18 September 2012

IQE appoints senior independent director

Epiwafer foundry and substrate maker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK has appointed David Grant CBE, FREng, FLSW, CEng, FIET as a non-executive director and as senior independent director of the Group.

Grant, age 65, gained his PhD in Engineering Science from Durham University in 1974. Following a period with Reyrolle Parsons Automation designing power station control and instrumentation systems, he was appointed technical director of a European subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation.

In 1984, Grant was appointed managing director of Dowty Electronics Ltd, and in 1988 he became technical director of the Dowty Group. His last industrial appointment began in 1991, as technical director of GEC plc, with responsibility for engineering, research and technology development in an £11bn turnover international company employing 25,000 engineers and spending £1.2bn per annum on product development and technology. He was appointed vice-chancellor of Cardiff University in October 2001. He retired from the post in August this year.

Grant is also a non-executive director of Renishaw plc, and holds directorships with Welsh Networking Limited and The Russell Group of Universities. He involved in engineering professional development and has been a Council member and vice president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE, now IET). He was awarded the IEE's Mensforth Gold Medal in 1996. Grant was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1997, and in the same year was made a CBE for his contribution to the UK’s Foresight Programme. He was a Council member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, EPSRC, from 2000 until 2006. In 2007 he was appointed a governing board member of the Technology Strategy Board. In 2012, Grant was appointed a non-executive director of Dstl, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. He was a vice-president of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2007 to 2012. In 2011, Grant was appointed chairman of the Science Engineering Technology Mathematics Network, a UK-wide organisation that promotes Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics in schools.

David has, in the last five years, held directorships with Rhwydweithio Cymru Cyf, The Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, Cardiff & Co Limited and Cardiff Partnership Fund Limited.

Dr Godfrey Ainsworth, IQE’s Chairman, said: “David has performed leadership roles in a number of international businesses and I look forward to working with him and my other board colleagues in continuing to build the Group. David’s appointment will bring both large company experience and a broad technology background, which can meld with an existing non-executive team that has considerable history and knowledge of IQE’s business. A great combination”

“I am excited to be joining IQE at such an interesting time in its development. IQE is a world leader in its sector and I have been impressed with the quality of the team and their future plans. I believe that I can help them build on their existing achievements, at the same time as adding further weight to the non-executive responsibilities of the Board,” said Grant.

Dr Drew Nelson, IQE’s Chief Executive, added: “The appointment of David to the IQE Board as senior independent director will strengthen the non-executive team and our ability to comply with best corporate governance practice. With his technology background and considerable industry experience, he will undoubtedly add significant value to our strategic thinking. I am delighted that we have been able to secure the services of an individual of such high calibre and reputation.”

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