08:00 – 09:00
Registration
MARKET PULL AND TECHNOLOGY PUSH IN A VARIETY OF WBG APPLICATIONS
09:00 – 09:20
GaN D-Mode vs. GaN E-Mode: A Clash of Technologies or The Perfect Co-Existence?
Gallium nitride (GaN) devices have emerged as a superior alternative to mature technologies like Si, boasting higher efficiency, power density, and cost-effectiveness for various applications. Among the GaN landscape, there are three main technologies: Depletion mode (D-mode), Enhancement mode (E-mode), and vertical GaN, although the latest one not yet broadly commercially available.
D-mode devices function as normally-on switches, therefore used in combination with cascode or direct drive configurations. D-mode cascode devices offer higher gate threshold voltage, lower 3rd quadrant losses or lower gate leakage current. E-mode HEMTs, based on a p-GaN layer on the gate (normally-off), offer advantages like enhanced efficiency at lower voltages (<300V), simpler manufacturing, and improved slew rate control.
This presentation will delve into the strengths and weaknesses of each technology, while also examining their respective target segments, applications, and market sizes.
Bas Verheijen
Senior Director GaN Technology and Operations
Nexperia
Bas Verheijen serves as the Senior Director of GaN Technology and Operations at Nexperia, leveraging his extensive experience spanning over two decades in the field of semiconductors. Bas played a pivotal role in establishing and seamlessly integrating GaN initiatives within Nexperia, leading the GaN division during its formative stages. Previously, Bas demonstrated his expertise by setting-up and managing Nexperia’s worldwide customer supply chain organization. His professional journey includes diverse responsibilities within supply chain management at NXP, where he contributed as a member of the SCM MT. Commencing his career, Bas took part in the setup of SSMC wafer fab, where he spearheaded crucial aspects of technology transfers. His educational background encompasses an MSc in Applied Physics from Eindhoven University of Technology and a PhD from the Rotterdam School of Management in the Netherlands.
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.
09:20 – 09:40
ICeGaN: the Call of the GaN Revolution
The semiconductor industry is undergoing a transformational shift with the advent of Gallium Nitride (GaN), a material that offers superior power efficiency, thermal management, and frequency characteristics compared to traditional silicon. GaN’s increased power density and faster switching speeds have revolutionized critical sectors like telecommunications, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and data centers, aligning with the semiconductor megatrends of energy efficiency, miniaturization, and high-speed data transmission.
ICeGaN, the state-of-the-art technology for high voltage GaN HEMTs, enables ease of use and ruggedness thus helping to harvest on GaN expectations and achieve high efficient and high power density in power conversion.
Dr. Giorgia Longobardi
Founder and CEO
Cambridge GaN Devices
Dr. Giorgia Longobardi, CEO of CGD, is an experienced engineer with international practice working on GaN power devices design and characterisation. As the inventor of high impact patents in the field of GaN power devices, Giorgia made the unique blend of academic and business know-how one of her biggest strengths.
During her PhD in power devices at Cambridge University, Giorgia worked on international projects with top semiconductor companies, through which, she learned about different cultures operating in this field and gained experience managing and budgeting multi-partner projects. Curious and knowledgeable, Giorgia leads an experienced diverse team of passionate people working with enthusiasm and continuous drive to do things better. She never forgets why she founded CGD: to change how energy is used and protect the environment with efficient power electronics.
She is a member of the energy management committee at PSMA (power Sources manufacturers association) and Strategic Advisory Board at the Henry Royce Institute for materials.
Company Profile
A spin-out of the Cambridge University, Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) is a fabless semiconductor company that develops a range of energy-efficient GaN-based power devices to make greener electronics possible.
Operating at a market worth exceeding $30 billion, CGD completed several funding rounds to develop and deliver to the market a wide range of products for consumer and industrial applications.
In autumn 2021, the company was named Tech Scaleup of the Year by Business Weekly in the category of green electronics and was awarded the UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA) deep tech Investment of the Year.
09:40 – 10:00
Innoscience’s GaN Power Devices: Reliable, Price Competitive and Mass Manufactured
GaN power devices are revolutionizing the power semiconductor sector by enabling power conversion systems (AC/DC, DC/DC etc..) to be smaller, more efficient, simpler and thus cheaper than ones made with traditional silicon power devices. For example, to date Innoscience – the largest producer of 8-inch GaN-on-Si power devices wafers – has shipped more than 170M devices that are being used in numerous applications.
Yet, there are still several myths about GaN power devices. It is said they are very expensive and that their reliability is questionable. These myths have made several companies nervous about moving into GaN.
In this presentation, we will destroy these untruths by showing the performance and reliability of Innoscience’s GaN power device technology. We will also show that by leveraging the economies of scale delivered by the company’s two large 8-inch high-throughput manufacturing fabs totally dedicated to the production of 8-inch GaN-on-Si wafers (which each enable ~2x the number of devices per wafer than 6-inch processes), it is now possible to provide price-competitive GaN power devices. We will conclude the presentation by showing how to take advantage of discrete (InnoGaN™) and integrated (SolidGaNTM) Innoscience’s GaN power devices to enhance the performance of power converters.
Denis Marcon
General Manager
Innoscience
Denis Marcon received a M.S. degree from the University of Padova in 2006. Subsequently, he received the degree of Doctor in Engineering (Ph. D.) from the Catholic University of Leuven and imec with the thesis entitled “Reliability study of power gallium nitride based transistors” in 2011. He is leading author or co-author of more than 50 journal papers or international conference contributions.
After his Ph.D. graduation, he has been leading projects aiming to develop GaN HEMTs for several applications (RF and power switching). Thereafter, he has joined the business development team of Imec where he was directly responsible for the partnerships with imec in the field of GaN power electronics as well as on dedicated development and manufacturing of Si-based devices, MEMS, sensors and micro-systems,
Today he is the General Manager of Innoscience Europe (subsidiary of Innoscience) and he is directly responsible for Innoscience’s GaN business in Europe.
Company Profile
Innoscience is an Integrated Device Manufacturer (IDM) founded in December 2015 with investment from CMBI, ARM, SK and other prestigious investors. With the development of new technologies, the electric power grid and power electronic systems across the world are undergoing a massive transformation. Our vision is to create an energy ecosystem with effective and low-cost Gallium-Nitride-on-Silicon (GaN-on-Si) power solutions. In November 2017, Innoscience first established a mass production 8-inch wafer line for GaN-on-Si devices in Zhuhai. In order to fulfill the rapidly growing power demands, Innoscience has inaugurated a new facility in the Suzhou in September 2020. As a cutting-edge GaN technology provider, Innoscience’s 1,400+ employees and over 300 R&D experts are dedicated to delivering high performance and high reliability GaN power devices that can be widely used in diverse applications including cloud computing, electric vehicles (EV) and automotive, portable devices, mobile phones, chargers and adapters. For more information, please visit www.innoscience.com.
10:00 – 11:00
Networking Break, Business Meetings and Refreshments
GAN INVESTMENTS, CAPACITY NEEDS & MARKET OUTLOOK
11:00 – 11:20
BelGaN – Moving to The Next Chapter
Started early 2022 as a new GaN-focused foundry at the heart of Europe, BelGaN announced early August 2023 the production-release of its 1st generation 650V eGaN technology, preparing for ramp-up by end 2023.
Meanwhile BelGaN also launched GaN-ValleyTM, grouping over 40 members in a European ecosystem of Academia and Industry along the GaN value chain, to accelerate innovation and scale-up of a GaN industry in Europe and beyond, towards a sustainable electrified future, aligned with the European ambitions of ChipsAct and Green Deal. Exciting times at rocket speed!
The presentation will walk through the journey of bringing up BelGaN technology at record speed and will describe status and offering, with a view on the roadmap.
It will outline various differentiated services that BelGaN offers to its customers:
(1) harvesting innovation (‘Lab-to-Fab’); (2) automotive quality to our customers’ customers; (3) GaN chip design services.
Finally, it will give an update on the GaN-ValleyTM status and ambitions.
Dr. Marnix Tack
CTO & VP Business Development
Dr. Tack got a MSc degree in Electronic Engineering in 1984 from the Univ of Gent (Belgium) and a PhD degree in Microelectronics in 1990 from the Univ of Leuven & imec (Belgium). He got additional degrees in international business management and innovation leadership from the Vlerick Business School (Belgium), INSEAD (France), MIT (US) and IMD (Swiss). He joined MIETEC, a semiconductor company in Belgium in 1990, that became Alcatel Microelectronics, and was acquired by AMI Semiconductor in 2002 and ON Semiconductor in 2008.
In Feb 2022 he joined BelGaN that acquired part of onsemi in Belgium, as formerly CTO and VP Business Development.
Throughout the past 30+ years he was leading global professional teams in various fields of semiconductor R&D and Innovation, including Si CMOS & BCD, power MOSFETs and GaN. He also took the lead in setting up and driving a corporate innovation business process and global Open Innovation partnerships in the field of novel semiconductor technologies and products
11:20 – 11:30
ISES and GaN Valley MOU Announcement
11:30 – 12:00
Packaging & Integration Requirements and Different Approaches to SiC and GaN Packaging
Moderator
David Clark
VP Product Marketing
Amkor Technology, Inc.
David joined Amkor in 2013 and is currently responsible for Global Product Marketing, Market Analytics and Market Strategy. Prior to joining Amkor, David has held various sales management, product development and engineering positions at FlipChip International (FCI), Leica Microsystems and Agilent Technologies. David has been granted 5 patents in Optoelectronics and Device Packaging and holds a BEng Honors Degree in Electronic, Electrical and Optoelectronic Engineering from University of Glasgow.
Company Profile
Amkor Technology, Inc. is the world’s largest US headquartered OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test). Since its founding in 1968, Amkor has pioneered the outsourcing of IC packaging and test services and is a strategic manufacturing partner for the world’s leading semiconductor companies, foundries, and electronics OEMs. Amkor provides turnkey services for the communication, automotive and industrial, computing, and consumer industries, including but not limited to smartphones, electric vehicles, data centers, artificial intelligence and wearables. Amkor’s operational base includes production facilities, product development centers and sales and support offices located in key electronics manufacturing regions in Asia, Europe and the United States. Learn more at https://amkor.com
Panelist
Bernhard Knott
Head of Backend Innovation
Infineon Technologies AG
Bernhard Knott is the Head of the Infineon Technologies Backend Innovation group. He is responsible for new Package Concepts, Prototyping, new Materials, Simulation and Virtual Prototyping. Until 2016 he was leading the Package Development for Sensors and Waferlevel Package Development in Regensburg, Germany. Prior joining the Backend Organization, he held several Management Position in Frontend Technology dealing with BiCMOS Technologies, Sensors and Innovation projects. After receiving his Diploma in Physics from the University of Regensburg, he started his career in Semiconductor Industry in 1997 in developing an embedded NVM Technology. Bernhard holds several patents and patent applications in the area of FE Technology, Sensors and Packaging.
Bernhard Knott is the Head of the Backend Innovation group at Infineon Technologies AG, Germany. After receiving his Diploma in Physics, he started his career in Semiconductor Industry in 1997 in Frontend and later in Backend Technology Development. Bernhard holds several patents and patent applications in the area of FE Technology, Sensors and Packaging.
Company Profile
Here at Infineon, we combine entrepreneurial success with responsible action to make life easier, safer, and greener. Barely visible, semiconductors have become an indispensable part of everyday life. We play a key role in shaping a better future – with microelectronics that link the real and the digital world. Our semiconductors enable efficient energy management, smart mobility, as well as secure, seamless communications in an increasingly connected world. Infineon designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductors and system solutions. The focus of its activities is on automotive and industrial electronics, communication and information technologies, IoT, sensor technology and security. The product range comprises standard components, software, customer-specific solutions for devices and systems, as well as specific components for digital, analog, and mixed-signal applications.
Panelist
Joseph Roybal
Senior Vice President of Global Backend Operations
Wolfspeed
Joseph Roybal is the Senior Vice President of Global Backend Operations at Wolfspeed aligning backend manufacturing roadmaps, production strategies, and capital allocation to scale efficiently with Wolfspeed’s exponential growth. He leads an expanding worldwide team focused on systemic manufacturing solutions, SiC package innovation, strategic partnerships with OSATs, and effective product manufacturing solutions for all Wolfspeed businesses and major SiC backend operations.
Company Profile
Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF) leads the market in the worldwide adoption of Silicon Carbide and GaN technologies. We provide industry-leading solutions for efficient energy consumption and a sustainable future. Wolfspeed’s product families include Silicon Carbide materials, power-switching devices and RF devices targeted for various applications such as electric vehicles, fast charging, 5G, renewable energy and storage, and aerospace and defense. We unleash the power of possibilities through hard work, collaboration and a passion for innovation. Learn more at www.wolfspeed.com.
Wolfspeed® is a registered trademark of Wolfspeed, Inc.
12:00 – 12:20
GaN Is The New Black?
In recent years, Gallium Nitride (GaN) has eclipsed Silicon MOSFETs, emerging as the cornerstone of high-power rapid charging solutions. This shift marks just the beginning of a vast, multi-billion-dollar market opportunity.
GaN’s influence extends beyond fast charger consumer electronics; it is making significant inroads into demanding automotive applications like on-board charging, DC-DC converters, and main inverters. Projections indicate that the GaN device market is set to exceed $2 billion by 2028.
Simultaneously, GaN finds a pivotal role in data centers, aligning with the surging trends of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitization. In this data-centric era, GaN’s superior power density and efficiency cater to the needs of data processing, driving its adoption in data centers. GaN stands as a linchpin in the data center revolution, navigating alongside the digitalization megatrend.
In this transformative landscape, GaN is not a fleeting trend but a dominant force in high-power electronics. It resides at the epicenter of multi-billion-dollar market opportunities, spanning consumer electronics, automotive technology, and the vital infrastructure of data centers.
Ezgi Dogmus, PhD
Team Lead Analyst – Compound Semiconductors & Emerging Substrates
Yole Group
Ezgi Dogmus, PhD. is Team Lead Analyst in Compound Semiconductor & Emerging Substrates activity within the Power & Wireless Division at Yole Intelligence, part of Yole Group. With an international team of technology & market analysts, she is managing the expansion of the technical expertise and the market know-how of the company. In addition, Ezgi actively assists and supports the development of dedicated collection of market & technology reports, monitor as well as custom consulting projects.
Prior to Yole, Ezgi worked as a process development engineer for GaN-based RF and power solutions at IEMN (Lille, France).
After graduating from University of Augsburg (Germany) and Grenoble Institute of Technology (France), Ezgi received her PhD. in Microelectronics at IEMN (France).
Company Profile
Yole Group is an international company recognized for its expertise in the analysis of markets, technological developments, and supply chains, as well as the strategy of key players in the semiconductor, photonics, and electronics sectors.
With Yole Intelligence, Yole SystemPlus and Piséo, the group publishes market, technology, performance, reverse engineering and costing analyses and provides consulting services in strategic marketing and technology analysis. The Yole Group Finance division also offers due diligence assistance and supports companies with mergers and acquisitions.
Yole Group benefits from an international sales network. The company now employs more than 180+ people.
More information on www.yolegroup.com.
Company phone:
+33 472 83 01 80
12:20 – 13:30
Buffet Lunch
Moderator
Amr Darwish
Senior Director of Product Marketing & Market Development
Mr. Amr Darwish has over 18+ years of experience in the technology and semiconductor fields. Previously during his time at Integrated Device Technology (IDT), Amr served in various Product Marketing and Technical roles, which spanned over North America, Europe, and Asia. Amr was a Cofounder of MaxPower Semiconductor, where he served as the COO. MaxPower was acquired by Vishay Siliconix in October 2022, where Amr was formerly the Senior Director of Product Marketing & Market Development for the Silicon Carbide division of Vishay.
With a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) and a Master in Business Administration (MBA), Amr has been able to use his blend of disciplines to create effective corporate & sales strategies and key strategic relationships, which have proliferated MaxPower’s (now Vishay’s) products into consumer, industrial, and automotive marketplaces.
In addition, Amr currently serves as the Chair of the Santa Clara University (SCU) Graduate Business Program Alumni Board, is a lead-investor and board member of several technology companies, serves as a start-up advisor in the Bronco Venture Accelerator and is a Partner in the Bronco Venture Capital Fund.
Panelist
Aly Mashaly
Director ATSC
ROHM Semiconductor
Aly Mashaly is the Director of ROHM’s European Application and Technical Solution Center – located near Düsseldorf, Germany. Before having joined ROHM in 2015, he has gained more than 20 years of experience in the electronics industry. As an expert in power electronic systems and power devices, he holds several patents in the field of power electronics. Aly is a keynote speaker at numerous international conferences including PCIM, ECPE, EPE, CS International and CTI Symposium.
Company Profile
ROHM Semiconductor is a global company of 507.9 billion yen per March 31st. 2023, with over 23,700 employees. The company develops and manufactures a very large product range from SiC Diodes and MOSFETs, Analog ICs such as Gate Drivers and Power Management ICs to Power Transistors and Diodes to Passive Components. The production of our high performing products is taking place in state-of-the-art manufacturing plants in Japan, Germany, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and China. ROHM Semiconductor Europe has its Head Office near Dusseldorf serving the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa).
For further information, please contact www.rohm.com
Panelist
Avinash Kashyap Ph.D
VP & GM of the Discrete & Wide Bandgap Power BU
Dr. Avinash (Avi) Kashyap is the VP & GM of the Discrete & Wide Bandgap Power BU at Renesas Electronics. He leads a global organization, responsible for P&L, engineering, marketing, applications and revenue generation of power devices incl. SiC, IGBTs, MOSFETs and GaN for the automotive and industrial markets.
Prior to his current role, he was Director of Silicon Carbide and Power Discretes at Microchip Technology where he led engineering and marketing groups focused on product lines that included SiC & Si FETs and diodes, rad-hard devices and RF power switches.
Previously, Dr. Kashyap was leading several power device programs at the GE Global Research Center in Niskyuna, NY. He has been involved in the development of SiC technology since its infancy for 2 decades including pioneering work on compact modeling, SiC integrated circuits and radiation-hardened devices. He has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed publications and has over 20 patents granted or pending. Dr. Kashyap holds an MS & PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He is a senior member of the IEEE and a member of the Arkansas Academy of Electrical Engineers.
Panelist
Dieter Liesabeths
SVP Product
VisIC Technologies
Dieter is a senior management leader in the semiconductor industry with over 30 years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, new technology introduction and new product definition.
Prior to joining VisIC Technologies he served for ten years at Wolfspeed GmbH as a Senior Sales & Marketing Director and built first the industrial and later the automotive department with an automotive application center.
Dieter drove the industry’s conversion from Silicon to Wide Band Gap (SiC), by building an eco-system to support the fast-switching Wide Band Gap devices and partnering with industry leaders for creating a multi-billion USD business.
Dieter holds an engineering degree Dipl.-Ing. (TH) from the University of RWTH Aachen, Germany.
Company Profile
VisIC Technologies has a decade of experience in creating, developing, and advancing concepts based on cutting-edge Gallium Nitride-on-silicon technology. We develop solutions that help reduce energy waste in power conversion systems, with a focus on battery electric vehicles (BEV). Our patented D3GaN technology – Direct Drive D-mode GaN – addresses the automotive industry’s cost, supply, sustainability, reliability, quality, and performance needs.
With our D3GaN technology, BEV can save up to 50% on power losses over the driving cycle of the electric car, thus reducing battery cost and increasing driving range and performance. This solution also reduces the cooling system requirements and the size of the BEV inverter.
VisIC Technologies has produced the first GaN-based transistors used in automotive inverters. By utilizing the GaN on Silicon technology, we address the supply chain concern as we are using existing semiconductor high-volume production lines.
14:20 – 15:20
Networking Break, Business Meetings and Refreshments
Moderator
Rainer Kaesmaier, Ph.D.
Managing Director Semiconductors
Hitachi Energy Ltd.
Dr. Rainer Kaesmaier is a Managing Director for the Global Product Group Semiconductors of Hitachi Energy, leading the semiconductor business with its global manufacturing and R&D footprint for the power semiconductor product portfolio which compromises GTOs, IGBTs, IGCTs, Thyristors, Diodes for market segments such as energy transmission & distribution, transportation & rail, renewable, industrial, and emobility. Rainer is a semiconductor industry veteran having held various management and executive positions in the sector for more than 25 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 resumed in 2018 the responsibility for ABB’s semiconductor business which is now Hitachi Energy. He is also a member of the board for Hitachi Energy Switzerland. Rainer was a member in various industries strategy committees in Europe and the US. Rainer holds a masters 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 Zürich, Switzerland.
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.
Hitachi Energy Switzerland Ltd.
Semiconductors
Fabrikstrasse 3
CH-5600 Lenzburg, Switzerland
Phone: +41 58 586 14 19
Fax: +41 58 586 13 06
Email: salesdesksem@hitachienergy.com
www.hitachienergy.com/semiconductors
Panelist
Edoardo Merli
Executive Vice President, Power Transistor Sub-Group Automotive and Discrete Group
Edoardo Merli is STMicroelectronics’ Executive Vice President, Power Transistor Sub-Group Vice President and has held this position since January 2022.
Merli joined STMicroelectronics in 1998 as Head of System Architecture in the Telecom Wireline Division. In 2002, he formed and led ST’s WLAN Business Unit.
Merli was appointed Director of the Automotive Product Group in 2007, where he took responsibility for the RF Competence Center & Connectivity Business Unit and subsequently for the Car Radio Business Unit. In 2012, Merli was promoted to Marketing & Application Director for ST’s Automotive and Discrete Group in Greater China and South Asia. In 2016, his responsibilities were extended to include the Company’s automotive activities in Korea. In 2017, Merli was promoted to Power Transistor Macro-Division General Manager and Group Vice President of ST’s Automotive and Discrete Group.
Merli has filed several patents on ADSL, multi-service routers, switches, and
throughput management, and authored numerous publications in the areas of Telecommunications, Automotive, and Connectivity.
Edoardo Merli was born in Parma, Italy, in 1962, and graduated with a degree in Electronic Engineering from University of Bologna in 1989.
Panelist
Philip Zuk
SVP, Business Development and Marketing
Transphorm
Philip leads Transphorm’s global marketing and business development efforts for the company’s GaN power semiconductor technology. Previously, he oversaw business development for Vishay Siliconix’s superjunction technology and Microsemi’s MOSFET, FRED diodes, IGBTs, and SiC technologies. He also held marketing and engineering roles at Medallion Instrumentation Systems and Fairchild Semiconductor. Philip draws on expertise in high power semiconductor devices, power supply systems and applications, microcontroller-based systems, RFID, and project management. He holds an MBA (Hons) from I.H. Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba; a BSc in Electrical Engineering, University of Manitoba; and an Associate Degree in Electronic Engineering Technology, Red River College. He also holds two US patents as well as a trade secret and has authored many technical and application papers.
Company Profile
Transphorm, Inc., a global leader in the GaN revolution, designs and manufactures high performance and high reliability GaN semiconductors for high voltage power conversion applications. Having one of the largest Power GaN IP portfolios of more than 1,000 owned or licensed patents, Transphorm produces the industry’s first JEDEC and AEC-Q101 qualified high voltage GaN semiconductor devices. The Company’s vertically integrated device business model allows for innovation at every development stage: design, fabrication, device, and application support. Transphorm’s innovations are moving power electronics beyond the limitations of silicon to achieve over 99% efficiency, 40% more power density and 20% lower system cost. Transphorm is headquartered in Goleta, California and has manufacturing operations in Goleta and Aizu, Japan.
For more information, please visit www.transphormusa.com.
Follow us on Twitter @transphormusa and WeChat @ Transphorm_GaN.
Panelist
Christine Dunbar
SVP Global Sales
Christine Dunbar, formerly Senior Vice President of Global Sales at IQE, the leading supplier of compound semiconductor wafer products and advanced material solutions to the global semiconductor industry. Christine joined IQE in August 2022.
Christine was previously at GlobalFoundries where she held various executive roles driving GF business growth towards the October 2022 IPO. She joined GlobalFoundries in July 2015 with the IBM Microlectronics Division acquisition, as the Vice President of Product Management for the RF Business Unit.
Christine graduated from Cornell University in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering and has held various engineering, technical management, and executive positions throughout her career, including leadership roles in Sales, Business Development & Semiconductor Manufacturing Operations. In 2018 Christine was nominated for the Global Semiconductor Association’s inaugural “Rising Woman of Influence” award.
Christine is passionate about serving as an ambassador for her employers and the semiconductor industry writ large thru active participation and speaking engagements at various industry forums. Christine is also a passionate advocate for women in semiconductors, and has sponsored the establishment of women’s resource groups at IBM, GlobalFoundries and IQE.
Christine is also active in her community supporting causes important to her. She is a founding member of the Leadership Now Project, a group of non-partisan business leaders committed to the health of the US democracy, established in 2017. Christine also serves on the Board of Directors at the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington, Vermont. She lives in Shelburne, Vermont USA with her partner & two teenage children.
Panelist
Rob Willems
General Manager & VP Operations, BelGaN BV
BelGaN
Mr Willems achieved his engineering degree in Applied Physics at the HTS Dordrecht (the Netherlands) in 1982. He got an additional degree in business economics at university of Eindhoven (the Netherlands)
He joined Philips Semiconductors (Nijmegen, The Netherlands) in 1983 as a process engineer / production manager. In 1992 he joined Mietec-Alcatel, a semiconductor company in Belgium, that became Alcatel Microelectronics, and was acquired by AMI Semiconductor in 2002 and ON Semiconductor in 2008.
In February 2022 he joined BelGaN that acquired part of onsemi Belgium as General Manager and VP Operations.
Throughout the past 30+ years he was active in various roles in operations, leading operational teams to achieve their operational targets while running continuous improvement projects on operational efficiency, quality, processes, costs, as well as projects in the areas of automation, capacity expansion, technology upgrades, in an automotive qualified environment.
Company Profile
Be a leading automotive qualified open foundry in the Wide Band Gap ecosystem.
Enabling our customers to develop and manufacture unique solutions for a sustainable electrified future.
Creating value through our employees’ enthusiasm, talents and commitment.
BelGaN, as a WBG foundry in Europe, enables and services a rapidly expanding GaN-ecosystem in Europe (‘GaN-Valley’) and beyond with innovative and high-quality WBG semiconductor technologies and a highly efficient value-add 6 and 8 inch manufacturing facility. BelGaN adds unique services such as customer-driven Technology-as-a-Service (customized processes), Manufacturing-as-a-Service, and Quality-as-a-Service to the traditional foundry business model whereas we cooperate with suppliers and customers to deliver automotive quality products to the market. BelGaN develops and bring-to-market a rich roadmap of GaN & SiC platforms, driven by our customers’ needs and our core strengths and vision. We partner with leading universities and RTO’s in an Open Innovation model to prepare our innovation roadmap and bring differentiating innovations to our customers.
Manufacturing Facility: Wafer fab with over 4500 m2 of clean room space, located on a 44.000 m2campus.
Fab: 6 & 8 inch (planned).
Production: GaN Technologies & 0.35 µm to 2 µm Low, Medium, and High Voltage Analog CMOS and BCD Technologies.
BelGaN BV
Westerring 15
9700 Oudenaarde
Belgium
+32 55 332211
Panelist
Markus Bolte, Ph.D.
Partner
AlixPartners
Markus co-leads AlixPartners’ global semiconductor practice. With 20 years of global business experience, he serves clients on their business and operating model transformation and change journeys. He is driven by a passion for measurable impact and the desire to help the semiconductors industry navigate through the disruptions of our age. Before joining Alixpartners, Markus led the strategy at a global technology leader. He started his consulting career at two leading European management consultancy firms. Before joining the consulting world, Markus led a research group for supercomputing and nanophysics research utilizing Nvidia’s CUDA to accelerate complex nanophysics simulations and collaborating with institutions globally. Markus holds a PhD and Masters in Physics and Computer Science.
Company Profile
AlixPartners is a results-driven global consulting firm that specializes in helping businesses respond quickly and decisively to their most critical challenges—from urgent performance improvement to complex restructuring, from risk mitigation to accelerated transformation. These are the moments when everything is on the line—a sudden shift in the market, an unexpected performance decline, a time-sensitive deal, a fork-in-the-road decision. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients until the job is done, and only measure our success in terms of the results we deliver.
Company Products & Services
Clients call us when they need pragmatism and cut-through to solve their most complex challenges arising from a continually disrupted world. Our services cover Artificial Intelligence, Corporate Strategy & Transformation, Data Governance, ESG, Growth, Investigations, Disputes & Advisory Services, Mergers & Acquisitions, Organizational Transformation, Supply-Chain Management & Operations, Technology, Transformative Leadership and Turnaround and Restructuring.
16:30 –
Boat Transfer to Island
17:00 –
Aperitivo
17:30 –
Dinner
20:30 –
Boat Transfer Return
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