<PAGE>

                                 CERTIFICATIONS

I, Bharatan R. Patel, certify that:

         1.   I have reviewed the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Aavid
              Thermal Technologies, Inc. for the quarter ended September 27,
              2003.

         2.   Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain
              any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
              material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light
              of the circumstances under which such statements were made,
              not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
              quarterly report;

         3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
              financial information included in this quarterly report,
              fairly present in all material respects the financial
              condition, results of operation and cash flows of the
              registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
              quarterly report;

         4.   The registrant's other certifying officers and I are
              responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure
              controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
              13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and have:

                   a.)      designed such disclosure controls and procedures to
                            ensure that material information relating to the
                            registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,
                            is made known to us by others within those entities,
                            particularly during the period in which this
                            quarterly report is prepared;

                   b.)      evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
                            disclosure controls and procedures as of a date
                            within 90 days prior to the filing date of this
                            quarterly report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

                   c.)      presented in this quarterly report our conclusions
                            about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
                            and procedures based on our evaluation as of the
                            Evaluation Date;

         5.   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have
              disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the
              registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the
              registrant's Board of Directors (or persons performing
              equivalent functions):

                   a.)      all significant deficiencies in the design or
                            operation of internal controls which could adversely
                            affect the registrant's ability to record, process,
                            summarize and report financial data and have
                            identified for the registrant's auditors any
                            material weaknesses in internal controls; and

                   b.)      any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                            management or other employees who have a significant
                            role in the registrant's internal controls; and

         6.   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have
              indicated in this quarterly report whether there were
              significant changes in internal controls or other factors that
              could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the
              date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective
              actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material
              weaknesses.

Dated: November 7, 2003                          /s/ Bharatan R. Patel
Bharatan R. Patel                                ---------------------
Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer

                                       26