Ian is the Chairman of Mesophotonics Limited.

He started his professional career at the STL laboratory (now Nortel Technology) in Harlow in 1968 and worked there until 1998. He is best known for his innovative design on the world's first 'professional' radio on a silicon chip, and its use in radiopaging. He also patented ideas that led to the 'CT2' digital cordless telephone standard.

Ian was honoured by the Queen with an MBE in 1988 for his innovations in the design and manufacture of radio equipment for communications and navigation.

Having managed various R&D functions including semiconductor process and design facilities, as well as running a defence communications business, and starting up several new divisions of STC (formerly Standard Telephones and Cables plc) he set up and, became Group Managing Director of, BNR Europe, following the acquisition of STC by Northern Telecom in 1991. This was a 1500 person R&D activity of the Nortel group concerned with all aspects of telecommunications design and technology.

In 1994, he moved further into the commercial world and became Group Managing Director, Public Networks, dealing with all of the public network products for Nortel in Europe.

By 1998 at his retirement from the company he had become Vice President and Chief Engineer of Nortel plc responsible for all products from Nortel into the European markets. At this time he also was responsible for External, Government and Community relations, spending much of his time addressing audiences far and wide on a rich variety of topics. Inside the company he was often to be found working as MC for customer and employee events.

He is President of his own consulting company, Amazing Communications Limited, and a director of MLL Telecom. He has acted as CTO at Europe Online Networks SA, a broadband internet over satellite start-up, for two years. Additionally he was President of the Federation of the Electronics Industry (FEI) in 1998-99, Chairman of Cyberexports Ltd (which created the UK's trade web site tradeuk.com), and Chairman of North London Leadership Ltd, a public private organisation working on the re-generation of the North London sub-region.

He is member of the board of London First and holds an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University.

His outside work interests include modern architecture, design and contemporary ceramics.

Email: Ian.Vance@mesophotonics.com