Werner Bergholz graduated from Göttingen University in 1975 with a diploma in physics and completed his PhD thesis in semiconductor physics in 1978. His postdoctoral work was carried out at the Universities of Göttingen, Aarhus (DK) and Oxford (UK). In 1985, he joined the Siemens Semiconductor Division in Munich where he had various leadership positions in research and development, production, supply chain management and quality management. In 2002, he joined Jacobs University in Bremen as a professor of electrical engineering. His research topics included photovoltaics and quality and reliability engineering. After retiring from Jacobs University, he co-founded the consulting firm International Standards Consulting GmbH ISC. As a partner, he is responsible for science aspects of standardization  activities and serves as an assistant secretary of IEC Technical Committee 113 nanoelectronics.