About Author

William (Bill) J. Amelio is the chief executive officer of Avnet, and has been a member of its board of directors since 2014. 

Mr. Amelio joined Avnet in 2016 with a vision to transform the organization. He built upon the company’s core electronics business while changing Avnet’s business model and driving a strategy of growth. Mr. Amelio directed four strategic acquisitions, providing the capabilities and operations needed for a clear path to growth and profitability. In less than two years, Avnet has become a leading global technology solutions provider with an extensive ecosystem of experts. 

The company now provides greater value to customers by supporting them through every stage of the product lifecycle – delivering design, product, marketing and supply chain expertise through its end-to-end ecosystem. As technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) reshape the world, Avnet is well-positioned to meet customers’ needs and help them get their ideas to market faster and more efficiently. 

He also strengthened Avnet’s partnership with the Ira S. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, including the Avnet Innovation Lab at ASU. This technology accelerator provides business consultation and funding for entrepreneurs developing technology, especially new inventions that advance IoT. 

Amelio's experience includes serving as chief executive officer and president of CHC Group, a global helicopter services provider; president and chief executive officer of Lenovo Group Limited; senior vice president/president for the Asia-Pacific/Japan region of Dell; and leadership roles at NCR Corporation, Honeywell International and IBM. Currently Mr. Amelio serves on the board of directors for S&P Global; and has previously served on the board of directors of National Semiconductor. 

Amelio and his wife, Jamie, founded and continue to lead Caring for Cambodia, a nonprofit organization that works to educate the children of Cambodia through building schools, training teachers and providing for basic human needs. 

Amelio holds a Master's degree in management and is a Sloan Fellow of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He earned a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Lehigh University.