineer and, having held a variety of operational and technology roles, was appointed as VP of technology in January 2015.
Keith Anderson as executive VP, global operations (COO) - Anderson has worked at IQE since August 2018 as VP of global operations, having joined IQE from Collins Aerospace (formerly B/E Aerospace). He will replace Williams on the boards of IQE’s Taiwanese subsidiary and CSC Ltd (IQE’s joint venture with Cardiff University).
Dr Wayne Johnson as executive VP, global business development, Wireless and Emerging Products - Johnson joined IQE in 2013 as part of the acquisition of Kopin (where he was VP of technology). He became the head of IQE’s Wireless business unit in January 2017 and took on responsibility for the Emerging Products Group this April.
Dr Mark Furlong as executive VP, global business development, Photonics and InfraRed - Furlong joined IQE in 2000 as head of sales for the Asia region and he is currently the leader of IQE’s InfraRed business unit (which includes substrate manufacturing activities).

“The establishment of an executive management board as part of the group’s ongoing organizational development will provide clear focus, energy and accountability in driving the many high-growth opportunities which lie ahead for the group, with the upcoming deployment of 5G and IoT, and all the associated advanced technologies which will both drive and result from such deployment,” says Nelson.

Tags: IQE

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