Interviewed by David Laws on 2026-02-24
© Computer History Museum
Sir Peter Bonfield has spent more than five decades shaping the global technology and semiconductor industries as a senior executive, board leader, and advisor.
He has held chief executive roles at some of Europe’s most influential technology companies, including serving as Chief Executive Officer of BT Group, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ICL plc, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of STC plc. He later became Founding Chairman of NXP Semiconductors in the Netherlands, helping establish it as a world-leading semiconductor company, and served as Chairman of GlobalLogic in the United States. Through his consultancy, Truchas Associates Ltd., he has advised companies and governments on technology strategy and leadership.
Sir Peter has served on the boards of twelve international companies across technology, telecommunications, and life sciences, including Sony, Ericsson, Mentor Graphics, AstraZeneca, and Imagination Technologies. He currently serves as Director and Chair of Audit at TSMC in Taiwan. In addition to his corporate leadership, Sir Peter has made significant contributions to higher education and public service. He served a nine-year term as Chair of Council and Senior Pro Chancellor of Loughborough University, concluding in 2020.
His achievements have been widely recognized. He was awarded the CBE in 1989, knighted in 1996, and received the Order of the Lion of Finland in 1995. In 2019, the Financial Times named him Outstanding Director of the Year. In 2024, he was awarded Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, holds honorary doctorates from eleven universities, and has been named an honorary citizen of Dallas, Texas.
- Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information – http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/300000265
Visit https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/oral-history for more information about the Computer History Museum’s Oral History Collection.
Catalog number: 300000266
Acquisition number: 2026.0050
About The Author
