UMC chairman, CEO Jackson Hu resigns

UMC immediately filled the seats, reporting that Stan Hung has been elected as chairman and Shih-Wei Sun will take over the position of CEO.

By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News -- Electronic News, 7/16/2008

UMC today announced that Jackson Hu has resigned as chairman and CEO of the company and will pursue a role as a senior advisor to the foundry.

UMC immediately filled the seats, reporting that Stan Hung (pictured, left)has been elected as chairman and Shih-Wei Sun will take over the position of CEO as of a board meeting in Taiwan earlier today.

The board meeting election was held after Hu announced his decision to resign from active leadership of the company. The company said the appointment of a “youthful, professional management team” is aimed at the “revitalization of UMC” and the “enhancement” of its technology focus.

"During my five-plus years of service at UMC, I have been very impressed by the professionalism and dedication of everyone involved in the organization,” Hu said in a statement. “I feel that I have accomplished many of my objectives and that the timing is right for a younger and more energetic management team to take over.”  

Hu took over as chairman in early 2006 after then chairman and company founder Robert Tsao resigned the position amid allegations of illegally investing in China.  Tsao has since been exonerated of the charges on lack of evidence.

Newly appointed Chairman Hung graduated from Tam Kang University in Taiwan with a degree in accounting. He has served as UMC’s CFO, and previous to this appointment was senior VP. He is also chairman of NexPower Technology Corp.

Sun was most recently UMC’s COO, accountable for 12-inch operations and business. He joined UMC in 1995 and has been responsible for the operation of UMC Fabs 6A, 8AB, 8D, and 12A, along with central R&D. Prior to joining UMC, Sun worked for Motorola in the Advanced Products Research and Development Lab for 10 years. He received his Ph.D. degree in materials science and engineering from Northwestern University in 1985.