Bernard Couillaud, former president and CEO of Coherent Inc., and Edward Collins, a partner with ChinaVest, have been elected to the board of directors of optical components maker Bookham Inc., of San Jose, Calif., effective immediately. Couillaud, with more than 25 years of executive experience, was at the helm of Coherent until 2002 and was chairman of its board from 2002 to 2007; he chaired Lambda Physik AG's supervisory board from 2000 to 2005. During a distinguished academic career in physics and laser technology, he was a professor at the University of Bordeaux and a fellow with France's National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). He is also a member of the French National Academy of Technology. Collins is chairman of the board of the California Bank of Commerce; director and audit committee chairman of the Taiwan Greater China Fund; and a director of MedioStream, based in Los Altos, Calif. Previously, he was a partner at the law firm of McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen, responsible for the Greater China practice. He has been counsel to various investment groups, banks and manufacturing companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and has been a member of the California and Texas bar associations.