So you've been working in Silicon Valley doing marketing or business development for a tech company for years now. You know your own business space intimately. How much do you know, though, about the semiconductor business? It _is_ called 'Silicon' Valley for a reason. The business of semiconductors is ultimately what drives technology advances, and it's important for all serious technology businesspeople to have more than a passing acquaintance with the business drivers for this key industry segment.
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Semiconductor 621:
'An Evening with Ken Schroeder, CEO of KLA-Tencor'
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Thursday, June 9th, 2005
6:00-8:30pm
Crowne Plaza Cabana
Pre-registration deadline: 5:00pm, 06/06/2005
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On June 9th, the Wharton Club of Northern California and the Harvard Business School Association of Northern California will host a presentation by Ken Schroeder, CEO of KLA-Tencor. Ken will talk to us about the unique challenges and opportunities of the semiconductor capital equipment industry. As CEO of KLA-Tencor for over two decades, Ken has a rare perspective and overview of his industry--and it's a tough one. Imagine a business where:
- your product prices have gone up over 10 times in the last 20 years while the prices of your customers' products have stayed roughly the same;
- you have fewer than 150 customers--and perhaps fewer than 10-15 that really drive your business;
- you have to deal with supplier lead times of six to nine months as you manufacture a multi-million dollar product...but your customers still wield enough power to be able to cancel orders on relatively short notice as their business conditions change; and
- you maintain a commitment to your shareholders to have profit margins of 20% in good times and 10% in bad times...you have maintain substantial R&D spending whether times are good or bad...and it's an historically cyclical industry that is just now entering another downturn (Ken will share his thoughts on the length and depth of the down cycle that has just begun over the last few quarters.)
Ken will begin his discussion with a short primer on the semiconductor industry as an introduction to a deeper discussion about the semiconductor equipment industry. He will also describe what it takes to successfully manage a large technology company as well as how he has personally managed his career progression at KLA-Tencor.
KLA-Tencor has been kind enough to make available copies of the Merrill Lynch 2004 Semiconductor Capital Equipment Guide. The first 100 attendees to pre-register will receive their copy when they check in at the event.
Thursday, June 9th, 2005
6:00pm - 7:00pm. Reception
7:00pm - 8:30pm. Presentation and Q&A
Crowne Plaza Cabana
4290 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, CA 94306
$35 Current Alumni Club members and their accompanied guests
$55 Non-Member alumni and other guests
$35 Members of Affiliated Clubs/Organizations
Registrations after 5:00pm, Monday, 06/06/2005 and on the day of the event (space permitting): $45 members/$65 non-members
Kenneth L. Schroeder
Chief Executive Officer, KLA-Tencor Corporation
Ken Schroeder has been chief executive officer of KLA-Tencor since July of 1999. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he served as president and chief operating officer for eight years. His career at KLA-Tencor spans 20 years, during which time he has held a variety of senior management roles. In addition to his experience at KLA-Tencor, Mr. Schroeder has held management positions within Hewlett-Packard's Computer Group and the Construction Systems Division of Spectra-Physics.
Mr. Schroeder received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
