Sylvain

Muckenhirn
Cell: + (1) 408 482 9630 (Pacific time)
http://www.linkedin.com/in/sgmuckenhirn
3846 Center Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA93110, USA
20+ years semi-conductor technology
15+ years fab experience
10+ years equipment suppliers
7+ years functional / decorative coatings
7+ years MEMS, sensor, RF products
Process and manufacturing (9 patents)
Technical, marketing and division direction (31 publications)
International consulting
English, French, and Spanish speaker
Global culture (USA, Switzerland, France, Africa)
What managers, co-workers and customers have said:
"Sylvain is extremely innovative and coupled with a rich technical background in
the semiconductor market brings significant value to a Company. We were pleased
with his contribution to the development of a new business segment for Zygo and
I would recommend Sylvain for both his talent and work ethic" September 2000, B
ruce Robinson, President and CEO, Zygo Corporation
"Sylvain has brought his extensive technological experience backed by boundless
energy and enthusiasm to focus on a number of complex technical and technologica
l problems. He has made a significant and highly effective contribution to the c
ompany both in new product concepts and in new wafer and assembly processing tec
hnologies."1996 and 2003, James Heighway, CEO and President, ASP and SAWCOM S.A
"Sylvain has excellent analytical skills. He is very adept at combining technica
l knowledge and business insights into sustainable solutions. In addition, Sylva
in possesses great interpersonal skills and is very pleasant to work with. I rec
ommend Sylvain to anyone!" February 6, 2009, Top qualities: Expert, On Time, Cre
ative, Heini L. Hansen hired Sylvain as a Business Consultant in 2009
A catalyst for performance
Summary
A dynamic and visionary leader specializing in business expansion within high te
ch industries spanning the globe. Focuses in growing target markets and opening
new ones, achieving sales and marketing goals through strategy covering technolo
gy and application developments, streamlining operations, maintaining loyal and
productive staff and customer base, and delivering profitable performance excell
ence overall.
Selected Achievements
Division management:
* Creation / closure of Zygo AFM division ($6M orders within 6 months, $16M ann
ual budget, 35 persons worldwide, 100% takeover of customer base over the compet
ition)
Manufacturing / process:
* Introduction of lithography for watch manufacturing allowing yield increase f
rom 18 to 92%
* Development of Surface Acoustic Waves manufacturing process (MicroSwiss proje
ct, $2.5M) recognized best worldwide by the industry leading to Advanced SAW Pro
ducts S.A. acquired by Nokia for a good multiple to investors
Engineering:
* Technical Direction of Critical Dimension Atomic Force Microscope (SXM CD) le
ading to an industry recognized non destructive Reference Measurement System
Marketing:
* Increased ASP from K$680 to M$1,3 with release of a new tool without loss of
customers, keeping COGS constant and reducing yearly parts immobilization by 750
K$
Customer support:
* 1st worldwide qualification of automated Atomic Force Microscopy metrology fo
r manufacturing control
* 1st introduction of Dual Beam Cross Sectional Metrology for in-line control
Strategy:
* Contribution to Scatterometry leading to Timbre Technologies takeover by TEL
in 2001 for $139M, annual revenue of $25M and up to 115 full time staff.
Employment History
FOUNDER, CEO, IRIS VERSICOLOR Corp., Europe & US, since 01/2009
Technology and Business development consulting
* PLC ph1&2 for development of a disruptive surface metrology equipment for a l
eading metrology company
* OEM market study and strategy definition for an Image Processing Software int
ernational leader
SENIOR DIRECTOR STRATEGIC MARKETING, KLA-TENCOR, US, 2006 - 2009
Customers: KLA-Tencor (WIN, EBR, Candela, CTO office), Samsung, Hynix, Rexchip,
TSMC.
* Internal strategic consulting, including technology developments (AF, metrosp
ection, clusters, AFM), business plans & sales strategy developments.
* Technology gap closures, including application related developments, methodol
ogies, characterizations.
* Technology watch for new process / materials / design in the semiconductor in
dustry.
FOUNDER, DIRECTOR, ATOMETX, Europe & US, 2002 - 2006
Customers: Zetetics, SAWCOM, Vaco, Xydex, Incam, Nanoraptor, Auriga Partners, Me
sophotonics, NT-MDT...
* Transition management of Product strategy definition / manufacturing / invest
ments - Market studies (international) - Technological breakthroughs
* Audit organization / strategies / technique - Plant conception, realization a
nd start-up. Training - QA, QC...
* Technical director, reporting to GM: From concept to plant start-up within 7
months and M?1.5. Created and defined product port-folio. Technology development
.
* Audits for VC: Multimillion $ capital investments.
* Turnaround: process and products development to success.
"Sylvain Muckenhirn ... is one of the few world rank metrologist with vision bey
ond the current technology. Mr. Muckenhirn is a person with creative and indepen
dent mind. His main contribution to the field is in converting purely scientific
AFM to industrial metrology tool. ... Sylvain Muckenhirn because of his unique
background is one of the few members of our guild who possess and systematically
exercises this expertise.... I believe that Sylvain Muckenhirn belongs to the g
roup of alpha-creative individuals. He will contribute to any project and busine
ss. I strongly recommend my former colleague to YOU." January 12, 2010, Vladimir
Ukrainsev , Senior Member of the Technical Staff , Texas Instrument, worked dir
ectly with Sylvain at FEI company, Zygo corporation, Veeco instruments
"Sylvain has played a great role in building the trust relationship between our
2 companies. He has been very open and frank with us, while opening the doors fo
r our technology in his company .. his commitment to achieve and dedication made
 this experience worthwhile. Sylvain definitively knows his business and makes s
ure he manages it carefully while still taking very balanced risks with 3rd part
ies that could help him reach the goal quicker. He is a nice person to work with
and I would recommend him to anyone." November 18, 2008, Michel Gaouyer , Vice
President, Semiconductor Business Unit, MASA Group was a contractor to Sylvain a
t KLA-Tencor
"Working with Sylvain was always pleasant and fruitful. Along the months and yea
rs of the project, Sylvain always had the talent to condense a wide load of info
rmation into a few facts, and to define the new action items. He helped the proj
ect move efficiently by refocusing the development efforts with the needs of AFM
customers. I would highly recommend him both for his technical insight, and for
his interpersonal skills."2000, Yves Martin, Research Staff member, IBM Yorktow
n, worked directly with Sylvain at Zygo Corporation, Veeco Instruments
"Sylvain has always been extremely supportive of our sales and marketing actions
to launch the AFM technology to the semiconductor industry. I have always highl
y appreciated his outstanding skills during our products sales presentation to c
learly demonstrate to our semiconductor industry customers the perfect adequatio
n of their metrology requirements and our AFM technology" 2000, Francis Steenbek
e, Veeco, GM and VP of European Operations
FOUNDER, CTO, BASYK INC., US, 2002-2004
Nanotechnology metrology start-up based on Scatterometry / CD AFM technology dev
elopment. 24 months entrepreneur's adventure.
DIVISION / TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, FEI Co, ZYGO Corp., VEECO INSTRUMENTS, US, 1996 -
2002
Directed the IBM AFM project through four transfers of company ownership: FEI Co
mpany (Semiconductor Metrology Director, 2001-2002), Surface Interface (Applicat
ion and Marketing Director 2000-2001), Zygo Corporation (AFM Division Director,
1999-2000), Veeco Instruments (Technical Director, 1996-1999).
* Reporting to CEO and President (Zygo) or VP and GM (Veeco, FEI)
* Created and managed division / departments
* P&L responsibility
* Global strategy definition and implementation
* Team recruitment, training and management. Teams were multi-functional and mu
lti-cultural, worldwide.
* Customer, supplier, partnership, funding management
R&D and MANUFACTURING DIRECTOR, NOKIA (ASP), Switzerland, 1991 - 1996
Products: RF Products up to 2.4 GHz on quartz, LiNbO3, LiTaO3. Setup of a new in
dustry in Switzerland.
* Reporting directly to CEO and President
* Manufacturing line creation and management, Equipment selection and start-up
($3.5M)
* Wafer and assembly line process / production / process development management
* R&D grant application and management ($1.8M)
* International subcontracting qualification and management (Philippines, Moroc
co...)
* QA and QC (ISO)
PROCESS and PRODUCT DIRECTOR, BLOSCH A.G., Switzerland, 1990 - 1991
Products: Corum, Rado, Swatch, anti-reflective layers, sensors...
* Photolithography adaptation to the watch industry
* Product yields improvement from 18 to 92%
* 3x reduction of the cost per unit
PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY ENGINEER, CSEM, Switzerland, 1986 - 1990
* Pilot line design, set-up (plasma, wet, implant) and process developments
 * VTI Technology transfer from USA to Switzerland.
* Low voltage technology modifications.
* 1st 80nm transistor in the world
PROCESS TECHNICIAN, ST Microelectronics, France, 1981-1986
* Process development and implementation.
* Production sustaining.
* Process transfer from USA (National Semiconductor) and Japan (OKI) to France.
* Equipment evaluation, start up and qualifications
Education
Mastère, Electro-chimie, CNAM, France . ABT (1986).
BTS, Physique - Chimie, AFPA, France. Diploma (1980).
Short courses: EUV, 193nm Resist, ARC, Plasma etch, Vacuum, leak detection, e-be
ams, etc.
Internships in administration (2 months), accounting (4 months), and thermo-hard
ening resist manufacturing (3 months)
Patents, presentations and publications
Addendum list on request.
Society memberships
SPIE, IEEE
Outside Activities
Paramedic trainer, table tennis, volleyball, martial arts, scuba diving.