Willem Roelandts Named Applied Materials Chairman

Applied Materials, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has elected Willem P. Roelandts as chairman effective immediately. Roelandts succeeds Michael R. Splinter, who has retired from the board.
 
Roelandts is currently Applied Materials’ lead independent director and has served on the board since 2004. He was president and CEO of Xilinx, a supplier of programmable logic solutions, from 1996 to 2008 and chairman of the board of directors of Xilinx from 2003 to 2009. Prior to joining Xilinx, Mr. Roelandts spent 29 years at Hewlett-Packard Company.
 
“Applied Materials is a Silicon Valley pioneer that is at the forefront of enabling the future of electronics and it is an honor to be selected to lead the board as chairman,” said ] Roelandts. “Together with all of the directors, I would like to express our appreciation to Mike for his service and achievements, as well as our admiration for his integrity, drive and pursuit of excellence.”
 
Splinter served as CEO of Applied Materials from 2003 to 2013 and as chairman of the board since 2009. Splinter is a 40-year veteran of the semiconductor industry and led Applied Materials to record revenue and profits during his decade-long tenure as CEO. He is the recipient of the Semiconductor Industry Association’s 2013 Robert N. Noyce Award for his outstanding achievements and leadership.
 
“As an electrical engineer who loves solving technical problems, it has been a tremendous privilege to lead an organization with such innovative and passionate employees,” said Splinter. “I treasure my time with Applied and am amazed at all we have accomplished together to propel both the company and the industry forward.”
 
“On behalf of the management team and employees, I want to thank Mike for his 12 years of leadership as chief executive and as chairman,” said Gary E. Dickerson, president and CEO. “The legacy of Mike’s service is clear to see in Applied’s team of unmatched talent and our strong financial position, which together provide an incredible foundation for future growth.”