GSA appoints Matt Rhodes, CEO of Semitech as ECCEO chairman

USA: The Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA), the voice of the global semiconductor industry, today announced the appointment of Matt Rhodes as the Emerging Company CEO Council (ECCEO) Chairman.

In his new position, Rhodes will provide advice and counsel to the GSA board of directors on the challenges and issues facing the industry’s smaller, emerging companies. He will also assist in developing strategies for industry-wide solutions to the most critical challenges, and provide peer-to-peer and customer-to-supplier networking and interaction opportunities.

“We are pleased to have Matt as our new ECCEO Chairman,” said Jodi Shelton, co-founder and president of GSA. “Matt was instrumental in GSA’s recent Capital-Lite portal launch, which is designed to invigorate investments in semiconductor startups to enable high quality innovation, increased investment and subsequent returns, and stimulate sustainable M&A, as well as new IPOs. This, combined with his leadership, vision and business acumen will ensure GSA better addresses how emerging companies can stay ahead of the changes in the industry and enable them to be successful.”

The ECCEO is comprised of leading CEOs from emerging companies to advise GSA’s board of directors on emerging company needs and support GSA’s focus on entrepreneurship. The goals of the Council are to reduce the barriers and improve the probabilities for success of emerging companies in the semiconductor industry while focusing on capital markets, business cost, exit strategies, alternative business and globalization.

“I am honored to be the new Chairman of the ECCEO and follow in the footsteps of Ralph Schmitt, an exceptional leader,” said Rhodes. “I look forward to collaborating with my fellow council members to address the challenging times facing startup and emerging semiconductor companies. I firmly believe this group is capable of delivering strategic solutions to the most critical challenges facing our industry.”

Rhodes is currently the CEO at Semitech Semiconductor Pte Ltd. His focus on innovation and change management led him to invent new technologies, develop new products, build and manage large organizations, as well as drive revenue growth and profitability. His background ranges from start-up funding and management as CEO of Teranetics, to leading a $1 billion+ semiconductor business as president of Conexant Systems.

Rhodes earned his M.B.A. from the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles, his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University and his B.S. in Physics from Pennsylvania State University.