Advisory Board Members

Gil Amelio- Former CEO of Apple, National Semiconductor, Rockwell Semiconductor

Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio has spent more than three decades as a technologist, inventor, entrepreneur, author and businessman. He has managed major corporations in the fields of semiconductors, telecommunications and computers and has achieved the successful turnaround of one Fortune 500 company and a string of business, scientific, and technological successes.

In 1996, Dr. Amelio was elected chairman and CEO of Apple Computer, Inc. During the following almost two years he restored Apple to financial stability and launched a series of products which lead to Apple’s return to its former position as the industry innovation leader.

Dr. Amelio was formerly president of Rockwell Semiconductor Products (originally known as the Electronics Devices Division) and was promoted to president of Rockwell Communications Systems. Rockwell spun out the division as a public company now known as Conexant. Today, Conexant is a leader in digital data communications chips. In 1991, he was elected chairman and CEO of National Semiconductor Corporation. During the next five years he returned the company to profitability by focusing the company on mixed signal technology products.

Dr. Amelio is presently a senior partner at Sienna Ventures, an early-stage technology investment partnership headquartered in Sausalito, California. Prior to joining Sienna Ventures, he was managing general partner, chairman and CEO of Beneventure Capital, a private equity investment firm based in San Francisco. The Beneventure investments are now being harvested and Gil remains Chairman and CEO.

He is the co-author of three books and is a frequent invited lecturer.