On 10th December 2025, the General Assembly of the European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA) gathered in Brussels, Belgium, to elect Michael Budde, President Mobility Electronics at Bosch, as the organisation’s new President for the next two years.
ESIA represents and promotes the common interests of the Europe-based semiconductor industry towards the European institutions and stakeholders. Budde is succeeding Infineon Technologies’ CEO Jochen Hanebeck.
Budde has served as divisional chief executive since October 2022. His career within Bosch spans over two-and-a-half decades of leadership experience and garnered him comprehensive expertise of the automotive industry. Budde had gathered insights in electrical drives, battery systems, and various sales & marketing roles, including an international assignment in the United States. Under his guidance, Bosch has strengthened its position in semiconductor-based solutions for consumer and mobility applications, leveraging his deep understanding in the automotive industry and a close collaboration with OEMs. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Rheinische Fachhochschule (RFH) in Cologne, Germany.
On his election, Budde commented: “I am honoured to be elected President of ESIA and want to sincerely thank the General Assembly for the trust they are putting in me. Semiconductors are at the heart of Europe’s technological sovereignty and global competitiveness – truly an ‘industry of industries’. Today, we face exciting opportunities and significant challenges: from scaling up manufacturing in foundational, advanced nodes and securing resilient supply chains to addressing talent shortages and sustainability requirements. Semiconductors are the backbone of technological innovation, AI, and the green transition, and Europe must accelerate its efforts to remain a leader in these critical areas.”
The next years will be decisive for shaping Europe’s semiconductor future, as institutions are presenting, negotiating, and adopting key legislative files, ranging from the EU’s long-term budget, the Chips Act 2, and regulatory action on operation-critical chemicals. At the same time, the European semiconductor industry continues to engage with its partners worldwide to jointly spur innovation, secure competitiveness and prosperity, and push boundaries of what’s technologically feasible. On the opportunities of his mandate, Budde remarked: “My priority – together with ESIA members – will be to strengthen collaboration across the ecosystem, put the customer in the in focus, ensure the successful implementation and evolution of the EU Chips Act, and foster innovation that supports both industrial growth and strategic autonomy. I am committed to leading this effort with transparency and ambition.”
