14:40 – 15:30
Panel Session: Strategic Autonomy or Global Integration? Europe’s Current and Future Semiconductor Strategy Amid Geopolitics and Supply Chains Boundaries
Moderator
Rainer Kaesmaier, Ph.D.
Hitachi Energy Ltd.
Dr. Rainer Kaesmaier is leading the semiconductor business of Hitachi Energy with its global manufacturing and R&D footprint for the power semiconductor product portfolio which compromises GTOs, IGBTs, IGCTs, Thyristors, Diodes and SiC for market segments such as energy transmission & distribution, transportation & rail, renewables, industry and eMobility. Rainer is a semiconductor industry veteran having held various management and executive positions in the sector for close to 30 years, covering areas of global responsibility in business strategy and development, business transformation, technology and engineering, operations and production, R&D, as well as sales and marketing. After stations at Siemens, Infineon, Qimonda, and the European semiconductor manufacturer LFoundry, he assumed 2018 the responsibility for the global semiconductor business of Hitachi Energy. In addition to that, Rainer is since 2019 also member of the management board for Hitachi Energy Switzerland. He was a member in various industries strategy committees in Europe and the US, and currently in the advisory board for International Semiconductor Industry Group (I.S.I.G.). Rainer holds a Master’s degree in Physics from the Technical University Munich and a PhD in Physics from the University Kassel in Germany. He is based in Lenzburg near Zurich, Switzerland.
Hitachi Energy Ltd.
Company Profile
We have one of the most diverse semiconductor portfolios that includes thyristors, diodes, GTOs, IGCTs, IGBTs and RoadPakTM modules, which are manufactured at our facilities in Lenzburg, Switzerland and Prague, Czech Republic. We have one of the most diverse semiconductor portfolios that includes thyristors, diodes, GTOs, IGCTs, MOSFETs and IGBTs, which are manufactured at our facilities in Lenzburg, Switzerland and Prague, Czech Republic. Our research team continues pushing the boundaries of what is possible, using silicon and silicon carbide (SiC) technology to innovate the next generation of power electronics devices. Our advanced semiconductor technology brings unprecedented control to HVDC transmission systems. We are the heart of traction converters for high speed trains, metros and diesel-electric locomotives. Pumps, fans, roller tables, hoist and winches found throughout industry rely on us, and the world is able to enjoy greener mobility because we power the next generation of e-vehicles.
Panelist
Achim Kempe
Nexperia
Achim Kempe is the Chief Operating Officer at Nexperia, bringing over three decades of experience in the semiconductor industry. Based in Hamburg, he has led global operations since 2018, following senior leadership roles at NXP Semiconductors and Philips Semiconductors. His expertise spans wafer fabrication, test engineering, and business group management, with a career grounded in technical excellence and strategic leadership. Achim holds a Master’s degree from the University of Siegen and a Bachelor’s degree from FH Cologne, both in Electrical Engineering. Known for his operational insight and engineering depth, Achim continues to shape the future of semiconductor manufacturing.
Nexperia
Company Profile
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Nexperia is a global semiconductor company with a rich European history and over 15,000 employees across Europe, Asia, and the United States. As a leading expert in the development and production of essential semiconductors, Nexperia’s components enable the basic functionality of virtually every electronic design in the world – from automotive and industrial to mobile and consumer applications.
The company serves a global customer base, shipping more than 100 billion products annually. These products are recognized as benchmarks in efficiency – in process, size, power, and performance. Nexperia’s commitment to innovation, efficiency and stringent industry requirements are evident in its extensive IP portfolio, its expanding product range, and its certification to IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards.
Panelist
Milan Rosina, Ph.D.
Yole Group
Dr. Milan Rosina is Principal Analyst, Power Electronics & Battery, at Yole Group (Yole). Dr. Rosina has 20+ years of experience due diligence, technology, and market surveys in the fields of renewable energies, xEV, EV chargers, energy storage, batteries, power electronics, thermal management, and innovative materials and components. Dr. Rosina received his Ph.D. degree from National Polytechnical Institute (Grenoble, France). He previously worked for the Institute of Electrical Engineering in Slovakia; Centrotherm in Germany; Fraunhofer IWS in Germany; CEA LETI in France; and the French utility company ENGIE.
Yole Group
Company Profile
Yole Group is a leading international market research and strategy consulting firm, delivering in-depth analyses across market trends, technology developments, teardowns, and reverse costing. Leveraging deep semiconductor expertise, its team of analysts also provides custom consulting services, offering strategic, technical, and market insights tailored to address specific business challenges and opportunities.
Panelist
Roberto Antonicelli, Ph.D.
JCET
Professional with over 25 years of international experience in the semiconductor and automotive sectors. Currently Senior Director at STATS ChipPAC, part of JCET Group, he has previously held leadership roles at STMicroelectronics and Infineon. He holds a PhD in Microelectronics, with a focus on semiconductor packaging and RF/microwave design. His expertise spans business development, strategic partnerships, and complex program execution, with a strong emphasis on business innovation and collaboration. Married and father of three children, he is recognized for his forward-thinking approach to advancing technology and business solutions.
JCET
Company Profile
JCET Group is the world’s leading integrated-circuit manufacturing and technology services provider, offering a full range of turnkey services that include semiconductor package integration design and characterization, R&D, wafer probe, wafer bumping, package assembly, final test and drop shipment to vendors around the world.
Our comprehensive portfolio covers a wide spectrum of semiconductor applications such as mobile, communication, compute, consumer, automotive, and industrial, through advanced wafer-level packaging, 2.5D/3D, System-in-Package, and reliable flip chip and wire bonding technologies. JCET Group has two R&D centers in China and Korea, six manufacturing locations in China, Korea, and Singapore, and sales centers around the world, providing close technology collaboration and efficient supply-chain manufacturing to our global customers.
Panelist
Christophe Maleville, Ph.D.
Soitec
Christophe Maleville has been appointed Chief Technology Officer and Senior Executive Vice President of Soitec’s Innovation.
He joined Soitec in 1993 and was a driving force behind the company’s joint research activities with CEA-Leti. For several years, he led new SOI process development, oversaw SOI technology transfer from R&D to production, and managed customer certifications. He also served as vice president, SOI Products Platform at Soitec, working closely with key customers worldwide.
Maleville has authored or co-authored more than 30 papers and also holds some 30 patents. He has a PhD in microelectronics from Grenoble Institute of Technology and obtained an executive MBA from INSEAD.
Soitec
Company Profile
Soitec is a world leader in the production of innovative semiconductor materials. The company leverages its unique technologies to serve the electronics markets.
In meeting the technical and economic challenges of mainstream electronics, Soitec is helping to speed up the mobile and digital revolutions. Its products are used to manufacture chips that go into smartphones, tablets, computers, IT servers and data centers as well as electronic components in cars, connected devices, and industrial and medical equipment.
With more than 4,000 patents, the company pursues a strategy of disruptive innovation to provide its customers with products that combine performance, energy efficiency and competitiveness.
Soitec is headquartered in Bernin France. The company was founded 30 years ago in Grenoble’s high-tech ecosystem and has manufacturing facilities, R&D centers and sales offices in Europe, the United States and Asia. Soitec is listed on the CAC NEXT 20, in Paris.
For more information visit: www.soitec.com.
