Feurle takes CEO seat at Wolfspeed

Feurle succeeds Thomas Werner, who is serving as interim Executive Chairman and will return as Chairman of the Board following the transition. Werner replaced previous CEO Greg Lowe who was ousted last year.

Industry veteran Feurle brings more than 20 years of leading global organizations that develop the most advanced power semiconductor solutions in automotive and other high voltage applications, including both silicon and silicon carbide.

His first task will be to secure the $750 million Wolfspeed was anticipating under the Biden Administration Chips Act. This investment has been thrown into doubt following President Trump’s antipathy to the ChipsAct.

The money was earmarked to accelerate the manufacturing of silicon carbide devices for the electric vehicles and renewable energy industries markets.

A citizen of both the United States and Germany, Feurle will be returning to the United States where he previously spent a decade in executive roles at Micron Technology.

He will relocate to Wolfspeed’s headquarters in Durham, North Carolina, where he will work closely with Werner to ensure a smooth transition.

Most recently, Feurle served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Opto Semiconductors Business Unit at ams-OSRAM, where he was responsible for managing more than 10,000 employees in sites and factories around the world.

There, he expanded market share and accelerated the introduction of cutting-edge LED and Laser products into automotive and new advanced LED applications.

Previously, at Infineon Technologies, Micron Technology, Qimonda, and Siemens, Feurle successfully managed strategic initiatives that enhanced competitiveness and increased revenue growth in challenging global markets.

“We are excited to welcome Robert to Wolfspeed to lead the Company into its next chapter. With a history of delivering significant operational enhancements and profitability improvements, and deep industry expertise, we are confident that Robert is the right individual to take the helm during this stage in the Company’s lifecycle. His history of driving success and operational excellence in each of his previous roles is a significant contributor to our decision to appoint him as CEO. The Board and I look forward to working closely with Robert to successfully navigate near-term market dynamics and ultimately position the Company for long-term value creation,” said Thomas Werner, Executive Chairman.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Wolfspeed during such a transformative period. During my tenure at Infineon, I became intimately familiar with the silicon carbide industry and saw first hand Wolfspeed’s impressive leadership in the space. I believe we have just begun to scratch the surface of the vast potential of silicon carbide. Wolfspeed’s world-class facilities, exceptional talent, and robust intellectual property, position us to maintain and expand our market leadership,” said Feurle.

Throughout his career, Feurle has consistently driven successful growth strategies, innovative product development, and market expansion initiatives. At ams-OSRAM, Feurle significantly enhanced the market presence of the Opto Semiconductors division through accelerated innovation in advanced compound semiconductor solutions.

Previously at Infineon Technologies, he strategically expanded market opportunities by spearheading new product introductions in the field of IGBT and silicon carbide technologies and leading a global business unit focused on competitive differentiation and profitable growth. He was also part of the team at Infineon supporting the proposed acquisition of the Wolfspeed operations in 2016. His deep experience in market-driven technology innovation and strategic business scaling makes him uniquely suited to advance Wolfspeed’s global leadership in silicon carbide technology.

Feurle joins the company as it continues to focus on improving financial performance and accelerating its path to generate positive free cash flow, take aggressive steps to strengthen its balance sheet and raise cost-effective capital required to support its long-term growth plan.

“With all of the Company’s competitive advantages I feel very confident that we will be able to work through this transformative period to refresh the operating plan, improve financial performance and accelerate our path to positive free cash flow.” Feurle continued, “I look forward to working closely with the Board and our talented team to deliver exceptional value to all of our stakeholders.”