Dr Drew Nelson OBE - Interim Non Executive Chairman

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 Agilent). 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. IQE became a public company when it was floated on EASDAQ in May 1999. A secondary offering and placing on the London Stock Exchange (TechMARK) was made in May 2000 to fund a major expansion programme at both UK and US sites of IQE plc.

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 National Assembly for Wales.
In July 2000, Dr. Nelson was awarded a silver medal by the Royal Academy of Engineering for his contribution to British Engineering and 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. Dr Nelson is also a non-executive director of the Welsh Development Agency and the Cardiff Partnership Fund.