Settling in the United Kingdom, Yassaie enrolled at the University of Birmingham, where he studied Electronics and Communications. His academic performance was outstanding, graduating in 1979 with a first-class honours Bachelor of Science degree. But rather than heading straight into industry, he pursued advanced research. Remaining at Birmingham, he embarked on doctoral studies, specialising in signal processing and focusing on the application of Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) to sonar systems. His PhD, completed in the early 1980s, not only sharpened his analytical and technical expertise but also introduced him to the broader world of imaging and signal technologies—fields that would later define his career.
After completing his doctorate, Yassaie served for several years as a postdoctoral research fellow at Birmingham. These early academic experiences gave him both scientific grounding and an appreciation for rigorous research, qualities that would later underpin his ability to bridge advanced technology and commercial viability.
In 1984, having lived in the UK for nearly a decade, Yassaie became a British citizen, formally cementing his connection with the country that would become both his home and his professional base.
Early Career: From Academia to Industry
Transitioning from academia to industry, Yassaie joined the technology sector at a time when microelectronics and computing were expanding rapidly. He took up senior roles at Inmos—often regarded as the “cradle” of the modern UK technology industry—and later at STMicroelectronics, one of Europe’s largest semiconductor companies.
