Chipidea Hires Industry Veteran Didier Lacroix To Accelerate Global Business Growth

– Chipidea®, the world’s leading provider of analog/mixed-signal silicon intellectual property, today announced that technology-industry veteran Didier Lacroix has joined the company as Senior Vice-President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing. Hiring Lacroix is a key part of the company’s continuing global expansion and will leverage his extensive experience leading the rapid growth of public and privately owned companies in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Based in Los Gatos, Calif. in the heart of the Silicon Valley, Lacroix reports directly to Chipidea Chairman and CEO José Franca. Lacroix will direct Chipidea’s strategic sales expansion in major markets and new technology areas.

“Chipidea has achieved a dynamic growth in recent years, especially in North America and Asia Pacific, and we welcome Didier to our team to ensure this rapid growth continues,” Franca said. “In addition, his broad range of senior-management skills and impressive record of leading start-up and public companies in a variety of markets will help Chipidea improve its already-strong customer base as we grow.”

“As the company with the largest IP portfolio, Chipidea has the opportunity to lead the industry in accelerating the integration of critical analog/mixed-signal subsystems into advanced electronic components. I am honored by José Franca’s decision to entrust me with accelerating Chipidea’s business growth.” Lacroix said.

Lacroix’s executive-management experience spans a broad range of high technology market segments, including consumer electronics, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), electronic design automation (EDA), and semiconductor intellectual property (IP). He has managed geographically dispersed teams on a worldwide basis. Prior to joining Chipidea, Lacroix co-founded NanoZilla LLC of Los Gatos, a management consulting firm devoted to the adoption of electronic miniaturization technologies. Before that, he was the CEO of Discera Inc. of San Jose, Calif. where he led the development of the first commercialized MEMS-based clock and timing solutions for the consumer electronics marketplace. Prior to joining Discera, Lacroix was vice-president and general manager of MEMSCAP's wireless business unit in San Jose. Lacroix also has held senior management positions at Synopsys Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. where he was responsible for the early growth of their consulting services and standards-based system IP business. Earlier on, Lacroix played key roles in the Professional Services organization of Cadence Designs Systems Inc. also of San Jose.

About Chipidea

Chipidea Microelectrónica S.A. is the world’s leading provider of analog/mixed-signal silicon intellectual property, according to market researcher Gartner Dataquest Inc. The company is a key supplier to system-on-chip designers targeting fast-growing market segments in wireless communications, digital media, and consumer electronics. With the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of silicon-proven technology across a variety of product lines, Chipidea offers the widest breadth of intellectual property solutions for the world’s multi-function integrated circuit industry. Chipidea works hand-in-hand with its customers to ensure that its unique analog/mixed signal expertise results in silicon success. Based in Lisbon, Portugal, Chipidea employs 230 people in research, development, sales and marketing offices across Europe, Asia and North America. Information about Chipidea can be found at www.chipidea.com.