Welcome Remarks

Laith Altimime
President
SEMI Europe

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Biography
Laith Altimime, as President of SEMI Europe, leads SEMI’s activities in Europe and the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Altimime has P&L responsibility as well as ownership of all Europe region programs and events, including SEMICON Europa. He is responsible for establishing industry standards, advocacy, community development, expositions, and programs. He provides support and services to SEMI members worldwide that have supply chain interests in Europe. He manages and nurtures relationships with SEMI members in the region and globally as well as with local associations and constituents in industry, government, and academia. Altimime has more than 30 years of international experience in the semiconductor industry. Prior to joining SEMI in 2015, He held senior leadership positions at NEC, KLA-Tencor, Infineon, Qimonda and imec. Altimime holds an MSc from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland.

Opening Remarks

Ajit Manocha
President and CEO
SEMI

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Biography
Ajit Manocha is the president and CEO of SEMI. Headquartered in Milpitas, California, SEMI is the global industry association serving the electronics manufacturing and design supply chain. Throughout his career, Manocha has been a champion of industry collaboration as a critical means of advancing technology for societal and economic prosperity.Manocha was formerly CEO at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. Prior to this he held the role of EVP of worldwide operations at Spansion and earlier served as EVP and chief manufacturing officer at Philips/NXP Semiconductors. He began his career at AT&T Bell Laboratories as a research scientist where he was granted more than a dozen patents related to semiconductor manufacturing processes that served as the foundation for modern microelectronics manufacturing. He has served on the boards of SEMI, SIA and GSA.Today, there is a much broader scope for SEMI to help foster collaboration and fuel growth than we could have ever imagined at its inception in 1970. This scope has to be accomplished without compromising the strong foundation of SEMI – the equipment suppliers and materials makers. Manocha feels SEMI must evolve as the industry’s ecosystem rapidly expands to support smarter, connected applications based on artificial intelligence, machine learning and other disruptive technologies.Manocha is active on global advocacy and workforce development issues and has served on the President’s committees for “Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships” and the President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology (PCAST).In 2021, VLSIresearch added Manocha to its Semiconductor Industry Hall of Fame for his leadership of SEMI efforts to address geopolitical trade tensions as well as for his initiative in navigating the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting SEMI and the microelectronics industry. In 2020, Manocha was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame, and VLSI named him an “All Star of the Semiconductor Industry” for his visionary leadership in 2019 to restructure SEMI to represent the expanded electronics supply chain.

Opening Keynote

Luc Van den hove
President & CEO
imec

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Luc Van den hove is President and CEO of imec since July 1, 2009. Before he was executive vice president and chief operating officer. He joined imec in 1984, starting his research career in the field of silicide and interconnect technologies.In 1988, he became manager of imec’s micro-patterning group (lithography, dry etching); in 1996, department director of unit process step R&D; and in 1998, vice president of the silicon process and device technology division. In January 2007, he was appointed as imec's EVP & COO. Luc Van den hove received his PhD in electrical engineering from the KU Leuven, Belgium.In 2023, he was honored with the Robert N. Noyce medal for his leadership in creating a worldwide research ecosystem in nanoelectronics technology with applications ranging from high-performance computing to health.He has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications and conference contributions.

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Kai Beckmann
CEO, Member of the Executive Board
Merck KGaA

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Kai Beckmann, born on September 13, 1965 in Hanau, Germany, joined the Executive Board of Merck in April 2011. He is responsible for the Electronics business sector (formerly Performance Materials), which he has been leading as CEO since September 2017. In October 2018, Kai Beckmann took also over the responsibility for the Darmstadt site and Inhouse Consulting. In addition, he acts as Country Speaker Germany with responsibility for co-determination matters.Prior to his current role, Kai Beckmann was Chief Administration Officer of Merck with responsibility for Group Human Resources, Group Business Technology, Group Procurement, Inhouse Consulting, Site Operations and Merck Business Services as well as Environment, Health, Safety, Security, Quality. In 2007, he became the first CIO of Merck, with responsibility for Corporate Information Services. From 2004 to 2007, he served as Managing Director of the Merck companies in Singapore and Malaysia, and prior to that he held senior executive responsibility for the Information Management and Consulting unit from 1999 to 2004. He began his career at Merck in 1989 as an IT system consultant.Kai Beckmann studied computer science at the Technical University of Darmstadt from 1984 to 1989. In 1998, he earned a doctorate in Economics while working.

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Oliver Wyrsch
President and Chief Executive Officer
INFICON HOLDING AG

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Oliver Wyrsch became President and Chief Executive Officer of INFICON HOLDING AG on January 1, 2023.He joined INFICON in 2018 as President and General Manager of the US business.Mr. Wyrsch is a Swiss citizen and holds a Master's degree in Computer Science and Business Administration from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). He began his career in 2004 as a management consultant at Accenture and Booz & Co before becoming Head of Engineering at a pharmaceutical-focused software startup. He then spent seven years at Mettler Toledo in Germany and the US in various roles - most recently as Head of the Machine Vision Inspection Strategic Business Unit.

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Stephan Haferl
Chief Executive Officer
Comet Group

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Born 1972, Swiss and Norwegian citizen; Master's degree in mechanical and process engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, PhD with work on thermodynamics and fluid dynamics.Stephan Haferl has been working for the Comet Group successfully in various management positions since 2007. His strong track record includes proven performance in business development, innovation, technology, and product management, among other areas.Before, he held the positions of General Manager at Bartec-Meta Physics SA and Chief Operating Officer at Bartec Bacab SA.

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Barbara Frenkel
Member of the Executive Board Purchase
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

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1963 Born in Hof (Saale), Germany1982 A-Level Certificate of education (Abitur) in Hof 1982 Studies in chemistry at Bayreuth University and rubber technology at Hannover University1984 Various posts in development, production, sales and quality assurance, Helsa-Werke, Gefrees1997 Quality Auditor, Valeo Thermal Systems, Rodach1999 Manager Supplier Development Europe, TRW Automotive, Alfdorf2001 Head of Quality Systems and Methods of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG2006 Head of Central Training of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG2013 Head of Sales Network Management & Development of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG 2017 Head of Region Europe of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG2019 Member of the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG2021 Member of the Executive Board Purchases of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG