Munich-based Infineon’s supervisory board announced it has appointed Jochen Hanebeck as the new CEO, effective April 1, 2022. He will succeed Reinhard Ploss, in place since 2012.

Hanebeck, a member of the management board and chief operations officer (COO) since 2016, has been offered a five-year CEO contract, until March 2027, Infineon’s supervisory board announced today (Nov. 25).

The supervisory board, Ploss and Hanebeck will work together to develop a transition plan in the coming months.

“Jochen Hanebeck has already contributed significantly to Infineon’s profitable growth trajectory over many years in various leadership positions,” said Wolfgang Eder, chairman of the supervisory board of Infineon, in a statement. “With him as CEO, the company will continue its success in the undoubtedly demanding times ahead. We thank Dr. Ploss most cordially for his extraordinarily successful work at the helm of Infineon. He has led Infineon into the global top ten. Thanks to his visionary power, and equally his personal thoughtfulness, Infineon today is excellently positioned as a technology leader in global high-growth markets.”

Hanebeck joined Infineon in 1994. He began as a development engineer in DRAM at Siemens in a joint venture with IBM and Toshiba in East Fishkill, New York. In 1997, he became the head of DRAM Technology Development at Siemens Microelectronics Center (SIMEC) in Dresden, Germany.

Hanebeck became assistant to the COO in 1999, and over the course of his career, he led the operations of Infineon’s smart card and security division and then Infineon’s automotive division, which he led between 2008 and 2016.

Since taking over as COO in 2016, Jochen has notably contributed to the integration of International Rectifier and Cypress, the construction of Infineon’s first front-end site outside Europe (in Kulim, Malaysia), and more recently the opening of a chip factory for power electronics on 300-mm thin wafers in Villach, Austria.

Hanebeck holds a degree in electrical engineering from RWTH Aachen University, in Germany.

In a recent interview with EETimesWeekend, Hanebeck said he has always been fascinated by technology. “I can be very passionate about explaining how semiconductor technology makes people’s lives easier, safer, and greener. While I like getting caught in deep technical discussions, I am convinced that technology is always a means to an end. It has to serve the people.”

When asked what advice he would give to early career engineers, Hanebeck said, “If you plan on a career as a manager, start with building up know-how in a key area, then expand to a second. You will always value this know-how later. In parallel, focus on developing your leadership skills and also build a track record here, from leading people to leading managers, all the way to leading leaders.”

Hanebeck will succeed Ploss, who has been a member of Infineon’s management board since 2007 and has led the company as CEO since October 1, 2012. He began his career at Infineon in 1986.

Commenting on Hanebeck’s appointment, Ploss stated, “With Jochen Hanebeck, the Supervisory Board has made a very good choice for the future leadership of Infineon. I have known Jochen Hanebeck for many years as a competent and reliable colleague. He is very familiar with our industry and its challenges, and I am proud that Infineon’s course will continue to be determined by a member of today’s management team in the years to come.”

By: DocMemory
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