On June 3, according to Korean media Fnnews, Samsung Electronics has hired former TSMC executive Margaret Han to serve as the head of North American foundry business in order to strengthen the competitiveness of its foundry business. In the past, Margaret Han worked at TSMC for 21 years, and then moved to semiconductor giants such as Intel and NXP.
According to reports, Samsung's move is seen as strengthening its ability to deal with American customers, while improving the competitiveness of North American orders, and also represents the company's strengthening of the "Made in America" policy. It is expected that Margaret Han will win new orders for Samsung in the future, especially after Samsung invested $17 billion to build a large production base in Texas, and it is very much in need of support from North American customers.
In addition, this personnel change also seems to represent Samsung's determination to save its foundry business, and it is even willing to introduce talents from competitors. Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong also mentioned at a high-level training meeting that "regardless of nationality or gender, we must recruit talents that are better than the management team, and make personnel adjustments when necessary."
According to LinkedIn information, Margaret Han joined TSMC in January 2000 and did not leave until June 2021. She then jumped to Intel as senior director of global external manufacturing procurement and supplier management, but left after only more than a year. In July 2022, she took over as vice president of NXP and was poached by Samsung in March this year.