TSMC has seen frequent senior personnel changes in recent years, accelerating generational succession. Recently, the company announced promotions for four senior vice presidents and four deputy general managers, with notable figures including Y.L. Wang and T.S. Chang promoted to senior vice president roles. These eight executives, aged around 50-60, form the core of TSMC's main succession team. Additionally, under the initiative of Lora Ho and J.K. Wang, the TSMC Alumni Network was officially established in 2025.
Many current members still hold significant positions within Taiwan's semiconductor industry, making this one of the most prestigious and cohesive organizations in the sector.
TSMC has accelerated its succession planning, noting that employees can retire up to age 67—two years beyond the statutory mandatory retirement age of 65—with possible extensions approved by the board under special circumstances.
Membership for the TSMC Alumni Network reportedly requires a high minimum pre-retirement rank, with reported annual salaries near NT$10 million (approx. US$314,015). Industry insiders note that most at this level graduated from top Taiwanese universities, holding master's or doctoral degrees in electrical, materials, physics, chemistry, or electronic engineering fields.
Retired or departed TSMC staff have become highly sought after, with many founding startups or being recruited by semiconductor firms offering lucrative packages. For example, nearly 80-year-old Wei-Jen Lo joined Intel post-retirement, though this move sparked confidentiality concerns.
However, some notable figures have yet to appear in the network. Several have relocated overseas or taken roles at companies such as Intel and Samsung Electronics. Samsung previously poached former TSMC R&D vice president J.C. Lin as vice president of Advanced Packaging in its Device Solutions division. In June 2025, Samsung also hired Margaret Han, who worked at TSMC for 21 years, as executive vice president of Samsung DSA, responsible for US foundry operations.
Article translated by Charlene Chen and edited by Jack Wu
