SEMI today announced that Tetsuro (Terry) Higashi, chairman, president and CEO of Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL), has been selected as the 2015 recipient of the SEMI Sales and Marketing Excellence Award, inspired by the late Bob Graham. He will be honored for outstanding achievement in semiconductor equipment and materials marketing during ceremonies on December 3 at SEMICON Japan 2014 in Tokyo.
Terry Higashi will receive the 18th SEMI Sales and Marketing Excellence Award for being a catalyst in the development of the advanced semiconductor research infrastructure in Albany, New York; setting a new standard for partnerships with his trusted relationship-style with customers; as well as his early efforts to globalize the company he leads and promote a collaboration model of industry engagement.
“Higashi-san is recognized as a leader and visionary throughout the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain,” said Denny McGuirk, president and CEO of SEMI. “His significant marketing leadership has served to energize the industry, and as a result he has had an impact extending far beyond his own company.”
Factors considered by the award selection committee in the evaluation of nominees include: marketing contribution, market growth considerations, value to the customer, and strategic importance to the industry. Many prominent industry executives representing both customers and competitors that commented during the committee’s due diligence process noted that, during the course of Higashi’s 35-year career, he championed the concept of a connected Value Chain with customers, suppliers, employees, and industry colleagues.
His encouragement of open platform initiatives and industry collaboration helped bring customers and suppliers closer together, increase the return on R&D investments, and focus research spending on the most challenging technical and economic challenges of Moore’s law. His leadership was vital to driving cooperation among SEMI members and their customers at innovation centers and consortia around the world that have helped the industry share risk and drive technology roadmaps.
Higashi is recognized as an early proponent of global business model among Japanese equipment company leaders. Early in his management tenure, at a time when the industry was transitioning from regional markets served by local suppliers to a truly global manufacturing supply chain, Higashi supported the transformation of TEL from a domestic trading company to a major, international equipment manufacturer. His global vision for regionally based sales, support and marketing grew to be among the most effective and respected in all regions.
Higashi also has an established record of industry stewardship. He was elected to the SEMI International Board of Directors in 1999 and served as Chairman of the SEMI Board from 2004 to 2005. He was named Director Emeritus of the Board in 2010. He also served as Chairman of SEAJ (Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan) from 2005-2011, and currently serves as its Vice Chairman.
Tetsuro (Terry) Higashi serves as the Chairman, President and CEO at Tokyo Electron Limited. He joined the company in 1977, having served as the President & CEO since 1996. He has worked in a variety of senior management positions. Higashi received an undergraduate degree from International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan and a master’s degree from Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji City, Tokyo.
The SEMI Sales and Marketing Excellence Award was inspired by the late Bob Graham, the distinguished semiconductor industry leader who was part of the founding team of Intel and who helped establish industry-leading companies Applied Materials and Novellus Systems. The Award was established to honor individuals for the creation and/or implementation of marketing programs that enhance customer satisfaction and further the growth of the semiconductor equipment and materials industry.
Eligible candidates are nominated by their industry peers and are selected by an award committee. Previous recipients of this SEMI award include: Art Zafiropoulo (2000), Jim Healy and Barry Rapozo (2001), Jerry Hutcheson and Ed Segal (2002), Steve “Shigeru” Nakayama (2003), Edward Braun (2004), Archie Hwang (2005), Aubrey C. (Bill) Tobey (2006), Richard Dyck (2007), Richard Hong (2008), Peter Hanley (2009), Martin van den Brink (2010), Franz Janker (2011), Dan Hutcheson (2012), JC Kim (2013), and Winfried Kaiser (2014).