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Chris Meadows is Head of Open Innovation of IQE plc in Cardiff.

Chris started his career in electronics and semiconductors at British Telecom Research Laboratories before joining a start-up venture between BT and US based DuPont, developing and manufacturing components for optical fibre communications systems.
In 1988, Chris was part of the founding team at Epitaxial Products International Ltd (EPI) in Cardiff. In 1999 EPI merged with a US competitor and underwent a successful IPO to become IQE plc which currently comprises multiple high-tech manufacturing operations across Europe, Asia and the USA.

Chris has held a number of senior management positions within the Group and his current responsibilities include open innovation, marketing and communications.

IQE is the leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers with products that cover a diverse range of applications, supported by an innovative outsourced foundry services portfolio that allows the Group to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for the wafer needs of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers.

IQE uses advanced crystal growth technology (epitaxy) to manufacture and supply bespoke semiconductor wafers ‘epi-wafers’ to the major chip manufacturing companies, who then use these wafers to make the chips which form the key components of virtually all high technology systems. IQE is unique in being able to supply wafers using all of the leading crystal growth technology platforms.

IQE’s products are found in many leading-edge consumer, communication, computing and industrial applications, including a complete range of wafer products for the wireless industry, such as mobile handsets and wireless infrastructure, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, base stations, GPS, and satellite communications; optical communications, optical storage, laser optical mouse, laser printers & photocopiers, thermal imagers, leading-edge medical products, barcode, ultra high brightness LEDs, a variety of advanced silicon based systems and high efficiency concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar cells.

The manufacturers of these chips are increasingly seeking to outsource wafer production to specialist foundries such as IQE in order to reduce overall wafer costs and accelerate time to market.

IQE also provides bespoke R&D services to deliver customised materials for specific applications and offers specialist technical staff to manufacture to specification either at its own facilities or on the customer’s own sites. The Group is also able to leverage its global purchasing volumes to reduce the cost of raw materials. In this way IQE’s outsourced services, provide compelling benefits in terms of flexibility and predictability of cost, thereby significantly reducing operating risk.

IQE operates a number of manufacturing and R&D facilities worldwide.