Date: 05/09/2012

Freescale CMO: Good times ahead for semiconductor market

At the recently concluded Freescale Technology Forum(FTF) event held in Bangalore, this writer asked Henri Richard - Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing officer, Freescale Semiconductor on the global and Indian semiconductor market. Here below are his answers:

How do you see the market for semiconductor globally in 2013?

Henri Richard: I remain always optimistic, clearly the industry has gone through some very difficult times in 2009 and again the second half of 2011, wasn’t good as people expected and now you read the press for 2012, I think that every single analyst keeps looking at the potential for the global numbers to come-in lower than their initial forecast. And I think that, if we look at the last 5 years, industry has not had really great years, you had bad years, and not so bad years, but it is difficult to say there has been a great year. So, I like to think there is some pent up demand, and that I don’t know if it is 2013 or 2014, we are bound to have a couple of good years ahead, I just don’t know when.

What about Freescale?
Henri Richard: We have been seeing -- certainly is a very solid demand for all our new products, if you look at the company -- the portfolio of products are been completely revamped-- starting in 2010 almost every single segment that we serve -- the products we offer today to the market didn't exist in 2009, so we have a brand new portfolio of products, which are obviously getting good traction.

About India semiconductor market?
Henri Richard: India is very exciting for the industry and very exciting for Freescale. India has potential of leadership in certain segments. We certainly see in two wheeler market lot of innovation coming from India and being used across Asia-Pacific. In the smart metering market as well , in the smart grid, in lot of products around energy management, there are lot of good things happening in India. The level of low cost design and low cost innovation is going up, faster than the rest of the market. India, as a country is gaining share in the world wide competition for semiconductor design.

On the FTF event:
Henri Richard: FTF Bangalore is important event. We like the level of interaction and level of collaboration with the Indian customers. I find that probably highest opportunity and biggest value for Freescale in terms of India presence, is our ability to learn from successful local companies, what products and solution are needed to win in fast emerging market like India. I really see a lot of opportunities for us to learn and develop specific solution. The best solution for India can usually be used many other places in the world. So we have intense focus in trying understand what it takes to win in this market and then the rest of the world.

On the question of building semiconductor fab in India, Henri said they don't have plans to build any fabs not only in India and anywhere in the world.