FSA and the Institution of Engineering and Technology Announce Program For IET/FSA International Semiconductor Executive Forum.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- FSA, the voice of the global fabless business model, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, one of the largest engineering and technology societies in the world, announce the program for the IET/FSA International Semiconductor Executive Forum. The event will be held May 9-10, 2006 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany.

The first day's program will focus on the global communications and consumer electronics markets. The second day will concentrate on an overview of the semiconductor market, supply chain and venture capital funding.

To kick-off the event, keynote speaker Scott McGregor, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Member of the Board of Directors for Broadcom Corporation, will present "The Fabless CMOS Future."

"I am pleased to join high tech industry leaders and executives from around the globe to examine the most pressing issues impacting today's semiconductor industry," said McGregor. "As one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, Broadcom offers a unique perspective on the levels of integration, cost and power reduction that are driving communications convergence. I look forward to presenting my thoughts on both the historical and future technology and business trends uniquely enabled by the fabless model."

Also addressing the communications topic is Loic Lietar, group Vice President, Strategies at STMicroelectronics, in his keynote speech entitled, "The Journey of Convergence and Its Consequences on the Semiconductor Industry."

"While convergence has been happening at the boundary of electronic appliances with increasingly shared connectivity and multimedia standards, it hasn't yet made a dent at the heart of these systems, and as such hasn't really affected the positions in the industry," said Lietar. "I am pleased to have the opportunity in Munich to examine the next triggers and their consequences for the industry and to present ST's vision on leveraging these trends."

Additional content surrounding the topic of communications will include presentations on the future mobile world, total communication opportunities and solutions for rapidly changing markets.

Consumer electronics will be examined through presentations on topics, which include the role of audio in digital consumer goods and developing innovative products. This will be followed by a panel session to discuss future consumer market opportunities.

The program for day one will conclude with a keynote speech, entitled, "IDMs: How can they have the best of both worlds; strong in-house technology competences and lean cost structures like fabless companies?" presented by Dr. Erk Thorsten Heyen, Corporate Vice President, Strategy, Mergers and Acquisitions at Infineon Technologies AG.

"Following Moore's law, process technology development is becoming more and more complex and costly. As a consequence, even large IDMs are embarking on 'fab light' strategies. At the same time fabless companies need to invest more into process technology and library expertise," said Heyen. "In light of this fascinating development, I am pleased to have the opportunity to deliver a speech at the IET/FSA International Semiconductor Executive Forum."

That evening, Sir Robin Saxby, chairman of ARM Holdings, will host a VIP dinner for attendees of the Forum.

The program on day two will begin with Hermann Hauser, co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners, who will deliver the morning keynote entitled, "Plastic Electronics - The Next Big Thing?"

Presentations further exploring the overall semiconductor market will focus on the future of the semiconductor industry and the expanding role of the semiconductor foundry. In addition, a case study about regional development in Saxony and its success factors will be presented.

Dr. Tien Wu, chief operating officer, ASE Group, will deliver the keynote address on the global semiconductor supply chain, focusing on "Symbiosis in the Consumer World."

"I am honored by the invitation to speak at the Forum in Munich," said Dr. Wu. "My presentation will center on the dynamics of the consumer market as a key driving force of the semiconductor industry. It is precisely these dynamic factors that link players into a network of inter-dependency. We need to further understand the environment that leads us to excel in supporting the ever-changing demands of a consumer market, and I believe that my presentation will clearly illustrate this."

Elaborating on the supply chain theme will be a case study about semiconductor yield improvement and how good front end design reduces manufacturing costs. This will be followed by a panel discussion to consider the trends, threats and opportunities involved with the semiconductor manufacturing process. A panel discussion on venture capital funding will conclude the Forum.

Alongside the Forum, the FSA Suppliers Expo EUROPE will provide semiconductor professionals an opportunity to view the latest products and services from global suppliers. Admission to the Expo is free-of-charge.

Platinum sponsors for this event include ARM, austriamicrosystems, TSMC and X-FAB.

For more information, please visit www.fsa.org/suppliers_expo/europe2006.

About FSA:

FSA is the voice of the global fabless business model. Incorporated in 1994, FSA positively impacts the growth and return on invested capital of this business model to enhance the environment for innovation. It provides a platform for meaningful global collaboration between fabless companies and their partners; identifies and articulates opportunities and challenges to enable solutions; and provides research, resources, publications and survey information. Members include fabless companies and their supply chain and service partners, representing more than 21 countries across the globe. www.fsa.org.

About the IET:

The Institution of Engineering and Technology is one of the largest engineering and technology societies in the world and reflects the interdisciplinary, global and inclusive nature of engineering. With a worldwide membership of more than 150,000, the Institution aims to lead in the advancement of engineering and technology by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and ideas at a local and global level and promoting best practice, ensuring that its members are thoroughly equipped to meet the needs of today's rapidly changing technological world. Members work in a diverse range of technical backgrounds including IT, communications technology, electronics, power engineering, software, control, informatics and manufacturing and range from students to leading figures in industry, research and development and academia. The Institution has been formed by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and Institution of Incorporated Engineers. For more information about the IET please visit www.theiet.org.