RoodMicrotec Appoints New CEO to Lead Growth Fuelled by Rise of "Internet of Things"

RoodMicrotec, the Dutch semiconductor supplier of advanced microchips critical to communication in the rapidly expanding electric automotive, industrial and medical sectors, has promoted Chief Technical Officer Martin Sallenhag as new CEO, replacing Philip Nijenhuis, to lead its growth in the potentially vast market for the "Internet of Things."

Martin Sallenhag said: "RoodMicrotec sits at the centre of the web of the smart technologies that are driving the evolution of the Internet of Things, particularly the potential offered by electric cars.  We are on the brink of an exceptional period of growth in the company's history and in the pivotal position of enabling truly futurist ideas to become reality. I would like to warmly thank Philip Nijenhuis for everything he has achieved in steering RoodMicrotec to the market leading role it occupies today."

Sallenhag has previous experience in engineering, applied technology and product marketing, among other sectors, at Ericsson Mobile Phones, Dialog Semiconductor and Samsung Electronics. He joined RoodMicrotec in March 2015.

His appointment, part of a proposed management re-structuring plan, was approved at the company's Annual General meeting in early June. Philip Nijenhuis is stepping back to join RoodMicrotec's Supervisory Board as a non-executive director. The restructuring involves a transition to a single unified Board from the existing dual Supervisory and Management Boards, subject to final approval by an extraordinary shareholders' meeting to be held at the earliest opportunity. Reinhard Pusch has also been appointed Chief Operating Officer, from his previous roles as Vice President and CSO.

RoodMicrotec supplies chips to 'fabless companies' (companies that design, but do not manufacture) and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and is primarily focused on the automotive industry (growing at 11% per year) as well as the manufacturing of industrial and medical equipment (growing at 6% per year). The expansion of these sectors is expected to be given further momentum by the predicted tectonic shift in global markets towards the Internet of Things (IoT).
The IoT refers to networks of physical objects, including devices, vehicles, buildings and other items, which are embedded with electronics and software that enables them to collect and exchange data. Worldwide, the market in IoT applications is still in its infancy but is predicted to grow strongly given demand and new capabilities for comprehensive, intelligent interaction of physical objects.