Lisa Tzwu-Fang Su is a true visionary in a male-dominated field. She is the president, CEO, and chair of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)¹. Born in 1969 in Tainan, Taiwan, she moved to the United States at 3. Her love for technology grew fast.

Her journey has made her a respected leader in the semiconductor industry. She is one of the most influential figures today.

Su’s rise to the top is filled with achievements¹. She earned three degrees from MIT, showing her technical and strategic skills. Her leadership is recognized worldwide.

She sits on the boards of giants like Analog Devices and Cisco Systems. She also serves on the Global Semiconductor Alliance and the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association.

Key Takeaways

• Lisa Su is the president, CEO, and chair of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), a leading semiconductor company.
• She was born in Taiwan in 1969 and immigrated to the United States at a young age, developing a deep passion for technology.
• Su has earned three degrees from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), showcasing her exceptional academic and technical background.
• Under her leadership, AMD has undergone a remarkable turnaround, with the company’s market capitalization growing from $3 billion to more than $200 billion.
• Su has been widely recognized for her transformative impact, including being named “businessperson of the year” by Fortune magazine and one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune.

Early Life and Cultural Background

Lisa Su was born into a Taiwanese Hokkien-speaking family. Her parents, Su Chun-hwai and Sandy Lo, pushed her to study math and science early on². Her father, a retired statistician, tested her on multiplication tables when she was seven. Her mother, an accountant turned entrepreneur, taught her about business².

At 10, Su loved to take apart and fix her brother’s remote control cars². This curiosity showed her early interest in technology.

As the child of Taiwanese immigrants, Lisa Su grew up with a focus on doing well in school². This focus helped her become the CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)².

“I think what I learned from my parents, and what they taught me, is to always work hard, always be curious, and always try to do your best.”

Su’s background as a Taiwanese-American woman in tech has made her a role model for women in STEM³. Her journey from a curious child to a tech leader has inspired many².

Educational Journey and Academic Excellence

Lisa Su’s educational path is truly remarkable. It shows her incredible intelligence and hard work in electrical engineering. She graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in New York before heading to MIT. There, she earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees.

At MIT, Su quickly showed her skills by working as a research assistant. Her PhD research, finished in 1994, was on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. This was a new way to make transistors more efficient⁴.

Early Education and MIT Years

Lisa Su always loved electrical engineering. She worked hard to follow her dreams⁵. Her thesis, “Extreme-submicrometer silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFETs,” showed her amazing research skills. It set the stage for her future in semiconductors.

Research Breakthrough

Su’s work on SOI technology at MIT was a big deal⁴. It showed her technical skill and her ability to solve tough problems. Her research pushed the limits of what was possible in semiconductors.

“Her PhD research focused on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology, a then-unproven technique for increasing transistor efficiency.”

Lisa Su’s education and hard work have made a huge difference in her career. Her intelligence and creativity have made her a leader in tech⁵.

Professional Career at IBM and Texas Instruments

Lisa Su started at Texas Instruments in 1994. She was part of the Semiconductor Process and Device Center⁶. In 1995, she moved to IBM, focusing on device physics⁶.

At IBM, Su helped make copper interconnects for chips. This replaced aluminum and boosted chip performance by up to 20%⁶. She also led IBM’s semiconductor research and started the Emerging Products division. This division worked on biochips and low-power semiconductors⁶.

Su’s work at IBM and Texas Instruments was key to innovation in chips⁷. Her expertise in semiconductor device physics and practical application skills stand out⁶.

“Lisa Su is one of very few Fortune 500 CEOs with a Ph.D. Her technical expertise and business acumen have been crucial in leading AMD’s turnaround and driving the company’s growth.”

Su’s success in the semiconductor field paved the way for her leadership at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)⁷⁶.

Lisa Su’s Rise to Leadership

Lisa Su’s journey to the top of the tech world started when she joined Freescale Semiconductor in 2007 as Chief Technology⁸. She later became Senior Vice President and General Manager. Her leadership and vision caught AMD’s eye, and in 2012, she became Senior Vice President and General Manager of global business units⁸.

Path to Executive Positions

Su’s rise to AMD’s top spot showed her technical skills and business smarts. In 2014, she became AMD’s first female CEO⁸. She led AMD to focus on high-performance computing and innovation. This move helped the company grow and compete with giants like Intel and NVIDIA⁹.

Leadership Style and Vision

Lisa Su’s leadership is all about strategic investments and simplifying products. She has also helped AMD grow beyond PCs, working with Microsoft and Sony⁹. Her vision and dedication to advancing technology have made AMD a leader in the industry⁹. Her focus on education and keeping up with AI technology keeps AMD ahead⁸.

Source Links

1. Lisa Su – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Su
2. The Problem Solver Lisa Su – Austin Woman Magazine – https://atxwoman.com/the-problem-solver-lisa-su/
3. The Most Powerful Women in Engineering | UT Austin Executive Education – https://onlineme.engr.utexas.edu/the-most-powerful-women-in-engineering/
4. Masters of Leadership: Dr. Lisa Su – https://www.cta.tech/Resources/Articles/2020/Masters-of-Leadership-Dr-Lisa-Su
5. Official Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD – https://ai-speakers-agency.com/news/general-news/speaker-spotlight-lisa-su
6. Lisa Su ’86 – https://thesciencesurvey.com/hall-of-fame-alumni/2018/12/03/lisa-su-86/
7. Karin Blair on LinkedIn: I love this story about Lisa Su, CEO of AMD – inspiring. I'm guessing she… – https://www.linkedin.com/posts/karinblair_i-love-this-story-about-lisa-su-ceo-of-amd-activity-7161429583043518464-gMb3
8. How AMD CEO Lisa Su is taking on the world’s most valuable company Nvidia – https://www.smartcompany.com.au/people-human-resources/leadership/amd-ceo-lisa-su-taking-most-valuable-company-nvidia/
9. AMD CEO Lisa Su And The Art Of A Turnaround – https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2016/11/01/amd-ceo-lisa-su-and-the-art-of-a-turnaround/