Dr. C.C. (Chih-Chi) Wei
Title:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Vice Chairman of the Board
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)
Summary
Dr. C.C. Wei is a Taiwanese semiconductor executive who serves as the CEO and Vice Chairman of TSMC, the world’s largest dedicated semiconductor foundry. A seasoned technologist and operational leader, Dr. Wei has been instrumental in guiding TSMC’s rise to process leadership, overseeing the company’s transition into advanced nodes such as 5nm, 3nm, and 2nm, as well as 3D integration technologies like TSMC 3DFabric™.
He is recognized for his deep expertise in semiconductor manufacturing and for leading one of the most advanced and complex supply chains in the world. Dr. Wei’s technical rigor and operational discipline have earned him wide respect across the global semiconductor industry.
Education
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Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering – Yale University
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B.S. in Electrical Engineering – National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
Career Timeline
| Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | R&D Engineer | Texas Instruments (TI) – U.S. |
| 1985 | Joined TSMC | Early recruit in TSMC’s formative years |
| 2009 | Senior Vice President | Responsible for R&D and operations |
| 2013 | Co-Chief Operating Officer (Co-COO) | Alongside Mark Liu |
| 2017 | President & Co-CEO | Transition under founder Morris Chang |
| 2018 | CEO of TSMC | Took over from Dr. Mark Liu |
| 2023 | CEO and Vice Chairman | Continues to lead TSMC’s strategic and technical direction |
Achievements & Contributions
Process Technology Leadership
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Oversaw the ramp and high-volume production of 7nm, 5nm, and 3nm nodes.
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Actively led R&D and tape-out preparations for N2 (2nm GAA nanosheet) and A16 (advanced nodes).
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Spearheaded development of TSMC’s 3DFabric™ platform, including CoWoS®, SoIC®, InFO, and other packaging technologies.
Global Expansion
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Key figure in TSMC’s international fab strategy, including:
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Arizona, USA (Fab 21)
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Japan (JASM)
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Germany (Dresden JV with Bosch and Infineon)
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Talent & Culture
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Advocates for engineering excellence, meritocracy, and deep technical engagement at all management levels.
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Known for his early morning wafer yield review meetings, showing his hands-on management style.
Public Engagement
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Regularly represents TSMC at earnings calls, investor conferences, and global semiconductor summits.
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Seen as a steady, data-driven communicator focused on execution and realistic projections.
Leadership Style
Dr. Wei is known for being:
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Technically grounded: He is still deeply involved in process technology and fab operations.
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Detail-oriented: Frequently visits fab lines and R&D facilities.
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Execution-focused: Emphasizes hitting yield and delivery targets over media hype.
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Disciplined: Avoids unnecessary risk-taking, maintains focus on long-term customer relationships and sustainable growth.
Public Recognition
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Regarded as one of the most influential CEOs in the semiconductor industry.
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Often credited for maintaining TSMC’s process leadership over Intel and Samsung during the 2020s.
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Under his leadership, TSMC’s valuation rose to over $600 billion, becoming the world’s most valuable semiconductor foundry.
Personal Traits
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Private and humble, rarely seen in public except for official investor events.
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Fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and English.
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Married, with strong ties to both Taiwan and the U.S.
Legacy
Dr. C.C. Wei’s leadership marks the second generation of TSMC stewardship after founder Dr. Morris Chang. His contributions helped cement TSMC’s unassailable position in global semiconductor manufacturing, both in terms of technology and operational excellence.
As of 2025, Dr. Wei continues to lead TSMC through the 2nm era and into the age of 3D-IC integration, chiplet-based architectures, and global geopolitical complexity in semiconductor supply chains.
Executive Bio
- Chief Executive Officer, TSMC
- President and Co-Chief Executive Officer, TSMC
- Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer, TSMC
- Senior Vice President, Business Development, TSMC
- Senior Vice President, Mainstream Technology Business, TSMC
- Vice President, South Site Operation, TSMC
- Senior Vice President of Technology, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.
Dr. C. C. Wei is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC). Prior to this appointment, Dr. Wei was TSMC’s Chief Executive Officer from June 2018 to June 2024, and TSMC’s Board of Directors elected Dr. Wei as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in June of 2024. Dr. Wei was President and Co-CEO from November 2013 to June 2018, and Co-Chief Operating Officer from March 2012 to November 2013. From 2009 to 2012, he was TSMC’s Senior Vice President of Business Development. Before that, Dr. Wei was Senior Vice President of Mainstream Technology Business.
Before joining TSMC in 1998, Dr. Wei had served as Senior Vice President of Technology at Chartered Semiconductor and Senior Manager, Logic and SRAM technology development at ST Microelectronics. Prior to that, he was a Member of Technical Staff at Texas Instruments R&D organization.
Notable Quotes
On TSMC’s Mission and Technology Leadership
“TSMC does not compete with our customers. Our success is built on their success.”
— Emphasizing TSMC’s pure-play foundry model and commitment to customer trust.
“We aim to be the most advanced and trusted technology and capacity provider in the semiconductor industry.”
“Technology is our foundation. Manufacturing excellence is our backbone.”
“We don’t chase headlines. We deliver results.”
— In contrast to rivals, Dr. Wei emphasizes execution over hype.
On Advanced Nodes and EUV
“We were the first to bring EUV into mass production. And we will continue to lead with every next generation.”
“With N2, we will introduce gate-all-around transistors and continue Moore’s Law scaling.”
“Our roadmap is not a promise — it’s a commitment.”
On 3D ICs and Chiplets
“We believe the future is not just smaller transistors, but smarter system integration.”
“TSMC 3DFabric will unlock system-level innovation beyond Moore’s Law.”
“Our job is to make sure all the pieces — chiplets, interconnect, packaging — work seamlessly together.”
On Global Expansion and Sovereignty
“We are building fabs in the U.S., Japan, and Europe to support customer needs and global resilience.”
“While Taiwan remains our base, we are becoming a truly global technology company.”
“We will bring the same TSMC quality, efficiency, and yield wherever we operate.”
On Leadership and Company Culture
“At TSMC, engineers lead the company.”
“We are a company of execution — from the boardroom to the cleanroom.”
“Every morning, I ask: how can we improve yield, cycle time, and cost today?”
— Reflecting his reputation for being deeply involved in day-to-day fab operations.
On Competitors
“We welcome competition. It drives us to be better. But our focus is always on our customers.”
“Being first is not enough. Being trusted is what matters most.”
On Vision
“The semiconductor is the most important technology of our time. At TSMC, we enable innovation for the entire world.”
“We’re not just chasing nanometers — we’re building the future, one wafer at a time.”
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