Freescale taps ex-TI exec as its CEO

WASHINGTON, USA: Freescale semiconductor has tapped Gregg Lowe, the former manager of the analog business at Texas Instruments as its new CEO and President. Lowe has replaced Rich Beyer who will remain on the board of Freescale. In April, Beyer, 63 had informed about his retirement decision to the company’s board of directors, once the board decides on a capable successor.

Lowe, 49, previously served as a senior vice president at Dallas-based Texas Instruments where he managed the chip maker’s analog business, its largest division, reports George Leopold of EETimes.

The company said, that Lowe’s appointment comes with immediate effect.

 “Gregg is a proven leader and his extensive semiconductor experience makes him uniquely qualified to build upon Freescale's strong foundation, leading the company to our next stage of growth,” said Daniel McCranie who has been appointed as a non-executive chairman of Freescale’s board of directors.

Lowe is "an ideal replacement for Rich Beyer and should boost Freescale's efforts in key markets such as analog and embedding processing," said Ross Seymore, a semiconductor industry analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities.

Lowe, who had joined TI in 1984, has spent more than a decade managing the European operations of TI. He has also led TI global ASIC organization until 2001. Lowe holds a bachelors degree in electrical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute. However, Beyer continues to serve as chairman of the Semiconductor Industry Association.