Peregrine Bolsters Its Executive Team
The CEO of Peregrine Semiconductor, Jim Cable, has announced significant changes to Peregrine's executive team. To increase the company's semiconductor capability, Stefan Wolff, who most recently served as vice president and general manager of Intel's mobile communications business in Munich, Germany, has been appointed as Peregrine's new CEO.
Cable will be stepping into the role of Peregrine chairman and CTO and will serve as the global R&D director for Peregrine's parent company, Murata.
"We have known Stefan and have collaborated with him and his team for many years, and I am delighted to bring him on board to accelerate our growth and the growth of our parent company, Murata," says Cable. "I am eager to get back to my technology roots and focus on shaping innovation for Murata. Our future keeps getting brighter, and I am very excited about this change."
Wolff has nearly 15 years of general management experience in semiconductor and communications technologies. While at Intel, Wolff led a global team in developing and producing cellular modem and mobile connectivity products, securing high-profile development contracts and scoring major wins with leading vendors.
Prior to Intel, Wolff managed the smartphones and RF business unit at Infineon and led an RF development center for Siemens Mobile in the US. He started his career in automotive electronics as RF design engineer at Bosch.
In addition to his leadership skills, Wolff has a strong technical background that includes a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin.
"I have admired the Murata and Peregrine teams for years. There is such synergy in the two groups. Together, I see innovations not possible from any other company," says Wolff. "I cannot wait to see the technological difference we will make in the industry."
In addition, Cable has appointed Dylan Kelly, VP and general manager of Peregrine's mobile wireless solutions business unit since 2010, as the company's new chief operating officer.
Kelly joined Peregrine in 2000 and has held various technical and management positions in product development, marketing, and sales. Prior to joining Peregrine, Kelly was with Motorola engaged in transceiver design.
He holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, San Diego. He is the author of numerous technical papers and has 37 issued and pending patents.
"Dylan has been instrumental to the growth of our mobile business for many, many years. He is widely respected both inside and outside the company. I am confident in his abilities to lead in an expanded role inside Peregrine," says Cable.
"I have dedicated my career to Peregrine because of our culture of innovation," says Kelly. "We have seen tremendous growth since we were acquired by Murata so these new management additions reflect the next step in empowering our team to be even more innovative. I am proud to be a part of this dynamic leadership team."
"We see semiconductors as important part of our technology portfolio," says Norio Nakajima, executive vice president, Communication & Sensor Business Unit/Energy Business Unit, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. "While we have always had semiconductors as part of our solutions, we will be dedicating more resources and taking those products to new levels. To formalize this effort, we will be forming a new semiconductor division."
"We are looking to the Peregrine team to help us develop leading-edge RF semiconductors and unique new products. The team of Jim, Stefan and Dylan is ideal for achieving this vision. I have known, respected and worked with Stefan for 20 years and welcome him to the Peregrine team. Dylan has successfully grown and managed Peregrine's mobile efforts for many years, and Jim is a visionary technologist whom we need to champion additional innovations in semiconductors by Peregrine in support of the Murata vision," continues Nakajima.
