GaN Systems appoints Stephen Coates as VP operations

Coates will be responsible for implementing systems and procedures to handle the company’s growth in shipments and production test data, and establishing a local supply chain management presence in the Far East. He joins GaN Systems from DigiLens, where he was Head of Manufacturing. Coates has previously held executive posts with optical components and systems companies and power/HV semiconductor fabrication and packaging organisations, including VP Operations at Virtuality/SBG Labs, VP Operations at Symmorphix Thin Films Inc, VP Operations with Fultec Semiconductor Inc/Bourns & VP Production Engineering at MaxQ Technology heading up power module development. Welcoming Coates to the company, Girvan Patterson, President GaN Systems said: “We are delighted that Stephen is joining our senior management team as VP Operations. He brings with him substantial experience in establishing and developing strategic supply chain relationships to support full product commercialization and high volume manufacturing, while also being an expert in device packaging and integration. His role is a key one as GaN technology and our Island Technology devices become the de facto choice of engineers looking to integrate smaller, lighter and more efficient power electronics into numerous industrial, consumer and automotive applications.”