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                                                                   Exhibit 10.28

                             CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

This Agreement is dated the 9th day of November 2002.

BETWEEN

(1)    BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC whose registered office is at 90 Milton Park,
       Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY (the "Company"); and

(2)    Mr. Liam Nagle.

1.     JOB TITLE AND DUTIES

1.1.   You will be employed as Chief Operating Officer reporting to Chief
       Executive Officer or such other person as the Company may from time to
       time determine ("your Manager").

1.2.   You may however be required to carry out such alternative or additional
       duties as the Company may require from time to time and you agree that
       you may be seconded to work for one or more Group Companies at any time.

1.3.   You agree to faithfully and diligently perform your duties to the best of
       your ability and use your best endeavours to promote the interests of the
       Company and any Group Companies for whom you are required to work.

2.     OUTSIDE INTERESTS

2.1.   You agree that during your employment you will not be employed, engaged,
       interested or concerned in any trade, business, firm, company or
       organisation without the prior written consent of your Manager. You may,
       however, hold (directly or through nominees including your spouse,
       partner or minor children) by way of bona fide personal investment up to
       3% of the issued shares, debentures or other securities of any company
       whose shares are listed on a recognised investment exchange or dealt in
       the Alternative Investment Market.

2.2.   During your employment you will, and will procure that your spouse and
       minor children will comply with all applicable rules of law, any
       recognised investment exchange regulations or any Company policy, code or
       regulations in relation to dealings in shares, debentures or other
       securities of the Company and any Group Company or relating to any
       unpublished price sensitive information affecting the securities of the
       Company, any Group Company or any other company.

3.     FREEDOM TO TAKE UP EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY

You warrant that any notice period you are required to give or to serve with a
previous employer has expired and that, by entering into this contract or
performing any of your duties for the Company, you will not be in breach of any
other contract, agreement or obligation binding on you.

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4.     PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT:

Your employment will commence on 9 November 2002. Your period of continuous
employment will be taken from your start date with Nortel Networks Optical
Components.

5.     CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

5.1.   Your employment with the Company is conditional on:

       (a)    receipt by the Company of at least two references in relation to
              you which the Company considers satisfactory, one of which must be
              from your last employer; and

       (b)    your producing such documentation as the Company may reasonably
              require to establish your right to work lawfully in the United
              Kingdom.

5.2.   Should you fail to comply with either of these conditions, any offer of
       employment by the Company may be withdrawn without notice and if already
       accepted, the Company may terminate your employment (notwithstanding any
       other term of this Agreement) without notice or a payment in lieu of
       notice during the first month of employment or thereafter by giving you
       the minimum period of notice required by statute.

6.     TERM

6.1.   Subject to the remainder of this clause, your employment may be
       terminated by the Company giving to you not less than the longer of:

       (a)    Four months written notice; or

       (b)    one week of written notice per complete year of continuous
              service, up to a maximum notice period of twelve weeks.

6.2.   You may terminate your employment at any time by giving to the Company
       not less than three months notice in writing.

6.3.   Notwithstanding any other term of this Agreement, the Company may
       terminate your employment without notice and without any payment in lieu
       of notice in the event that you are guilty of gross misconduct, gross
       negligence or breach a fundamental term of this Agreement.

6.4.   The Company may in its absolute discretion choose to terminate your
       employment immediately at any time and make you a payment in lieu of
       notice equivalent to your basic salary over any unexpired period of
       notice due under clause 6 of this Agreement, subject to deductions for
       income tax, employee's national insurance contributions and other
       deductions required by law. The Company is not under an obligation to
       make a payment in lieu of notice and if it fails to do so any claim you
       have will be for damages and will be subject to your duty to take
       reasonable steps to mitigate your loss.

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6.5.   The Company's contractual retirement age and your normal retirement age
       is 60. Your employment will therefore come to an end automatically and
       without the need for notice on the date of your 60th birthday.

7.     PLACE OF WORK

7.1.   Your normal place of work will initially be 90 Milton Park Abingdon,
       Oxfordshire. OX14 4RY. You agree that the Company may change your normal
       place of work, temporarily or permanently, to anywhere within the United
       Kingdom, even if this requires you to relocate your home. If you are
       required to move your home, the Company will consider relocation
       assistance.

7.2.   You may be required to travel and undertake your duties anywhere in the
       world, provided that you shall not be required to work outside the United
       Kingdom for periods in excess of one month at a time.

8.     SALARY

8.1.   You will be paid a basic salary at a rate of L 168,500 (One hundred and
       sixty eight thousand, five hundred pounds) per annum, subject to
       deductions for income tax, employee's national insurance contributions
       and any other deductions required or permitted by law. Your salary will
       accrue on a day-to-day basis and will be payable monthly in arrears on or
       about the 24th day of each month. Your salary is paid in respect of your
       duties both for the Company and any other Group Company for whom you are
       required to work.

9.     RELOCATION ALLOWANCE

You are eligible for relocation at a rate of L 25,000 in accordance with, and
subject to, the Company Relocation Policy. Reimbursement of relocation expenses
is conditional upon you remaining in The Company's service for at least 24
months after the date of the start of the relocation process. If you leave The
Company within 24 months of The Company making the first payment to you under
the Company Relocation Policy, you will be required to repay any monies paid to
you by The Company and The Company will be entitled to offset any payments due
to you on termination against the whole or part of the debt.

The Company agree to cover rented accommodation costs totalling L 1,500 per
calendar month until the end of September 2003. This will then be reviewed and a
decision taken on Phase two of your relocation costs.

The Company agrees to reimburse flights between the UK and your home in Ireland
under the following conditions. The Company will fund 100% of flight costs until
31 December 2002 and 75% of flight costs thereafter until 30 September 2003. A
decision will then be taken on Phase two of your relocation costs.

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10.    EXPENSES

You will be reimbursed for all expenses reasonably and properly incurred by you
on the business of the Company or the Group provided you produce to the Company
such receipts, voucher or other evidence of actual payment of the expenses
concerned as the Company may reasonably require from time to time.

11.    PENSION AND OTHER BENEFITS

11.1.  BONUS. Subject to the successful achievement by you of the personal
       objectives set for you by your Manager and the Company's performance
       against targets, you may, at the absolute discretion of the Board, be
       awarded a bonus under any bonus scheme which applies to you from time to
       time. Whether each objective has been successfully achieved, whether to
       award any bonus to you and the amount of any bonus awarded to you are
       matters within the absolute discretion of the Board. All of the Company's
       bonus schemes may be withdrawn or varied from time to time at the
       discretion of the Board. Your objectives and the Company's targets are
       likely to vary from year to year. The fact that a bonus is paid in one
       year is no guarantee that a bonus will be paid in subsequent years. As
       the bonus is intended to incentivise employees to remain in the
       employment of the Company, payment of any bonus is conditional on your
       remaining in the employment of the Company and not having given to the
       Company or been given by the Company notice to terminate your employment
       as at the date bonus is payable to you under the scheme rules. Bonuses
       are subject to deductions for income tax, employee's national insurance
       contributions and other deductions required by law.

11.2.  PENSION. You are entitled to become a member of the Company's
       money-purchase pension scheme subject to and in accordance with the rules
       thereof. You may contribute between 2% and 15% of your basic annual
       salary each year to the scheme. Subject to Inland Revenue rules and the
       rules of the scheme in force from time to time (which the Company may
       vary in its discretion), the Company will match your personal
       contribution to the scheme each year and make an additional Company
       contribution to the scheme for your benefit equivalent to 3% of your
       basic annual salary each year provided that the Company's maximum annual
       contribution to the scheme for your benefit shall be 9% of your basic
       annual salary. The Company reserves the right to withdraw this benefit at
       any time or to vary the rules applicable to the scheme or the level of
       Company contributions to the scheme.

11.3.  PRIVATE MEDICAL EXPENSES INSURANCE. The Company shall bear the cost of
       membership for you, your spouse or partner and children (up to the age of
       21 or 25 if in full time education) of a private medical insurance scheme
       with such reputable medical expenses insurance provider as the Company
       shall determine from time to time, subject to the Company being able to
       secure such cover at rates which it determines to be reasonable. The
       Company reserves the right to withdraw this benefit at any time or to
       vary the terms or level of cover at any time. This is a benefit in
       respect of which you will be liable to pay income tax.

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11.4.  LIFE ASSURANCE. The Company shall bear the cost of membership of an
       Inland Revenue approved life assurance scheme for you, subject to and in
       accordance with the rules and terms of such life assurance scheme as may
       be in force from time to time. This scheme provides benefits on death in
       service of 4 times your basic annual salary, which is paid in accordance
       with the rules of the scheme in force. The Company reserves the right to
       withdraw this benefit at any time or to vary the terms or level of cover
       at any time.

12.    HOURS OF WORK

12.1.  Your normal office hours are 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, with a
       lunch break each working day of half an hour. The Company may require you
       to work such additional hours as the Company may determine to be
       necessary for the proper and efficient performance of your duties. You
       shall not be entitled to any overtime or other payments in relation to
       such additional hours. You agree that the limit on average weekly working
       time set out in Regulation 4(1) of the Working Time Regulations 1998 will
       not apply to you, although you may withdraw your consent on giving the
       Company three months prior written notice.

12.2.  The Company reserves the right to require you to work shifts, to change
       your shift pattern or to take you off shifts altogether provided that the
       Company agrees to give you not less than one months' notice of such
       changes to your normal hours of work.

13.    HOLIDAYS

13.1.  The Company's holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.

13.2.  You are entitled to 25 days paid holiday entitlement in each holiday year
       in addition to English public holidays. You are required to save three
       days holiday each year which shall be taken by you on such days over the
       Christmas period as the Company may determine, unless you are notified
       otherwise by the Board in any year.

13.3.  All holiday must be taken at times authorised by your Manager at least
       two weeks in advance. For the avoidance of doubt Regulations 15(1) to
       15(4) of the Working Time Regulations 1998 (dealing with dates when leave
       is taken) will not apply to your employment.

13.4.  You may not, save with the prior permission of your Manager, carry
       forward any unused part of your holiday entitlement for a given holiday
       year into the subsequent holiday year.

13.5.  For the holiday year during which your employment commences or
       terminates, your holiday entitlement will be calculated on a pro rata
       basis according to the number of weeks of completed service in such year.

13.6.  On the termination of your employment with the Company, the Company may
       at its discretion:

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       (a)    require you to take, during your notice period, any or all holiday
              entitlement which will have accrued to you by the date on which
              your employment terminates; or

       (b)    pay you in lieu of your accrued but unused holiday entitlement,
              save that, if you are dismissed summarily for gross misconduct,
              the Company shall be under no obligation to pay you in respect of
              accrued but untaken holiday entitlement in excess of any minimum
              holiday entitlement required by law. All pay in lieu of holiday
              entitlement will be subject to deductions for income tax,
              employee's national insurance contributions and other deductions
              required by law; or

       (c)    deduct an amount equal to salary paid to you in respect of holiday
              taken by you but not accrued by the date on which your employment
              terminates from any salary or payment in lieu of notice due to you
              or, in the event that this is insufficient, require you to repay
              such an amount to the Company.

14.    DEDUCTIONS FROM WAGES

Without prejudice to any other rights open to the Company, you agree that the
Company may deduct from any wages due to you, (including Company sick pay and
any payment in lieu of notice or holiday entitlement) sums representing the
value of any Company property lost by you; the cost of repairing any Company
property damaged by you or damaged as a consequence of negligence on your part;
the amount of any outstanding loans or advances made to you by the Company; any
other sums owing from you to the Company; where you have been unable to perform
your duties under this Agreement due to an accident caused by a third party, an
amount equal to the amount of any damages you recover from a third party in
respect of that accident capped at an amount equal to the salary and benefits
you have received from the Company in respect of any period of absence to which
the damages relate; any overpayment of salary or expenses or payment made to you
by mistake or through misrepresentation; and any other sums authorised to be
deducted by Section 13 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

15.    DATA PROTECTION

In order to keep and maintain any records relating to your employment under this
Agreement, it will be necessary for the Company to record, keep and process
personal data relating to you on computer and in hard copy form. (Examples of
personal data include details of your disciplinary record, any grievances raised
by you and the contents of your personnel file, together with any sensitive
personal data held by the Company such as your religious beliefs, your ethnic or
racial origin and information relating to any physical disability or pregnancy).
Further in order to pay your salary and offer you the other benefits to which
you may be entitled, the Company may also need to obtain from you details of
your bank account and other financial information. To the extent that it is
reasonably necessary in connection with your employment and the Company's
responsibilities as an employer, this data may be disclosed to others, including
other employees of the Company or any Group Company, the Company's professional
advisers, the Inland Revenue or other taxation authority, the police and other
regulatory authorities. You hereby consent to the recording, processing, use and
disclosure by the Company of personal data relating to you as set out above,
including the recording, processing, use and disclosure of your

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sensitive personal data to the extent required by reason of your employment or
by law and the transmission of such data within or outside the European Union.

16.    SICKNESS OR INJURY

16.1.  If you are absent from work due to sickness, injury or accident you must
       notify the Company as soon as possible and in any event before 10.00 am
       on the first working day of absence.

16.2.  If you are absent from work for less than 7 days you must complete a
       self-certification form setting out the nature of your illness or
       incapacity on your return to work. If your absence continues for more
       than 7 days you will, on the eighth day of such absence, submit a
       doctor's certificate to the Company and continue to submit promptly to
       the Company doctor's certificates covering any further period of absence.

16.3.  Provided you comply with the notification and certification procedure set
       out above, the Company will pay you during such absence the Company will
       pay your normal basic salary for up to one consecutive calendar month of
       absence in a calendar year, and then pay you half your normal basic
       salary for up to two further consecutive calendar months during a
       calendar year.

       Thereafter, any Company sick pay is entirely at the discretion of the
       Company, provided that you shall be entitled to statutory sick pay in
       accordance with the rules of the statutory sick pay scheme, subject to
       the Company's right to terminate your employment under this Agreement.

16.4.  Failure to comply with the certification requirements set out above may
       result in your forfeiting your entitlement to be paid during periods of
       absence and in your facing disciplinary action.

16.5.  Any Company sick pay shall include any statutory sick pay payable to you
       under the prevailing rules of the statutory sick pay scheme. The Company
       may deduct from Company sick pay an amount or amounts equal to any state
       benefit to which you are entitled or any payments made to you or for
       which you are eligible under any permanent health insurance scheme.

16.6.  The Company reserves the right to require you to undergo a medical
       examination by the Company's doctor or an independent medical
       practitioner at any time during a period of absence. You agree that the
       doctor or independent medical practitioner may disclose to the Company
       the results of the examination and discuss with the Company and its
       professional advisers any matters arising from the examination as might
       impair you from properly discharging your duties. You also authorise your
       own doctor to provide the Company's doctor and/or independent medical
       practitioner with any relevant extracts from your medical notes.

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17.    CONFIDENTIALITY

17.1.  During the course of your employment you will have access to and become
       aware of information which is confidential to the Company. You undertake
       that you will not, save in the proper performance of your duties for the
       Company, disclose to any person, firm, company or organisation or use
       (whether for your own benefit or for the benefit of any person, firm,
       company or organisation) any of the trade secrets or other confidential
       information of or relating to (a) the Company; (b) any Group Company; (c)
       any client or customer of the Company; (d) any person, firm, company or
       organisation with whom or which the Company is involved in any kind of
       business venture or partnership; or (e) any other third party to which
       the Company or any Group Company owes a duty or confidentiality. Further,
       you agree use your best endeavours to prevent the unauthorised
       publication or disclosure of any such trade secrets or confidential
       information.

17.2.  The restriction in clause 17.1 shall continue to apply after the
       termination of your employment without limit in point of time, but shall
       cease to apply to information ordered to be disclosed by a Court or
       Tribunal of competent jurisdiction or to information which becomes
       available to the public generally (other than by reason of your breaching
       this clause). Nothing in this clause 17 will prevent you making a
       "protected disclosure" within the meaning of the Public Interest
       Disclosure Act 1998.

17.3.  For the purposes of this Agreement confidential information shall
       include, but shall not be limited to:

       (a)    corporate and marketing strategy and plans and business
              development plans;

       (b)    budgets, management accounts, bank account details and other
              confidential financial data;

       (c)    business sales and marketing methods;

       (d)    all techniques and processes used in relation to products and
              services;

       (e)    details of products and services being developed, including
              research and development reports, details of the Company's
              computer technology, applications and systems, computer code and
              algorithms developed or used, information relating to proprietary
              computer hardware or software (including updates) and details of
              intellectual property solutions;

       (f)    methods, procedures and information relating to the operation of
              its business, including details of salaries, bonuses, commissions
              and other employment terms applicable;

       (g)    the names, addresses and contact details of any customers or
              Prospective Customers, including customer lists in whatever medium
              this information is stored and details in relation to the
              requirements of those customers or the potential requirements of
              Prospective Customers for any products or services.

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              Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, information
              provided by visitors to and users of any of its web sites,

       (h)    the terms of business with its advertisers, customers and
              suppliers, including any pricing policy adopted and the terms of
              any partnership, joint venture or other form of commercial
              co-operation or agreement entered into with any third party;

       (i)    software and technical information necessary for the development,
              maintenance or operation of any of any website and the source and
              object code of each website; and

       (j)    any other information in respect of which it is bound by an
              obligation of confidence owed to a third party.

17.4.  Your undertaking to the Company in clause 17.1 is given to the Company
       for itself and as trustee for each Group Company.

18.    DELIVERY UP OF THE COMPANY'S PROPERTY

18.1.  You may not save in the proper performance of your duties or with the
       Company's permission, remove any property belonging to the Company or any
       Group Company, or relating to the affairs of the Company or any Group
       Company, from the Company's or any Group Company's premises, or make any
       copies of documents or records relating to the Company's or any Group
       Company's affairs.

18.2.  Upon the Company's request at any time, and in any event on the
       termination of your employment, you will immediately deliver up to the
       Company or its authorised representative, any plans, keys, mobile
       telephone, security passes, credit cards, customer lists, price lists,
       equipment, documents, records, papers, computer disks, tapes or other
       computer hardware or software (together with all copies of the same), and
       all property of whatever nature in your possession or control which
       belongs to the Company or any Group Company or relates to its or their
       business affairs. You will at the Company's request furnish the Company
       with a written statement confirming that you have complied with this
       obligation.

18.3.  If you have any information relating to the Company or the Group or work
       you have carried out for the Company or any Group Company which is stored
       on a computer or laptop computer which computer or lap top does not
       belong to the Company, this must be disclosed to the Company and the
       Company shall be entitled to down load the information and/or supervise
       its deletion from the computer or laptop concerned.

19.    COPYRIGHT AND DESIGN RIGHTS

19.1.  You will promptly disclose to the Company all works in which copyright or
       design rights may exist which you make or originate either by yourself or
       jointly with other people during your employment.

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19.2.  Any copyright work or design created by you in the normal course of your
       employment or in the course of carrying out duties specifically assigned
       to you, which relate to the affairs of the Company, shall be the property
       of the Company whether or not the work was made at the direction of the
       Company, or was intended for the Company and the copyright in it and the
       rights in any design shall belong absolutely to the Company throughout
       all jurisdictions and in all parts of the world, together with all rights
       of registration, extensions and renewal (where relevant).

19.3.  To the extent that such copyright or design rights are not otherwise
       vested in the Company, you hereby assign the same to the Company,
       together with all past and future rights to action relating thereto.

19.4.  You recognise and accept that the Company may edit, copy, add to, take
       from, adapt, alter and translate the product of your services in
       exercising the rights assigned under clause 19.3.

19.5.  To the full extent permitted by law, you irrevocably and unconditionally
       waive any provision of law known as "moral rights" including any moral
       rights you may otherwise have under sections 77 to 85 inclusive of the
       Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 in relation to the rights referred
       to at clause 19.2.

19.6.  You agree that you will at the Company's request and expense, execute
       such further documents or deeds and do all things necessary or reasonably
       required to confirm and substantiate the rights of the Company under this
       clause 19 and despite the termination of this Agreement for any reason.

19.7.  You agree that you will not at any time make use of or exploit the
       Company's property, trade marks, service marks, documents or materials in
       which the Company owns the copyright or the design rights for any purpose
       which has not been authorised by the Company.

20.    INVENTIONS

20.1.  It shall be part of your normal duties at all times to consider in what
       manner and by what new methods or devices, products, services, processes,
       equipment or systems of the Company and each Group Company might be
       improved, and promptly to give to the Board full details of any
       invention, discovery, design, improvement or other matter or work
       whatsoever in relation thereto ("the Inventions") which you may from time
       to time make or discover during your employment, and to further the
       interests of the Company in relation to the same. You hereby acknowledge
       and agree that the sole ownership of the Inventions and all proprietary
       rights therein discovered or made by you (whether alone or jointly with
       others) at any time during your employment shall (subject to any contrary
       provisions of the Patents Act 1977 and the Copyright Designs and Patents
       Act 1988 and to any rights of a joint inventor thereof) belong free of
       charge and exclusively to the Company as it may direct.

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20.2.  All worldwide copyright and design rights in all the Inventions shall be
       and remain the property of the Company and the provisions of clause 19
       above shall apply in relation to the same.

20.3.  You agree that you will, at any time during your employment or
       thereafter, at the Company's expense, do all such acts and things and
       execute such documents (including without limitation making application
       for letters patent) as the Company may reasonably request in order to
       vest effectually any Invention (whether owned by the Company in
       accordance with this clause 20 or owned by you) and any protection as to
       ownership or use (in any part of the world) of the same, in the Company
       or any Group Company, or as the Company may direct, jointly if necessary
       with any joint inventor thereof, and you hereby irrevocably appoint the
       Company for these purposes to be your attorney in your name and on your
       behalf to execute such acts and things and execute any such documents as
       set out above.

20.4.  You agree that you will not knowingly do or omit to do anything which
       will or may have the result of imperilling any such protection aforesaid
       or any application for such protection.

21.    GARDEN LEAVE

The Company shall be under no obligation to provide you with work during any
period of notice to terminate your employment (or any part thereof), whether
given by the Company or by you. During such period the Company may require you:
(a) to carry out different duties from your normal duties, whether or not this
occasions a loss of status; (b) to cease carrying out your duties altogether;
(c) not to attend work and may exclude you from any premises of the Company or
any Group Company; and/or (d) not to have any business dealings or contact with
the Company's employees, suppliers, advertisers, customers, Prospective
Customers and agents. You will continue to receive your salary and all
contractual benefits provided by your employment. During such period of notice,
you may not be engaged or employed by or take up any office in any other
company, firm, business or organisation or trade on your own account or enter
into any partnership without the prior written permission of the Board.

22.    SUSPENSION

The Company may at any time suspend you on full pay pending the outcome of a
disciplinary investigation or for health reasons. Whilst you are suspended, the
Company may impose the same conditions as apply to garden leave under clause 21
above.

23.    RESTRICTIONS AFTER TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

23.1.  You agree that you will not, without the prior written permission of the
       Board, during your employment or for a period of 6 months following the
       termination of your employment (less any period you spend on garden leave
       pursuant to clause 21), whether on your own behalf or on behalf of any
       individual, company, firm, business or other organisation, directly or
       indirectly:

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       (a)    in connection with the carrying on of any business which competes
              with any business of the Company or any Group Company with which
              business you were involved in the period of 12 months prior to the
              termination of your employment, solicit or entice away from the
              Company or any Group Company the business or custom of any
              customer or Prospective Customer with whom you had business
              dealings on behalf of the Company or any Group Company in the
              course of the period of 12 months prior to the termination of your
              employment or about which customer or Prospective Customer you are
              privy to confidential information at the date your employment
              terminates; or

       (b)    in connection with the carrying on of any business which competes
              with any business of the Company or any Group Company with which
              business you were involved in the period of 12 months prior to the
              termination of your employment, have business dealings or contract
              with any customer or Prospective Customer of the Company or any
              Group Company with which customer or Prospective Customer you had
              business dealings on behalf of the Company or any Group Company in
              the course of the period of 12 months prior to the termination of
              your employment or about which customer or Prospective Customer
              you are privy to confidential information at the date your
              employment terminates; or

       (c)    seek to entice away from the Company or any Group Company any
              person employed or engaged by the Company or any Group Company as
              or carrying out the functions of a director, vice president,
              manager or any other person acting in a sales, research and
              development or technical capacity at the date your employment
              terminates with whom you had material contact in the period of 12
              months prior to the termination of your employment with the
              Company provided that this restriction shall apply regardless of
              whether the solicitation involves a breach of contract on the part
              of the director or employee concerned; or

       (d)    employ or engage or offer to employ or engage any person employed
              or engaged by the Company any Group Company as or carrying out the
              functions of a director, vice president, manager or any other
              person acting in a sales, research and development or technical
              capacity at the date your employment terminates with whom you had
              dealings in the last 12 months of your employment with the Company
              provided that this restriction shall apply regardless of whether
              the employment involves a breach of contract on the part of the
              director or employee concerned; or

       (e)    endeavour to entice away from the Company or in any way seek to
              affect the terms of business on which the Company deals with any
              person, firm, company or organisation whom or which supplied goods
              or services to the Company during the period of 12 months prior to
              the termination of your employment.

23.2.  You agree that you will not, without the prior written permission of the
       Board, for a period of 6 months following the termination of your
       employment with the Company (less any period you spend on garden leave
       pursuant to clause 21), be engaged or employed in the Restricted Area by
       or otherwise involved or interested in any company,

                                      -12-
<Page>

       firm, organisation or business which competes in the Restricted Area with
       any business of the Company or any Group Company with which business you
       are involved in the last 12 months of your employment under this
       Agreement. In the event that you serve on the Company a written request
       for permission to be employed or engaged by any company, firm,
       organisation or business and the Company refuses to provide its
       permission, then the Company will pay you at a rate equivalent to one
       twelfth of your basic annual salary under this Agreement as at the date
       your employment with the Company terminates for each period of one month
       following the date on which your employment with the Company terminates
       during which period you are restricted from commencing such employment or
       engagement by reason of this clause 23.2 subject to:

       (a)    you providing the Company, in any such request made by you, with:
              the name and address of the company, firm, organisation or
              business which has offered to employ or engage you; details of the
              job title and duties associated with the position offered to you
              by such company, firm, organisation or business; and a copy of any
              written offer of employment or engagement made to you by such
              company, firm, organisation or business.

       (b)    you complying in full with the terms of clause 23; and

       (c)    the deduction from any sum prima facie due to you under this
              clause 23.2 of any remuneration, salary, fees or other income
              earned by you arising from or in relation to any employment or
              engagement undertaken by you during such period (but not including
              any income arising from any employment or engagement which you had
              commenced at least six months prior to the date on which your
              employment terminates provided that you had permission from your
              Manager to undertake such employment or engagement pursuant to
              clause 2.1 of this Agreement).

       The payment due to you will be paid in monthly instalments in arrears
       within 14 days of you confirming to the Board in writing the amount of
       remuneration, salary, fees or other income earned by you arising from or
       in relation to any employment or engagement undertaken by you during the
       period of one month to which the instalment relates.

23.3.  Each of the sub-clauses contained in clause 23 constitutes an entirely
       separate and independent covenant. If any restriction is held to be
       invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, it is
       intended and understood by the parties that such invalidity or
       unenforceability will not affect the remaining restrictions or the
       validity of the rest of the Agreement and that if any such restriction
       would be valid if some part thereof were deleted, such restrictions shall
       apply with such modification as may be necessary to make them effective.

23.4.  You agree that if you receive an offer of employment, consultancy,
       directorship or other office or partnership during the continuance in
       force of any of the above, you will prior to acceptance of an offer,
       provide the party making the offer with copies of this clause and details
       of your notice period, the restrictions on your use and disclosure of
       confidential information and the clauses dealing with copyright and
       inventions. Further, within 48

                                      -13-
<Page>

       hours of receiving the aforementioned offer you will notify the Company
       of the identity of the party making the offer and the terms of the offer.

23.5.  You acknowledge that:

       (a)    each of the restrictions in clause 23 goes no further than is
              necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of the
              Company and any Group Company; and

       (b)    the Company is entering into this Agreement not only for itself
              but as trustee for each Group Company and with the intention that
              the Company and/or any Group Company will be entitled to seek the
              protection of and enforce each of its restrictions directly
              against you. If requested to do so by the Company however, you
              will at any time enter into like restrictions as those contained
              in this clause 23 (mutatis mutandis) with any other Group Company.

23.6.  Nothing in this clause 23 shall prohibit you from holding the investments
       and interests set out in clause 2.1 above.

23.7.  Following the date your employment terminates, you will not:

       (a)    represent yourself as being in any way connected with the business
              of the Company or any Group Company (except to the extent agreed
              by such Company):

       (b)    represent, promote or advertise or refer to your previous
              connection with the Company or any Group Company in such a way as
              to utilise any of their goodwill

       (c)    carry on, cause or permit to be carried on any business under or
              using any name, trade mark, service mark, style, logo, get-up or
              image which is or has been used by the Company or any Group
              Company, or which in the reasonable opinion of the Board, is
              calculated to cause confusion with such a name, trade mark,
              service mark, style, logo, get-up or image or infer a connection
              with the Company or any Group Company.

24.    DISCIPLINARY AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

A copy of the Company's disciplinary and grievance procedures are available from
Human Resources. These policies do not form part of your contract of employment
and may be varied by the Company at any time.

25.    COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS

There are no collective Agreements which directly affect your terms and
conditions of employment.

26.    SECURITY

26.1.  All communications, whether by telephone, email, fax, or any other means,
       which are transmitted, undertaken or received using Company property or
       on Company premises

                                      -14-
<Page>

       will be treated by the Company as work related and are subject to
       interception, recording and monitoring without further notice. You should
       not regard any such communications as private.

26.2.  Interception, recording and monitoring of communications is intended to
       protect the Company's business interests, for example, but without
       limitation, for the purposes of quality control, security of
       communication and IT systems, record-keeping and evidential requirements,
       detection and prevention of criminal activity or misconduct and to assist
       the Company to comply with relevant legal requirements. Such
       interception, recording and monitoring will not be undertaken for
       prurient interest.

26.3.  Intercepted communications may be used as evidence in disciplinary or
       legal proceedings, including in any such action against you.

26.4.  By transmitting, undertaking or receiving communication using Company
       property or on Company premises you consent to the above terms.

27.    ENTIRE AGREEMENT

27.1.  This Agreement sets out the entire agreement between the Company and you
       at the date of this Agreement in relation to your terms and conditions of
       employment and is in substitution for and supersedes any previous
       contract of employment between the Company and you, which shall be deemed
       to have been terminated by mutual consent and without giving rise to
       claims against the Company. You represent and warrant that you are not
       entering into this Agreement in reliance on any representation not
       expressly set out herein.

27.2.  The termination of this Agreement howsoever arising shall not affect any
       of the provisions of this Agreement which are expressed to operate or
       have effect or are capable of operation or effect after such termination.

28.    NOTICES

Any notice you are required to give under this Agreement should be given by you
to your Manager. Any notice the Company is required to give you should be handed
to you or delivered or posted by special delivery post to your last notified
address. These notices will be deemed to have been given on receipt if handed to
you or your Manager, when delivered if delivered or posted to your last notified
address.

29.    THIRD PARTIES

This Agreement constitutes an agreement solely between the Company and you and,
save where otherwise provided, nothing in this contract confers or purports to
confer on a third party any benefit or any right to enforce a term of this
contract for the purposes of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

                                      -15-
<Page>

30.    INTERPRETATION

30.1.  Any reference in this Agreement to:

30.2.  any Act or delegated legislation includes any statutory modification or
       re-enactment of it or the provision referred to;

30.3.  "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company from time to
       time or any person or any committee of the Board duly appointed by it;

30.4.  "Group Company" means a company which from time to time is a subsidiary
       or a holding company of the Company or a subsidiary of such holding
       company (where the terms "subsidiary" and "holding company" have the
       meanings attributed to them by section 736 of the Companies Act 1985);

30.5.  The words "include" and "including" and "in particular" shall be
       construed as being by way of illustration only and shall not limit the
       generality of the preceding words;

30.6.  "Prospective Customer" means any person with whom the Company (or any
       Group Company) is in negotiations or is tendering for the supply of its
       goods and services; and

30.7.  "Restricted Area" means the United Kingdom and other geographical area in
       relation to which you carried out your duties for the Company or in
       respect of which you were responsible during (in both cases) the period
       of 12 months immediately preceding the termination of your employment
       with the Company.

31.    GOVERNING LAW

Your terms of employment with the Company are governed by English law and the
parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts. The Company
may however enforce the Agreement in any other courts of competent jurisdiction.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Agreement has been executed and delivered as a deed on
the date set out above.

EXECUTED AND DELIVERED AS A                 /s/Ian Burrows
DEED BY                                     ------------------------------
BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC                      IAN BURROWS
ACTING BY ITS ATTORNEY IAN BURROWS IN
THE PRESENCE OF:

Signature of witness:                       /s/Melanie Waters
                                            ------------------------------

Print name of witness:                      MELANIE WATERS
                                                          ----------------

                                      -16-
<Page>

Print address of witness:                   Bookham Technology plc

                                            Abingdon

Print Occupation of witness                 Senior Resourcing Officer

EXECUTED AND DELIVERED AS A
DEED BY: LIAM NAGLE
                                            /s/Liam Nagle
                                            ------------------------------------
IN THE PRESENCE OF:

Signature of witness:                       /s/Giorgio Anania
                                            ------------------------------------

Print name of witness:                      Giorgio Anania
                                            ------------------------------------

Print address of witness:                   22 The Chestnuts, Abingdon, OX14 3YN
                                            ------------------------------------

Print occupation of witness:                CEO
                                            ------------------------------------

                                      -17-<Page>
                                                                   Exhibit 10.29

                                                          PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL

                    PRINCIPAL STATEMENT OF TERMS & CONDITIONS

  THIS DOCUMENT IS YOUR PRINCIPAL STATEMENT OF TERMS & CONDITIONS WITH BOOKHAM
  TECHNOLOGY PLC (THE COMPANY) AND SUPERSEDES ANY PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
                               WITH THE COMPANY.

Name of Employee                            Stephen Abely

Job Title                                   Chief Financial Officer

Contract Type                               Permanent

Date of Issue                               Wednesday, 5 September 2001

START DATE

Your contract with the Company will commence on a date to be confirmed.

THIS OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT IS SUBJECT TO

-    Proof of your right to work in the United Kingdom or the issue of any
     necessary work permit or visa.

HOURS OF WORK

Your basic working week will be 40 hours, spread over five days, Monday to
Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm with half hour for lunch which will be unpaid.
Managers have discretion to agree variations to this.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Your duties and responsibilities will be as outlined by your manager, and
further explained to you when you commence employment with the Company, along
with work objectives.

PAYMENT OF SALARY

Your starting salary will be L 140,000 per annum. Your salary will be paid
monthly in arrears into your nominated bank account on or around the 24th of
each month.

The Company reserves the right to deduct from your salary or expenses any monies
owed by you to the Company. Whenever possible we would aim to discuss any such
deductions with you in advance. The Company also reserves the right to deduct a
day's pay for each day of unauthorized absence, including leaving our employment
without notice.

REPORTING

In this position you will report to Giorgio Anania (CEO).

                                       -2-
<Page>

LOCATION

Initially, your operating base will be 90 Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
although you may be requested to work at various locations as required by the
Company. The Company may require you to permanently change your place of work,
as is deemed necessary for the business. The Company will endeavor to give you
as much notice as possible of any necessary move. If the new location requires
you to relocate, then you may be eligible to receive financial assistance under
the Company Relocation Policy.

You will be required to work outside the United Kingdom for a period in excess
of 30 consecutive days.

RELOCATION ALLOWANCE

You are eligible for relocation to a maximum amount of $50,000 in accordance
with the Company Relocation Policy. Reimbursement of relocation expenses is
conditional upon you remaining in the Company's service for at least 24 months
after the start of the relocation process. If you leave the Company within 24
months of the process starting, the Company will reclaim monies paid and will be
entitled to offset any payments due to you on termination against the whole or
part of the debt. If, however, Bookham Technology terminates your employment
then you will be entitled to a further $50,000 to cover relocation costs back to
the USA.

To further aid you in your relocation to the UK Bookham Technology agree to
cover rented accommodation costs totaling L 2,000 per calendar month for the
first twelve months of your employment in the United Kingdom. At the end of this
period Bookham Technology agree to cover rented accommodation costs totaling L
1,000 per calendar month for a further twelve months, after which any
compensation against rented accommodation will cease. As a benefit in kind this
will be taxed under the UK Inland Revenue rules.

BONUS SCHEME

As a member of the senior management team, you will participate in the Company's
non-contractual bonus scheme. Your individual bonus is targeted to pay up to 50%
of basic salary pro-related for your service during a scheme year.

CAR ALLOWANCE

The Company will also offer you a car allowance of L 12,000 p.a. plus
reimbursement against receipts for fuel, subject to your holding a full current
driving licence.

MEDICAL INSURANCE SCHEME

The Company has an arrangement with a private insurance company to provide you
with free medical cover. You will be eligible and may elect to join the scheme,
which covers you, your spouse or partner and dependent children up to the age of
21 (or 25 if in full time education), from your date of entry into the Company.
You will be personally liable for any income tax in respect of the provision of
this benefit.

                                       -3-
<Page>

LIFE ASSURANCE PROVISIONS

You will be eligible to participate in the Group Life Assurance Scheme, which is
non-contributory. The scheme provides for a death in-service benefit of four
times your salary to be paid tax free to your nominated beneficiary/ies. The
cover expires when you reach the normal retirement age of 60, you retire early
or you leave the Company's employment. There are no tax implications for this
benefit.

PERMANENT HEALTH ASSURANCE

Whilst employed by the Company you will be automatically covered in those
circumstances where, due to illness or injury, you become permanently
incapacitated. If your incapacity qualifies under the scheme arrangements you
will receive 75% of your salary until the normal retirement age of 60. The
scheme is non-contributory with no tax implications for this benefit.

RETIREMENT AGE

The normal retirement age of Company employees is 60.

BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY GROUP PENSION SCHEME

You are eligible to join this Company sponsored money-purchase scheme, provided
by Scottish Equitable, immediately on commencing employment. You may opt to
contribute between 2% and 15% of your base salary and the Company will match
your contributions and then add a further 3% up to a total company contribution
ceiling of 9%. Employee contributions receive income tax relief at source.

Medical insurance, permanent health insurance and life assurance benefits are
provided whether or not you join the pension scheme.

SHARE OPTIONS

You will be granted 500,000 Company stock options. The grant will be made by the
Board at its next meeting following your commencement of employment and the
exercise price of the options will be the market price for the Company's stock
at that time. These options will vest over 42 months (with one-third vesting
after 18 months, one-third after a further 12 months and the remainder after a
further 12 months).

HOLIDAYS

The holiday year runs from 1st January to 31st December based on calendar
months. Your paid holiday entitlement is 23 days per annum, pro-rata to the
period of the contract, to be taken in agreement with your manager. The Company
reserves the right to require you to use three days holiday for the Christmas
shutdown period.

On leaving the Company, payment will be made in lieu of any unused holiday
entitlement, calculated on a pro-rata basis and based on basic salary, plus
shift allowance. If on termination of your employment with the Company you have
exceeded your accrued holiday entitlement, the

                                       -4-
<Page>

Company reserves the right to deduct the excess from any sums due to you,
including payment of salary.

BANK HOLIDAY

In addition, you are entitled to the statutory English bank holidays which fall
during normal working time during the contract period. Given the nature of the
work, it may, on occasions, be necessary for you to work on public holidays.

HEALTH & SAFETY

The Company strives to operate and maintain a safe working environment and safe
systems at work. You are legally required to adhere to the Company and general
workplace Health and Safety policies and procedures, and to take reasonable care
for the safety of yourself and others. Any breach of such policies could leave
you liable to criminal, civil or disciplinary action. Health and safety
responsibilities will be outlined to you during your induction.

SICKNESS ABSENCE

In order to protect your earnings during unavoidable absence due to illness or
injury, you are eligible to receive Company sick pay comprising one month at
full salary and one month at half salary in any 12-month period provided you
comply with notification requirements. These periods may be extended at
Management discretion. You should notify your manager by your usual starting
time if you are too ill to come to work.

For absences of less than seven days (including Saturday and Sunday) you are
required to complete a self-certification form, which can be obtained from the
HR Department. For absences of more than seven days (including Saturday and
Sunday), you are required to provide a doctor's certificate.

EXPENSES

The Company will refund to you out of pocket expenses, which will include
reasonable traveling, entertainment and other expenses properly incurred by you
in and about the course of your work. Claims for reimbursement must make clear
the nature of the expense incurred and be supported by evidence of expenditure.

RESTRICTIONS ON WORK OUTSIDE BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC

During the period of your employment with the Company you are expected to afford
priority to your job. As a result, you may not be employed by, or carry out, any
work for any other body which conflicts with or hinders your ability to carry
out your work satisfactorily, without the written permission of the appropriate
manager within your work location.

USE OF EMAIL, INTERNET AND INTRANET

You must adhere to Company Policy regarding the use of Email, Internet and
Intranet as published from time to time.

                                       -5-
<Page>

CHANGE OF PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

It is very important that you inform the HR Department of any changes to your
personal circumstances, i.e., change of address, telephone number, next of kin,
etc.

AMENDMENTS TO CONTRACT

Any relevant changes to pay or conditions of service will be incorporated into
your contract and you will be notified in writing of any such amendment.

COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS

There are no collective agreements affecting your employment with the Company.

NOTICE PERIODS

You an required to give and entitled to receive three month's notice of
termination, or the statutory minimum, whichever is the greater. Notice must be
given in writing to/by your manager.

Your contract may be terminated by the Company without notice in case of gross
misconduct or breach of contract in accordance with the Company's Disciplinary
Procedure.

PAY PROGRESSION

Your salary will be reviewed on an individual basis. Pay progression is linked
to performance reviews.

TAX OFFICE

The Tax office which deals with this company is: Cardiff 3 - Ref No: 075/B870

OVERPAYMENTS AND UNDERPAYMENTS

The Company endeavors to ensure wages are paid into your account correctly. If
you receive an underpayment or overpayment, you have an obligation to
immediately notify the Payroll Department. In the event of an Overpayment,
monies will be deducted from your next salary payment, your final salary payment
or by installments as agreed with Payroll and the HR Department.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Company has a range of policies and procedures with which you are expected
to familiarize yourself and adhere to. These cover a variety of topics, e.g.
quality standards, computer use and general conduct. The Company will
communicate new standards to you either through the line, at "Quality Points" or
by email/letter. Any breach of the Company's policies and procedures may result
in disciplinary action being taken in accordance with the Disciplinary Policy.

                                       -6-
<Page>

CONFIDENTIALITY

For the period of your employment with the Company (except in the proper course
of your duties) you are required at all times to keep confidential and not
disclose to any third party, any matters whatsoever which come to your knowledge
concerning any business affairs or trade secrets of the Company, its suppliers
or customers.

This undertaking remains effective after your employment with the Company has
terminated. You are also required to return to the Company prior to your
departure any copies of records or notes containing confidential information
held by you either in writing or recorded electronically.

GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINE

If you breach The Company's policies and procedures or fail to attain an
acceptable standard of conduct, you will be subject to the Company's
non-contractual and discretionary Disciplinary Policy and Procedures.

The Company also has a Grievance Procedure that should be followed if you have a
grievance.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Any inventions, creative writings or designs or copyright material created by
you as part of your normal employment with the Company will be considered to
have been made by and on behalf of the Company exclusively and shall belong to
the Company exclusively, and you agree to assign all rights in them to the
Company.

The Company will be exclusively entitled to apply for patents of other design
protection and/or trade marks, and you agree to sign all paper which the Company
may consider necessary in connection with such invention, design or copyright
material.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

You are required to declare any personal or family interest in matters of
official business e.g. any contract for goods or services, any employment or
promotion by the Company, any interest in other companies or organizations which
might affect, or might reasonably be interpreted as affecting impartial
judgement.

                                       -7-
<Page>

We hope that you are able to accept this offer of appointment on the terms and
conditions detailed above. Please confirm your acceptance of this offer by
signing and dating the attached copy of this statement of terms and conditions
and returning it to me within one week of receipt.

Signed  /s/ Andy Hill                         Dated WEDNESDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 2001
      ---------------------------------
ANDY HILL, DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT
On behalf of Bookham Technology plc.

ACCEPTANCE

1.     I accept the appointment referred to in the terms and conditions set out
       in this Principal Statement of Terms and Conditions of employment.

2.     In accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act it is agreed that Bookham
       Technology may hold and use personal information about me for personnel
       reasons and to enable Bookham Technology plc to keep in touch with me.
       This information can be sorted in both manual or computer form, including
       the data in Section 2 of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Signed: /s/ Stephen Abely                          Date: 9/13/01
       --------------------------                       --------
STEPHEN ABELY

I confirm that I

/ /    will be available to start work on Tuesday 10/09/2001

       or

/ /    will advise you as soon as possible on my earliest preferred date e.g.
       once this has been agreed by my current employer. (You need not delay
       acceptance of this offer if this is likely to take some time).

       Or

/ /    will be available to start once I possess valid Work Permit or other
       documentation.

                                       -8-

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