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Created page with "{{Insert top}}{{Insert quote panel | {{Jean-Marc Chéry/random quote}}}} == Overview == {{Infobox person | name = Jean-Marc Chéry | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image = jean-marc-chery.jpg | birth_date = 5 July 1960 | birth_place = Orléans, France | citizenship = France | education = Engineering | alma_mater = École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) | occupation = Engineer; business executive | employer = STMicroelectronics | title =..."

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{{Insert top}}{{Insert quote panel | {{Jean-Marc Chéry/random quote}}}}
== Overview ==
{{Infobox person
| name = Jean-Marc Chéry
| honorific_prefix =
| honorific_suffix =
| image = jean-marc-chery.jpg
| birth_date = 5 July 1960
| birth_place = Orléans, France
| citizenship = France
| education = Engineering
| alma_mater = École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM)
| occupation = Engineer; business executive
| employer = [[STMicroelectronics]]
| title = President and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]]
| term = 31 May 2018 – present
| predecessor = Carlo Bozotti
| successor =
| boards = [[Legrand]]; [[Capgemini]]; [[Global Semiconductor Alliance]] (chairman)
| known_for = President and CEO of [[STMicroelectronics]]
| spouse = Married
| children = 3 daughters
| awards = Knight of the Legion of Honour; ''Usine Nouvelle'' Industrialist of the Year (2022)
| signature =
| website = https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/about/who-we-are/management.html
}}

👤 '''Jean-Marc Chéry''' (born 5 July 1960) is a French engineer and business executive who has served as President and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of [[STMicroelectronics]] since 31 May 2018.<ref name="st-mgmt">{{cite web |url=https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/about/who-we-are/management.html |title=Discover our management team |publisher=STMicroelectronics |accessdate=2025-11-20}}</ref><ref name="frwiki">{{cite web |url=https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Marc_Ch%C3%A9ry |title=Jean-Marc Chéry |publisher=Wikipédia |accessdate=2025-11-20}}</ref> A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM), he joined [[Thomson Semiconducteurs]] in 1986 and spent his career within the Franco-Italian chipmaker that later became [[STMicroelectronics]], rising through manufacturing, technology and operational roles before assuming the top job.<ref name="frwiki" /> As chief executive he has focused on automotive and industrial semiconductors, sensors and microcontrollers, overseeing major fabrication projects in Europe and guiding the company through the COVID-19-era chip boom, a sharp downturn in 2024–2025 and debates over strategy, governance, lay-offs and executive pay.<ref name="challenges">{{cite web |url=https://www.challenges.fr/entreprise/tech-numerique/stmicroelectronics-champion-franco-italien-des-puces-electroniques-en-plein-decrochage-la-strategie-de-jean-marc-chery-contestee_605018 |title=STMicroelectronics, champion franco-italien des puces électroniques, en plein décrochage : la stratégie de Jean-Marc Chéry contestée |publisher=Challenges |accessdate=2025-11-20}}</ref><ref name="webull">{{cite web |url=https://www.webull.com/news/12851268895900672 |title=It Looks Like STMicroelectronics N.V.'s (EPA:STMPA) CEO May Expect Their Salary To Be Put Under The Microscope |publisher=Simply Wall St via Webull |accessdate=2025-11-20}}</ref> He also sits on the boards of [[Legrand]] and [[Capgemini]] and has held leadership roles in industry bodies including the [[Global Semiconductor Alliance]].<ref name="st-mgmt" />

== Early life and education ==

🏠 '''Origins and education.''' Chéry was born on 5 July 1960 in Orléans in a modest family; his father worked as a mainframe computer maintenance technician, giving him early exposure to computing and electronics.<ref name="st-mgmt" /><ref name="frwiki" /> He studied engineering at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) in Paris, graduating in 1983, and later said that the school's practical training and focus on human factors forged the disciplined ''Gadzarts'' mindset he carried into industry.<ref name="frwiki" /><ref name="eetimes">{{cite web |url=https://www.eetimes.com/qa-with-st-ceo-who-he-is-what-hes-done/ |title=Q&A with ST CEO: Who He Is, What He's Done |publisher=EE Times |accessdate=2025-11-20}}</ref>

🛠️ '''Early career in industry.''' After graduating, Chéry began his career in 1983 at the French engineering group Matra, working in its quality organisation and performing mechanical tests before moving closer to electronics.<ref name="frwiki" /> In 1986 he joined [[Thomson Semiconducteurs]], the French chipmaker that would be folded into [[STMicroelectronics]], a move he later described as a decisive step that redirected him from general engineering into the emerging semiconductor sector and tied his professional fate to the company.<ref name="frwiki" /><ref name="eetimes" />

== Career ==

=== Manufacturing and operations (1987–2005) ===

🏭 '''Fab management in Tours and Rousset.''' Barely a year after joining Thomson Semiconducteurs, the 27-year-old Chéry was put in charge of a wafer fabrication plant in Tours, where he ran [[semiconductor]] manufacturing operations from 1987 to 2001 before being promoted to direct ST's Rousset plant in Provence from 2001 to 2005.<ref name="frwiki" /><ref name="st-mgmt" /> These posts cemented his reputation as a pragmatic, operations-focused manager able to drive efficiency and improve yields on the factory floor.

🌏 '''Global manufacturing responsibilities.''' In 2005 Chéry led a company-wide restructuring of 6-inch wafer production, consolidating and modernising legacy lines, and the following year he moved to Singapore to head [[STMicroelectronics]]' front-end manufacturing in the Asia-Pacific region, overseeing multicultural teams and the expansion of the group's Asian production base.<ref name="st-mgmt" /><ref name="frwiki" />

=== Technology leadership and restructuring (2005–2013) ===

💡 '''Chief Technology Officer and post-ST-Ericsson restructuring.''' In 2008 Chéry joined the top ranks of [[STMicroelectronics]] as group Chief Technology Officer, later assuming responsibility for company-wide Production and Quality in 2011 and leading the Digital Products division from 2012.<ref name="st-mgmt" /><ref name="frwiki" /> During this period he worked closely with CEO Carlo Bozotti to design a far-reaching restructuring plan after the failure of the ST-Ericsson joint venture, which had left the company exposed to losses and the missed smartphone boom.<ref name="eetimes" />

📸 '''Imaging pivot and sensor strategy.''' As part of that turnaround, Chéry advocated refocusing ST's imaging business away from low-margin commodity camera modules towards specialised, higher-value sensors, pushing for advanced 3D structured-light and time-of-flight imaging solutions for smartphones and for automotive applications.<ref name="eetimes" /> Under his guidance [[STMicroelectronics]] developed sensors for a major smartphone customer, later identified in the press as Apple, and strengthened its position in sensors and microcontrollers, moves widely credited with helping to restore the group's competitiveness after 2012.<ref name="eetimes" /><ref name="challenges" />

=== Executive management and CEO appointment ===

📊 '''COO, deputy CEO and succession.''' Chéry's broad experience across manufacturing, technology, marketing and customer service made him a natural candidate for higher office; in 2014 he became Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for day-to-day operations worldwide, and in 2017 he was appointed Deputy CEO with an expanded remit that included global sales and marketing.<ref name="st-mgmt" /><ref name="frwiki" /> On 31 May 2018 he succeeded Carlo Bozotti as President and CEO of [[STMicroelectronics]], becoming the first French national to hold sole command of the binational company.<ref name="st-mgmt" /><ref name="frwiki" />

=== Strategic direction as chief executive ===

🚗 '''Automotive- and industrial-focused growth strategy.''' As chief executive, Chéry set out a strategy that doubled down on [[STMicroelectronics]]' long-standing strengths in automotive and industrial semiconductors, sensors and microcontrollers while pursuing new growth areas through heavy investment in manufacturing capacity.<ref name="challenges" /><ref name="st-mgmt" /> He announced ambitious revenue targets, including a long-term goal of US$20 billion in annual sales, championed major fabrication projects in Europe such as a €7.5 billion plant in Crolles backed by French and Italian public subsidies, and promoted a "China for China" approach of building in China for the Chinese market even as geopolitical tensions rose.<ref name="challenges" /> In a 2020 interview he argued that "Europe must defend globalisation", underlining his belief that open global supply chains are essential for the semiconductor industry.<ref name="frwiki" />

=== Boom, downturn and strategic criticisms ===

📉 '''Boom, downturn and exposure to the auto cycle.''' [[STMicroelectronics]] initially benefited from a global semiconductor boom in 2020–2021, when demand surged across smartphones, consumer electronics and cars, and the company posted record revenues and share-price gains; however, by 2022–2023 the cycle had cooled and weaknesses in Chéry's strategy became apparent.<ref name="challenges" /> The group was heavily exposed to automotive chips, a segment hit by oversupply and an electric-vehicle slowdown in Europe, and less present than some rivals in fast-growing AI and data-centre processors.<ref name="challenges" /> In 2024 revenues fell by about 23 per cent and by the first quarter of 2025 net profit was down 89 per cent year-on-year, while European peers such as NXP and Infineon reported much smaller sales declines of around 5–8 per cent.<ref name="challenges" /> Over the three years to May 2025 total shareholder return was about −34 per cent, leading analysts to question the company's positioning and prompting ST to postpone its US$20 billion revenue objective to 2030.<ref name="webull" /><ref name="challenges" />

== Financial profile and external roles ==

💰 '''Compensation and share ownership.''' As CEO of a major global [[semiconductor]] manufacturer, Chéry receives a remuneration package that has drawn scrutiny from investors. For 2024 his total pay was estimated at around US$9.5 million (approximately €8.5 million), about 30 per cent higher than the previous year and well above the roughly US$6.1 million median for comparable European semiconductor CEOs, with most of the package made up of performance-linked bonuses and share-based awards.<ref name="webull" /> Some shareholders have criticised the increase in light of falling earnings and share-price performance, and proxy analyses note that he personally owns only a small stake in [[STMicroelectronics]], holding shares worth roughly €1.2 million, or about 0.01 per cent of the company's capital, meaning that most of his wealth linked to the group comes from incentive schemes rather than large equity holdings.<ref name="webull" />

🤝 '''Board mandates, industry bodies and honours.''' Beyond his executive role, Chéry has been appointed to the boards of [[Legrand]] and [[Capgemini]] and has served as chair of the [[Global Semiconductor Alliance]], reflecting his prominence within the wider electronics industry.<ref name="st-mgmt" /> He is also a former president of AENEAS, a European semiconductor research and development consortium, and has led the European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA).<ref name="st-mgmt" /><ref name="frwiki" /> In 2019 he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour by the French state, and in 2022 the magazine ''Usine Nouvelle'' named him "Industrialist of the Year" for his role in navigating [[STMicroelectronics]] through the COVID-19-era chip shortage.<ref name="frwiki" />

== Personal life and leadership style ==

👪 '''Family and personal interests.''' Despite leading a company with around 50,000 employees, Chéry maintains a relatively low public profile. He is married, keeps his spouse out of the media spotlight and has three daughters, and colleagues describe him as a family-oriented executive who prefers simple pursuits when away from work.<ref name="frwiki" /> A 2016 alumni profile from the Arts et Métiers community portrayed him as "un Gadzarts au mental de sportif"—an engineer with an athlete's mindset—highlighting his interest in endurance activities such as cycling and hiking and suggesting that he approaches professional challenges with similar discipline and stamina.<ref name="frwiki" /><ref name="eetimes" />

🧭 '''Management style and loyalty to ST.''' In interviews Chéry is often described as soft-spoken and fact-driven, avoiding theatrical presentations in favour of detailed discussion of technology and execution, a style widely attributed to his background in fab operations.<ref name="eetimes" /> Observers note that he remains calm even in difficult circumstances; at a 2025 shareholder meeting held during a sharp downturn he remarked that it is not because a leader faces a storm that the course should be changed, emphasising his confidence in the company's long-term trajectory.<ref name="challenges" /> He has also stressed his personal attachment to [[STMicroelectronics]], recalling telling Bozotti during the earlier restructuring that he could be relied upon "forever", and is known internally for favouring promotion from within and continuity in strategic choices.<ref name="eetimes" />

== Controversies and challenges ==

⚖️ '''Shareholder lawsuit and communication over the downturn.''' Although Chéry has not been personally implicated in scandals, his tenure as CEO has seen mounting criticism over [[STMicroelectronics]]' communication with investors during the 2024 downturn. The company had initially forecast revenues of about US$17 billion for 2024 but later cut guidance to roughly US$13 billion as orders weakened, and its share price lost more than half its value over the year.<ref name="challenges" /> A group of shareholders subsequently filed a class-action lawsuit in New York against Chéry and Chief Financial Officer Lorenzo Grandi, alleging that management misrepresented the severity of problems in the automotive business and that some executives sold shares before disclosing the extent of the downturn.<ref name="challenges" /> Chéry has denied any wrongdoing, and early judicial decisions in 2025 indicated that the plaintiffs faced a high legal threshold, but the case has strained relations with parts of the financial community and underscored the pressure on his leadership.<ref name="challenges" />

🏛️ '''Binational governance dispute and renewal of his mandate.''' STMicroelectronics has an unusual governance structure in which the French and Italian governments each hold 27.5 per cent of the company through a joint holding vehicle, and this arrangement came under strain in 2023 when Chéry's second three-year term as CEO was due to end.<ref name="challenges" /> The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, opposed granting him a third term, arguing that under his leadership investment decisions and senior appointments increasingly favoured France, citing faster progress on projects such as the Crolles fab compared with plans for Catania in Sicily and a decline in Italian representation in top management.<ref name="challenges" /> After tense negotiations between Paris and Rome, the French side and independent directors prevailed and in September 2023 Chéry was reappointed with a mandate running to 2027, an episode described in the press as a rare public power struggle between the two shareholder states.<ref name="challenges" /><ref name="marianne">{{cite web |url=https://www.marianne.net/economie/economie-francaise/comment-le-pdg-de-stmicroelectronics-jean-marc-chery-a-finalement-sauve-sa-tete-face-aux-italiens |title=Comment le PDG de STMicroelectronics, Jean-Marc Chéry, a finalement sauvé sa tête face aux Italiens |publisher=Marianne |accessdate=2025-11-20}}</ref> Reflecting on the controversy, Chéry later commented that criticism is legitimate but should not call a leader's integrity or honesty into question, warning that if that line were crossed the company would respond accordingly.<ref name="challenges" />

🧑‍🏭 '''Lay-offs, subsidies and social responsibility debate.''' In early 2025 [[STMicroelectronics]] announced plans to cut about 2,800 jobs worldwide—around 5 per cent of its workforce—through voluntary departures, including roughly 1,000 positions each in France and Italy, as part of a cost-reduction programme during the downturn.<ref name="challenges" /> The timing drew criticism because the company was simultaneously benefiting from substantial French and Italian public subsidies, estimated at nearly €5 billion, to support new fab investments; trade unions and politicians questioned whether a firm receiving significant state aid should be reducing staff and accused ST of failing to uphold its social responsibilities.<ref name="challenges" /> Chéry defended the plan as a difficult but necessary measure to safeguard long-term competitiveness and stressed the voluntary nature of the departures, but the episode heightened tensions with labour representatives in both countries.<ref name="challenges" />

== Legacy and assessment ==

📚 '''Supporters' assessments of his tenure.''' Supporters view Chéry as a loyal "company man" whose four-decade career, from managing wafer fabs in Tours and Rousset to reshaping imaging and sensor strategy and co-designing ST's post-ST-Ericsson restructuring, demonstrates a rare combination of technical depth and operational experience.<ref name="eetimes" /><ref name="challenges" /> They argue that his detailed understanding of manufacturing, his long relationships with customers and suppliers and his links with European policymakers and industry groups position him well to guide [[STMicroelectronics]] through cyclical downturns and future investment cycles.<ref name="st-mgmt" /><ref name="challenges" />

🔮 '''Criticisms and future outlook.''' Critics contend that the same continuity and caution that enabled Chéry to stabilise [[STMicroelectronics]] after past crises may have left the company under-represented in fast-growing segments such as AI and data-centre chips and too reliant on cyclical automotive demand, exposing it to the severe 2024–2025 downturn.<ref name="challenges" /><ref name="webull" /> As he leads the group toward its postponed 2030 revenue ambitions amid evolving industrial-policy priorities and intensifying global competition, assessments of his legacy are likely to hinge on whether he can adapt ST's strategy to new technological paradigms while balancing the expectations of governments, investors, employees and customers.<ref name="challenges" />

== Related content & more ==

=== YouTube videos ===
{{Youtube thumbnail | TIKcn6qPqlk | caption=Interview in French on Boursorama where Chéry describes 2025 as a pivotal year for STMicroelectronics.}}
{{Youtube thumbnail | w9nm7Fc7rkQ | caption=Ecorama/Boursorama interview in which Chéry discusses improving STMicroelectronics' fundamental performance.}}

=== biz/articles ===
* [[STMicroelectronics]]
* [[Global Semiconductor Alliance]]
* [[Chief executive officer]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:biz/people]]
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Jean-Marc Chéry - Revision history

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