The UK Semiconductor Centre (UKSC) has appointed Andy McLean as its first chief executive officer (CEO) to help establish the UK as a global leader in semiconductors by accelerating scale-up, investment and commercial growth across the sector.
Originally from the UK, McLean returns after an extensive career in the US, which included senior leadership roles at Analog Devices, Texas Instruments and National Semiconductor.
McLean most recently served as corporate vice president of communications and cloud at Analog Devices, where he was responsible for a portfolio worth more than $1bn (£738.7m) across wireless and wired communications and power products.
The new CEO will be responsible for delivering the UKSC’s mission, which will see it strive to accelerate economic growth by attracting global partners, securing investment and driving scale-up, and aligning efforts around technologies where the UK has a competitive advantage.
Bringing four decades of experience working at semiconductor companies in the US to his new role, McLean says the UK has a “rare opportunity” to turn technology leadership on a commercial scale as the global semiconductor market doubles to more than $1.6tn (£1.18bn) by 2030.
“What convinced me to return to the UK is the new level of ambition I’m seeing from government, industry and academia,” says McLean. “Historically, the UK has struggled to retain and scale its most promising semiconductor companies. But what is different now is the clear strategic intent and willingness to drive economic growth through frontier technologies such as semiconductors.
“The UK is recognised globally as having world-class engineering talent and genuine competitive advantages in areas like chip design, photonics, advanced processes and materials, and compound semiconductors, but we need more ambition and coordination if we’re to accelerate scale-up, drive greater inward investment and develop the workforce the sector needs – that’s what I’m here to help deliver.”
Raj Gawera, who has led the launch, mobilisation and early nationwide engagement of the UKSC as chief operating officer (COO) and interim CEO, will continue to lead the strategic operations of the organisation as full-time COO.
The appointment comes amid accelerating public and private investment across advanced computing and semiconductor-adjacent technologies, including the new £2bn quantum programme, the £500m Sovereign AI Unit and major funding rounds for companies such as Fractile, Olix and Nu Quantum.
