Bill Watkins' bright LED idea at Bridgelux

Bill Watkins' $200,000 Bentley convertible is littered with leftovers from Jack in the Box. He's collected $160 million in investor money for his latest company, a high-tech lighting manufacturer called Bridgelux, but rails against venture capitalists. He calls himself a liberal and is against corporate taxation. None of which is to say he's difficult to pin down. If you want to know what Watkins thinks about something - anything - just ask. For example, the details of his 2009 departure from disk-drive maker Seagate Technology, where he served as chief executive officer for more than five years.