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Ex-Banker Behind Chipmaker Renesas Chases $100 Billion Value

Chipmaker Renesas Chases $100 Billion Value Under Ex-Banker’s Leadership

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A decade ago, Renesas Electronics Corp. was struggling under government control, facing severe financial difficulties. Fast forward to the present, and the Japanese chipmaker, now valued at $35 billion, is ambitiously targeting a market value of $100 billion by 2030. The mastermind behind this remarkable turnaround is former Merrill Lynch banker, Hidetoshi Shibata. As the 51-year-old chief executive officer, Shibata has steered Renesas through a series of strategic overseas acquisitions, positioning the company for unprecedented growth.

Ex-Banker Behind Chipmaker Renesas Chases $100 Billion Value

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Under Shibata’s leadership, Renesas aims to double its annual revenue to $20 billion by the end of the decade. This ambitious goal is driven by new business opportunities in India and the development of AI-enabling microcontrollers. The recent surge in AI enthusiasm has significantly boosted Renesas’s shares, especially given its key role in supplying chips to automotive giants like Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., and Nissan Motor Co.

On Wednesday, Renesas shares saw a notable rise of 5.1%, marking their highest level since the global financial crisis. This increase followed the announcement of the company’s aggressive expansion plans and its potential to reach a ¥16 trillion to ¥17 trillion valuation.

Strategic Acquisitions and Global Ambitions

Renesas’s journey from near-collapse to market contender is a testament to Shibata’s strategic vision. Formed from the chip divisions of NEC Corp., Hitachi Ltd., and Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Renesas was once the world’s third-largest chipmaker by sales, trailing only Intel Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. However, a series of challenges, including the 2011 Japan earthquake that damaged a key factory, led to a decline in its fortunes.

Since joining Renesas as chief financial officer in 2013, Shibata has been instrumental in revitalizing the company through a series of high-profile acquisitions. This year, Renesas announced a $6 billion deal to acquire Australian software firm Altium Ltd., a move aimed at enhancing its capabilities in product development and electronics design. Shibata has also set his sights on the embedded semiconductor market, where Renesas aims to become the world’s third-largest player.

“We need to be a real global player,” Shibata stated in a recent interview. “It’s meaningless to be a major player in Japan. We have to be the top, globally. I want to make that happen.”

Shibata’s acquisition strategy has extended beyond the automotive sector. In 2021, Renesas acquired UK-based Dialog Semiconductor Plc for $6 billion. The company had previously purchased San Jose-based Integrated Device Technology Inc. and Milpitas, California-based Intersil Corp. These acquisitions have allowed Renesas to diversify into data centers and consumer devices, positioning the company for future growth. 

Also Read: China Says US Targeting of AI Not Helpful for Healthy Development

Looking ahead, Shibata has expressed interest in the potential of compound semiconductors, which are gaining popularity among electric vehicle manufacturers. With these strategic moves, Renesas is well on its way to achieving its ambitious $100 billion market value target by 2030.

renesas electronics

Renesas Electronics – A Japanese Semiconductor Company That Merged With NEC Electronics In The Last Decade.

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Renesas Electronics was originally known as Renesas Technology when the company was established in 2002. The company is one of the leading suppliers of semiconductor equipment across the globe. In the early 2000s, Renesas was the sixth-largest semiconductor company in the entire world. There are many semiconductor companies that were established in the past 100 years that either ended up merging with other companies or spinning off some of their divisions. Renesas Electronics was also a product of the merger between the semiconductor units of Hitachi and Mitsubishi. The business of dynamic random access memory was kept separated in the case of both companies.

About Renesas Electronics

Renesas Electronics Corporation is based in Tokyo, Japan. The company started operating as Renesas Electronics in 2010 after it integrated with NEC Electronics. Renesas is currently a global leader as a provider of complete semiconductor solutions which include microcontrollers, power, SoC products, and analog. The products developed by Renesas are extensively used in home electronics, industrial equipment, the automotive industry, etc. The main four growth segments of the company are automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT so that they can intelligently deliver solutions people use in their day-to-day lives.

renesas electronics
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History Of The Company

Renesas Technology became official in April 2003 as the non-DRAM joint venture of Hitachi and Mitsubishi. Hitachi owned 55 percent of the joint company while Mitshubhi owned the rest of it. In 2010, when NEC Electronics merged with Renesas Technology, the DRAM business was kept separate. And, the non-DRAM chip business of these three companies became a part of Elpida Memory which came under the acquisition of Micron Technology. In 2010, when Renesas Technology merged with NEC Electronics, the joint entity became the fourth largest semiconductor company in the world in terms of revenue generated.

After Renesas Technology became Renesas Electronics, the same year Renesas Mobile Corporation was formed. This new unit was created by merging the Mobile Multimedia Business Unit of Renesas and the Nokia Wireless Modem Business Unit (which was acquired by Renesas). Only after a year of new mergers and a big acquisition, the company suffered heavily in 2011 due to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and flooding in Thailand.

After the calamity, in 2012 Renesas decided to restructure the entire organization from manufacturing to sales in all 20 countries. The aim was to create an optimized business structure and increase profit. Renesas received investment from INCJ and other key clients of the company. By 2013, the company was able to raise $130 billion in capital and used it for several developmental purposes from plant improvements to making acquisitions.

Operations And Acquisitions

In 2013, a major part of the Renesas Mobile Communication was acquired by Broadcom and after the allotment of third-party shares, INCJ became the largest shareholder of the company. The company focussed exclusively on company restructuring soon after Renesas Electronics was formed. So, in the first three years, there was more or less no profit in the business. In 2014, the company recorded its first-ever profit and started operating as Renesas Electronics Corporation. The same year, the company decided to withdraw from the 4G wireless business which resulted in the consolidation of Renesas Mobile Communication.

Soon, the company also sold its display driver unit to Synaptics. In 2016, Renesas made a huge acquisition for $3.2 billion and the name of the company is Intersil. The deal was successfully closed in 2017. Renesas eventually entered the market of the self-driving car concept as it is one of the most demanding technologies in the 21st century. In 2018, Renesas acquired Integrated Device Technology for $6.5 billion and its latest acquisition is Dialog Semiconductor.

Hidetoshi Shibata – CEO of Renesas Electronics

Hidetoshi Shibata is the current CEO and President of Renesas Electronics. He completed his education from the University of Tokyo followed by Harvard Business School. His career started with a job in Central Japan Railway and he was also the executive managing director at INCJ. Hidetoshi joined Renesas in 2013 as the executive vice president and CFO of the company.