MediaTek Hires Former TSMC Executive to Build AI Chip Packaging Capability
MediaTek appointed Douglas Yu, a retired TSMC executive, as a part-time adviser to accelerate its work in advanced chip packaging and AI chip manufacturing. Yu spent 31 years at TSMC before retiring in 2025, where he led backend research and development efforts.
Yu played a central role in developing TSMC's CoWoS (Chip on Wafer on Substrate) technology, a packaging method now standard for AI chips, including those made by Nvidia. His hire signals MediaTek's intent to build internal expertise in a capability that has become a bottleneck in the AI chip supply chain.
TSMC's CoWoS capacity remains heavily constrained. Nvidia and cloud providers are competing for limited slots, creating a business opportunity for competitors who can offer alternative sources.
MediaTek said in a statement that it will use Yu's experience to "support the company's exploration and roadmap planning for future advanced packaging technologies, as well as to guide our R&D and investment strategy in advanced packaging-related products and technologies."
The move comes as MediaTek projects multiple billions of dollars in revenue from AI accelerator chips by 2027. Packaging capacity could determine whether the company can meet that target or cede market share to rivals with better access to production.
For strategy and operations leaders, the hire underscores how AI chip makers are now competing on backend manufacturing capabilities, not just chip design. Companies without packaging expertise face real constraints on scaling production.
Your membership also unlocks:
