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UMC reshuffles leadership to integrate wafer foundry and substrate manufacturing with Unimicron
Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 02:10 AM
UMC has restructured its executive leadership to deepen integration between wafer manufacturing and substrate production. SC Chien, formerly co-general manager of UMC, has transitioned to chairman of Unimicron Technology to synchronize advanced packaging and substrate strategies, particularly for AI computing applications like EMIB and optical interconnects. Jason Wang becomes UMC CEO, while Steve Hsu takes over as General Manager and COO to drive efficiency in mature and specialty process nodes.
Context
United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) announced a major leadership reshuffle on February 25, 2026, marking the end of the dual-CEO model established in 2017. Current Co-President Jason Wang has been promoted to CEO, while Executive Vice President Steve Hsu (Ming-chih Hsu) takes over as President and COO. Meanwhile, Co-President SC Chien (S.C. Chien) will transition to become Chairman of Unimicron Technology, a key UMC affiliate and leader in IC substrate manufacturing, succeeding the retiring T.J. Tseng.
This transition represents a strategic "Rich Dad" play to vertically integrate UMC’s wafer foundry expertise with Unimicron’s substrate production. By aligning these operations, the group aims to secure a dominant position in the AI supply chain, specifically targeting advanced packaging technologies like EMIB and optical interconnects. Market analysts view this move as a critical step to alleviate capacity bottlenecks in AI-driven packaging, leveraging a leadership team that oversaw a fivefold increase in UMC’s market capitalization during their previous tenure.
The synergy between silicon manufacturing and high-end substrates is increasingly vital as AI demand fuels the need for specialized packaging platforms. While companies like Taiwan Union Technology continue to compete in the broader material supply chain, the UMC-Unimicron alliance strengthens the group’s internal ecosystem for high-growth sectors. This reshuffle ensures strategic continuity while streamlining decision-making to capture rapidly evolving opportunities in mature and specialty process markets globally.
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