Lisa Su: Difference between revisions

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| education = [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (BS, MS, PhD)
| education = [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (BS, MS, PhD)
| occupation = Business executive, electrical engineer, computer scientist
| occupation = Business executive, electrical engineer, computer scientist
| known_for = Chair and CEO of [[Advanced Micro Devices]] (AMD); semiconductor design; silicon-on-insulator technology
| known_for = Chair and CEO of [[Advanced Micro Devices]] (AMD), semiconductor design, silicon-on-insulator technology
| title = Chair and CEO of AMD (2014–present)
| title = Chair and CEO of AMD (2014–present)
| spouse = Daniel Lin
| spouse = Daniel Lin
| awards = [[IEEE Fellow]] (2009), [[IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal]] (2021)
| awards = [[IEEE Fellow]] (2009), [[IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal]] (2021)
| website = {{URL|https://www.amd.com/en-us/who-we-are/corporate-information/leadership/dr-lisa-su}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.amd.com}}
}}
}}


'''Lisa Tzwu-Fang Su''' ({{zh|c=蘇姿丰|p=Sū Zīfēng}}; born 1969) is an American business executive, electrical engineer, and computer scientist who serves as the chair, president, and chief executive officer of [[Advanced Micro Devices]] (AMD), a global semiconductor company headquartered in [[Santa Clara, California]]. Born in [[Tainan]], [[Taiwan]], Su immigrated to the United States as a young child and went on to earn three degrees from the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], including a doctorate in electrical engineering. Before joining AMD, she held engineering and management positions at [[Texas Instruments]], [[IBM]], and [[Freescale Semiconductor]], where she contributed to advances in semiconductor manufacturing, including the development of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Su was appointed president and CEO of AMD in October 2014 and became chair of the board in 2022.<ref name="bloomberg">{{cite news |title=Advanced Micro Devices Appoints Lisa Su as CEO Replacing Read |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-08/advanced-micro-devices-appoints-lisa-su-as-ceo-replacing-read |work=Bloomberg News |date=2014-10-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> During her tenure, AMD's market capitalization has grown from approximately $3 billion to more than $200 billion, and the company overtook [[Intel]] in market capitalization for the first time. Su has received numerous honors, including being named ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's CEO of the Year and becoming the first woman to receive the [[IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal]]. In November 2025, she was elected chair of the [[Semiconductor Industry Association]].<ref name="sia-chair">{{cite web |title=Dr. Lisa Su, AMD Chair and CEO, Elected Chair of Semiconductor Industry Association |url=https://www.semiconductors.org/dr-lisa-su-amd-chair-and-ceo-elected-chair-of-semiconductor-industry-association/ |publisher=Semiconductor Industry Association |date=2025-11-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
'''Lisa Tzwu-Fang Su''' ({{zh|c=蘇姿丰|p=Sū Zīfēng}}; born 1969) is an American business executive, computer scientist, and [[electrical engineer]] who serves as the chair, president, and chief executive officer of [[Advanced Micro Devices]] (AMD), the American semiconductor company. Born in [[Tainan]], [[Taiwan]], Su immigrated to the United States as a young child and went on to earn three degrees from the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], including a doctorate in electrical engineering. Before joining AMD, she held engineering and management positions at [[Texas Instruments]], [[IBM]], and [[Freescale Semiconductor]], where she built a reputation for technical expertise in [[silicon-on-insulator]] semiconductor manufacturing and chip efficiency.<ref name="bizjournals">{{cite news |date=2014-10-09 |title=Meet AMD's new CEO Lisa Su: 7 things to know |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/10/09/meet-amds-new-ceo-lisa-su-7-things-to-know.html |work=San Jose Business Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Appointed CEO of AMD in October 2014, Su inherited a company struggling financially and led a strategic turnaround that saw its market capitalization grow from roughly $3 billion to more than $200 billion.<ref name="bloomberg">{{cite news |date=2014-10-08 |title=Advanced Micro Devices Appoints Lisa Su as CEO, Replacing Read |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-08/advanced-micro-devices-appoints-lisa-su-as-ceo-replacing-read |work=Bloomberg News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She became the first woman named ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's CEO of the Year and the first woman to receive the [[IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal]].<ref name="fortune_leaders">{{cite web |title=World's Greatest Leaders |url=http://fortune.com/worlds-greatest-leaders/ |publisher=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In November 2025, she was elected chair of the [[Semiconductor Industry Association]].<ref name="sia_chair">{{cite web |title=Dr. Lisa Su, AMD Chair and CEO, Elected Chair of Semiconductor Industry Association |url=https://www.semiconductors.org/dr-lisa-su-amd-chair-and-ceo-elected-chair-of-semiconductor-industry-association/ |publisher=Semiconductor Industry Association |date=2025-11-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Lisa Su was born in 1969 in [[Tainan]], a city in southern [[Taiwan]].<ref name="sfgate">{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Wendy |title=Visionary of the Year nominee: Lisa Su, CEO of AMD |url=http://www.sfgate.com/visionsf/article/Visionary-of-the-Year-nominee-Lisa-Su-CEO-of-AMD-6070002.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She immigrated to the United States with her family when she was a young child. Her father was a statistician and her mother an accountant, and both parents placed a strong emphasis on education. Su has stated that she developed an early interest in math and science, and her parents encouraged her technical curiosity from a young age.
Lisa Su was born in 1969 in [[Tainan]], a city in southern [[Taiwan]].<ref name="tahs">{{cite web |title=Lisa Su biography |url=http://www.sfgate.com/visionsf/article/Visionary-of-the-Year-nominee-Lisa-Su-CEO-of-AMD-6070002.php |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Her family immigrated to the United States when she was a young child, settling in the country where she would pursue her education and career. Su has described developing an early interest in math and science, and her parents — her father a statistician and her mother an accountant — encouraged her technical curiosity from a young age.<ref name="tahs" />


Su is a cousin of [[Jensen Huang]], the co-founder and CEO of [[Nvidia]], another major semiconductor company. Both executives are of Taiwanese descent and have risen to prominence in the global technology industry.
Growing up in the United States, Su demonstrated a strong aptitude for engineering and technology. She has spoken publicly about how her childhood experiences shaped her desire to understand how things work, an inclination that would eventually lead her to a career in the semiconductor industry. Su is a cousin of [[Jensen Huang]], the co-founder and CEO of [[Nvidia]], another major American semiconductor company.<ref name="tahs" />


Growing up in the United States, Su gravitated toward engineering and the sciences. She has recalled that by the time she was a teenager, she was already taking apart and reassembling electronic devices, an early indication of the technical aptitude that would define her career.<ref name="sfgate" /> Her family's move to the United States positioned her to pursue higher education at some of the country's leading technical institutions, and she enrolled at MIT as an undergraduate.
Su's formative years were marked by a disciplined focus on academics and an orientation toward problem-solving. Her early exposure to quantitative fields through her parents' professions, combined with the educational opportunities available in the United States, provided a foundation for her subsequent academic achievements at MIT and her career in semiconductor engineering.<ref name="bizjournals" />


== Education ==
== Education ==


Su attended the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], where she earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in electrical engineering in 1990, a [[Master of Science]] degree in electrical engineering in 1991, and a [[Doctor of Philosophy]] (PhD) in electrical engineering in 1994.<ref name="mit-commencement">{{cite web |title=Lisa Su '90, SM '91, PhD '94 to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address |url=https://news.mit.edu/2025/lisa-su-mit-2026-commencement-address-1211 |publisher=MIT News |date=2025-12-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Her doctoral dissertation, titled ''Extreme-submicrometer silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFETs'', focused on advanced semiconductor fabrication techniques and was completed under the guidance of MIT faculty in the university's electrical engineering department.
Su attended the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], where she earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in electrical engineering in 1990, a [[Master of Science]] in electrical engineering in 1991, and a [[Doctor of Philosophy]] in electrical engineering in 1994.<ref name="mit_commencement">{{cite web |title=Lisa Su '90, SM '91, PhD '94 to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address |url=https://news.mit.edu/2025/lisa-su-mit-2026-commencement-address-1211 |publisher=MIT News |date=2025-12-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Her doctoral thesis, titled ''Extreme-submicrometer silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFETs'', focused on [[silicon-on-insulator]] technology, a semiconductor manufacturing technique that would become central to her early professional career.<ref name="bizjournals" />


Su's academic work at MIT laid the foundation for her expertise in [[silicon-on-insulator]] technology, a semiconductor manufacturing process that improves chip performance and reduces power consumption. Her research during this period would prove influential in her subsequent career in the semiconductor industry. In December 2025, MIT announced that Su had been selected to deliver the university's 2026 Commencement address, recognizing her as "a leading executive in the semiconductor industry."<ref name="mit-commencement" />
Su completed all three degrees at MIT in a span of approximately four years, an accelerated pace that reflected her academic abilities and dedication. Her doctoral research contributed to the understanding of advanced semiconductor device physics and manufacturing processes, subjects that would define much of her subsequent work in the industry.<ref name="mit_commencement" /> In December 2025, MIT announced that Su would deliver the university's 2026 [[Commencement]] address, recognizing her as "a leading executive in the semiconductor industry."<ref name="mit_commencement" />


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Early Career: Texas Instruments and IBM ===
=== Early Career at Texas Instruments and IBM ===


After completing her PhD at MIT in 1994, Su joined [[Texas Instruments]], where she worked as a member of the technical staff. Her early career focused on semiconductor device physics and process technology development.<ref name="bizjournals">{{cite news |title=Meet AMD's new CEO Lisa Su: 7 things to know |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/10/09/meet-amds-new-ceo-lisa-su-7-things-to-know.html |work=Silicon Valley Business Journal |date=2014-10-09 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
After completing her PhD at MIT in 1994, Su began her career at [[Texas Instruments]], where she worked as a member of the technical staff. She subsequently moved to [[IBM]], where she spent over a decade in increasingly senior technical and management roles.<ref name="bizjournals" />


Su subsequently moved to [[IBM]], where she spent over a decade in increasingly senior engineering and management roles. At IBM, she served as vice president of the Semiconductor Research and Development Center, where she oversaw work on semiconductor process technologies. During her time at IBM, Su became known for her contributions to the development of silicon-on-insulator semiconductor manufacturing technologies and more efficient semiconductor chips.<ref name="computing">{{cite news |title=Semiconductor engineer Dr Lisa Su takes over from financial engineer as CEO of AMD |url=http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2374712/semiconductor-engineer-dr-lisa-su-takes-over-from-financial-engineer-as-ceo-of-amd |work=Computing |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Her technical expertise and leadership capabilities drew recognition within the industry.
At IBM, Su became known for her work on [[silicon-on-insulator]] (SOI) semiconductor manufacturing technologies. SOI technology involves building semiconductor devices on a layered silicon-insulator-silicon substrate rather than conventional silicon wafers, offering advantages in terms of chip speed and power consumption. Su's contributions in this area were recognized early; in 2002, the ''[[MIT Technology Review]]'' named her one of the world's top innovators under the age of 35 for her work on SOI technologies.<ref name="tr35">{{cite web |title=TR35 |url=http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/?year=2002 |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="tr35_profile">{{cite web |title=TR35 Profile: Lisa Su |url=http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?trid=397 |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2002, ''[[MIT Technology Review]]'' named Su to its list of the top 100 young innovators under the age of 35, an annual recognition of emerging leaders in technology and science.<ref name="tr35">{{cite web |title=TR35 2002 |url=http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/?year=2002 |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="tr35-profile">{{cite web |title=TR35 Profile: Lisa Su |url=http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?trid=397 |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The recognition highlighted her work on SOI technologies and her potential as an engineering leader. A ''Technology Review'' profile described her contributions to translating advanced semiconductor research into practical manufacturing processes.<ref name="tr-translation">{{cite news |title=Found in Translation |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/405802/found-in-translation/ |work=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Su rose to the position of vice president of IBM's Semiconductor Research and Development Center, where she oversaw efforts to develop more efficient semiconductor chips. Her work at IBM focused on translating advanced research into commercially viable manufacturing processes, a skill that combined technical depth with business acumen.<ref name="techreview_translation">{{cite web |title=Found in Translation |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/405802/found-in-translation/ |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> During her time at IBM, Su managed teams working on next-generation chip technologies and gained experience in leading large-scale semiconductor development programs.


=== Freescale Semiconductor ===
=== Freescale Semiconductor ===


Su left IBM to join [[Freescale Semiconductor]], formerly the semiconductor division of [[Motorola]], where she served as senior vice president and general manager of the company's networking and multimedia group. At Freescale, she oversaw the development and strategy for embedded communications and applications processors. Her role at Freescale further expanded her experience in managing large-scale semiconductor business units and prepared her for senior leadership positions in the industry.<ref name="bizjournals" />
Su left IBM to join [[Freescale Semiconductor]], the chip manufacturer that had been spun off from [[Motorola]] in 2004. At Freescale, she served as senior vice president and general manager of the company's networking and multimedia group, overseeing product strategy and engineering for key business segments.<ref name="bizjournals" /> Her tenure at Freescale further developed her capabilities in general management and business operations, areas that would prove essential in her subsequent role as CEO of AMD.


=== AMD: Rise to CEO ===
=== AMD: Joining and Rise to CEO ===


Su joined [[Advanced Micro Devices]] (AMD) in January 2012 as senior vice president and general manager of the company's global business units.<ref name="bizjournals" /> In this role, she was responsible for driving end-to-end business execution across AMD's product portfolio. She was subsequently promoted to chief operating officer (COO), where she took on responsibility for the integration of AMD's business units and the development of the company's long-term corporate strategy.
Su joined [[Advanced Micro Devices]] (AMD) in January 2012 as senior vice president and general manager of the company's global business units.<ref name="bizjournals" /> At the time, AMD was facing significant competitive and financial challenges, including declining market share in the [[personal computer]] processor market and increasing competition from [[Intel Corporation|Intel]] and [[ARM Holdings|ARM]]-based chip makers.


On October 8, 2014, AMD announced that Su had been appointed president and chief executive officer, succeeding [[Rory Read]].<ref name="bloomberg" /> She became the first woman to lead a major semiconductor company as CEO.<ref name="venturebeat">{{cite news |title=Chip maker AMD taps Lisa Su as its first female CEO |url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/10/08/chip-maker-amd-taps-lisa-su-as-its-first-female-ceo/ |work=VentureBeat |date=2014-10-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> At the time of her appointment, AMD was facing significant financial challenges, with declining revenue and questions about the company's ability to compete effectively against larger rivals such as Intel and Nvidia.<ref name="computing" />
In her initial role at AMD, Su was responsible for driving strategy and execution across the company's product lines. She was later promoted to chief operating officer (COO), where she oversaw business strategy, sales, and engineering operations.<ref name="computing_uk">{{cite news |title=Semiconductor engineer Dr Lisa Su takes over from financial engineer as CEO of AMD |url=http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2374712/semiconductor-engineer-dr-lisa-su-takes-over-from-financial-engineer-as-ceo-of-amd |work=Computing |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In a letter to employees upon taking the role, Su outlined her vision for AMD's future, emphasizing the need to deliver great products, deepen customer relationships, and simplify the company's operations.<ref name="amd-letter">{{cite web |title=Lisa Su letter to AMD employees |url=https://www.amd.com/Documents/lisa-su-letter.pdf |publisher=Advanced Micro Devices |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
On October 8, 2014, AMD announced that Su had been appointed president and chief executive officer, succeeding [[Rory Read]].<ref name="bloomberg" /> The appointment made her the first woman to lead a major semiconductor firm as CEO.<ref name="venturebeat">{{cite news |date=2014-10-08 |title=Chip maker AMD taps Lisa Su as its first female CEO |url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/10/08/chip-maker-amd-taps-lisa-su-as-its-first-female-ceo/ |work=VentureBeat |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> At the time of her appointment, AMD's stock was trading at low levels and the company's market capitalization stood at roughly $3 billion. The semiconductor industry and financial analysts viewed the CEO transition as a significant moment for AMD, given the company's ongoing financial difficulties.<ref name="bloomberg" />


=== Strategic Turnaround at AMD ===
=== Turnaround and Strategic Direction at AMD ===


Under Su's leadership, AMD underwent a significant strategic transformation. She refocused the company's product roadmap on high-performance computing, prioritizing the development of competitive processor architectures for the PC, data center, and gaming markets. Su oversaw the launch of AMD's [[Zen (microarchitecture)|Zen]] processor architecture, which marked a major leap in performance for AMD's [[Ryzen]] consumer processors and [[EPYC]] server processors. These products enabled AMD to regain market share against Intel in both the consumer and enterprise segments.
Upon becoming CEO, Su outlined a strategic plan focused on developing high-performance computing products and diversifying AMD's customer base beyond the traditional PC market. She emphasized investment in new chip architectures and building stronger relationships with major technology companies.<ref name="amd_letter">{{cite web |title=Lisa Su Letter |url=https://www.amd.com/Documents/lisa-su-letter.pdf |publisher=AMD |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Su also directed AMD's strategy in the graphics processor market, where the company competes with Nvidia. Under her stewardship, AMD expanded its GPU offerings and pursued opportunities in gaming consoles, securing design wins with major console manufacturers including [[Sony]] and [[Microsoft]] for the [[PlayStation]] and [[Xbox]] platforms.
Under Su's leadership, AMD launched the [[Zen (microarchitecture)|Zen]] microarchitecture for its [[Ryzen]] and [[EPYC]] processor lines, which represented a significant leap in performance and energy efficiency compared to the company's previous products. The Zen-based processors enabled AMD to regain competitiveness against Intel in both the consumer and server processor markets. AMD's data center business, built around the EPYC server processor line, became a major growth driver for the company.<ref name="pcmag">{{cite web |title=AMD CEO Lisa Su |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2459455,00.asp |publisher=PC Magazine |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


A central element of Su's strategy has been positioning AMD as a major player in the rapidly growing [[artificial intelligence]] (AI) and data center markets. In early 2026, Su described AI demand as "on fire" and characterized the year as an "inflection year" for AMD's AI business.<ref name="investopedia-ai">{{cite news |title=AMD's Stock Got Crushed Today. CEO Lisa Su Says Demand Is 'On Fire' |url=https://www.investopedia.com/amd-s-stock-got-crushed-today-ceo-lisa-su-says-demand-is-on-fire-11899868 |work=Investopedia |date=2026-02-04 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Speaking to CNBC, Su defended AMD's results and outlook, stating that "AI is accelerating at a pace" that requires continued investment and product development.<ref name="cnbc-guidance">{{cite news |title=AMD falls 17%, posts worst day since 2017 as Lisa Su addresses guidance concerns |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/04/amd-lisa-su-ai-demand-guidance-earnings.html |work=CNBC |date=2026-02-04 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Su also expanded AMD's presence in the gaming console market, securing design wins for custom chips powering the [[Sony]] [[PlayStation]] and [[Microsoft]] [[Xbox]] platforms. These semi-custom chip deals provided AMD with stable revenue streams and demonstrated the company's ability to deliver complex, integrated processor designs.<ref name="kitguru">{{cite news |title=Exclusive Interview with Dr. Lisa Su from AMD |url=http://www.kitguru.net/site-news/interviews/zardon/exclusive-interview-with-dr-lisa-su-from-amd/ |work=KitGuru |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In an interview with CNBC in January 2026, Su also addressed the impact of AI on the workforce, stating that AI had not slowed the pace of hiring at AMD but was changing the types of roles being filled.<ref name="cnbc-ai-jobs">{{cite news |title=AMD's Lisa Su says AI isn't replacing people, but is changing who gets hired |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/06/amd-lisa-su-ai-jobs-hiring.html |work=CNBC |date=2026-01-06 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
AMD's acquisition of [[Xilinx]] in 2022 further expanded the company's product portfolio into field-programmable gate arrays ([[FPGA]]s) and adaptive computing, areas with applications in data centers, communications infrastructure, and automotive systems. The deal, valued at approximately $49 billion, was one of the largest acquisitions in the semiconductor industry's history and reflected Su's strategy of building a diversified computing company.


Su has emphasized AMD's enterprise-focused strategy in public communications. In early 2026, she indicated that AMD's primary focus would remain on the enterprise and data center segments even as the consumer PC market faced uncertainty.<ref name="wccftech">{{cite news |title=AMD Prepares to Battle PC Market Uncertainty, But CEO Lisa Su Says the Focus Will Stay on "Enterprise" |url=https://wccftech.com/amd-prepares-to-battle-pc-market-uncertainty-but-ceo-says-the-focus-will-stay-on-enterprise/ |work=Wccftech |date=2026-02-04 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2022, Su was also named chair of AMD's board of directors, adding the chairmanship to her existing roles as president and CEO.<ref name="amd_profile">{{cite web |title=Dr. Lisa Su — Corporate Information — Leadership |url=https://www.amd.com/en-us/who-we-are/corporate-information/leadership/dr-lisa-su |publisher=AMD |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


During Su's tenure, AMD's market capitalization grew from approximately $3 billion at the time of her appointment in 2014 to more than $200 billion, and AMD surpassed Intel in market capitalization for the first time in the company's history.
=== Artificial Intelligence Strategy ===


=== Industry Leadership ===
In the mid-2020s, Su positioned AMD as a competitor in the rapidly growing [[artificial intelligence]] (AI) chip market, challenging [[Nvidia]]'s dominance in AI accelerator hardware. AMD developed its [[Instinct]] series of data center GPUs targeting AI training and inference workloads.


Beyond her role at AMD, Su has held several positions in industry organizations and corporate governance. She previously served on the board of directors of [[Cisco Systems]]. She has been a member of The Business Council, a group of prominent American business leaders.
In early 2026, Su publicly addressed demand for AMD's AI products, stating that "AI is accelerating at a pace" that was driving significant business opportunities for the company.<ref name="cnbc_earnings">{{cite news |date=2026-02-04 |title=AMD falls 17%, posts worst day since 2017 as Lisa Su addresses guidance concerns |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/04/amd-lisa-su-ai-demand-guidance-earnings.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She described demand for AMD's chips as "on fire" and characterized the period as an "inflection year" for the company's AI business.<ref name="investopedia_demand">{{cite news |date=2026-02-04 |title=AMD's Stock Got Crushed Today. CEO Lisa Su Says Demand Is 'On Fire' |url=https://www.investopedia.com/amd-s-stock-got-crushed-today-ceo-lisa-su-says-demand-is-on-fire-11899868 |work=Investopedia |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In November 2025, the [[Semiconductor Industry Association]] (SIA) announced that Su had been elected chair of the organization.<ref name="sia-chair" /> The SIA represents the U.S. semiconductor industry in matters of trade policy, technology, and workforce development. Su's election to the chair position reflected her standing as one of the most prominent executives in the global semiconductor sector.
In January 2026, Su commented on the relationship between AI and employment, stating that AI had not slowed the pace of hiring at AMD, while acknowledging that the technology was changing the types of roles being filled.<ref name="cnbc_jobs">{{cite news |date=2026-01-06 |title=AMD's Lisa Su says AI isn't replacing people, but is changing who gets hired |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/06/amd-lisa-su-ai-jobs-hiring.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Her enterprise-focused strategy included an emphasis on delivering AI solutions across different computing environments, reflecting an approach that the company described as offering "the right tool for the right job."<ref name="crnasia">{{cite web |title=There is no one-size-fits-all for AI, says AMD's Alexey Navolokin |url=https://www.crnasia.com/news/2026/components-and-peripherals/there-is-no-one-size-fits-all-for-ai |publisher=CRN Asia |date=2026-02-23 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In February 2026, [[Purdue University]] announced that Su would headline a Presidential Lecture on the topic of what will power the AI era, joining Purdue President Mung Chiang for the event on March 2, 2026.<ref name="purdue">{{cite web |title=AMD CEO and global tech leader Lisa Su to headline upcoming Presidential Lecture on what will power AI era |url=https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/2026/Q1/amd-ceo-and-global-tech-leader-lisa-su-to-headline-upcoming-presidential-lecture-on-what-will-power-ai-era |publisher=Purdue University |date=2026-02-17 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Su also indicated that AMD's strategic focus would emphasize the enterprise segment, as the traditional client PC market faced uncertainty.<ref name="wccftech">{{cite news |date=2026-02 |title=AMD Prepares to Battle PC Market Uncertainty, But CEO Lisa Su Says the Focus Will Stay on "Enterprise" |url=https://wccftech.com/amd-prepares-to-battle-pc-market-uncertainty-but-ceo-says-the-focus-will-stay-on-enterprise/ |work=Wccftech |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
=== Industry Leadership Roles ===
 
Beyond her role at AMD, Su has served in a number of industry leadership positions. She previously served on the board of directors of [[Cisco Systems]]. She is a member of [[The Business Council]].<ref name="bizjournals" />
 
In November 2025, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced that Su had been elected as chair of the organization's board of directors. The SIA represents the U.S. semiconductor industry and advocates for policies related to trade, technology, workforce development, and research funding.<ref name="sia_chair" />
 
Su was also selected to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address, an honor the university bestowed in recognition of her leadership in the semiconductor industry.<ref name="mit_commencement" /> In February 2026, [[Purdue University]] announced that Su would headline its Presidential Lecture series, discussing the future of AI and the technologies that would power its development.<ref name="purdue">{{cite web |title=AMD CEO and global tech leader Lisa Su to headline upcoming Presidential Lecture on what will power AI era |url=https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/2026/Q1/amd-ceo-and-global-tech-leader-lisa-su-to-headline-upcoming-presidential-lecture-on-what-will-power-ai-era |publisher=Purdue University |date=2026-02-17 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Su is married to Daniel Lin.<ref name="sfgate" /> She resides in the United States and holds American citizenship, having immigrated from Taiwan as a young child.
Su is married to Daniel Lin.<ref name="tahs" /> She resides in the United States. Su is a cousin of [[Jensen Huang]], the co-founder and CEO of [[Nvidia]], a fact that has drawn attention given that AMD and Nvidia are competitors in the GPU and AI chip markets.<ref name="tahs" />


Su's cousin is [[Jensen Huang]], the co-founder and CEO of [[Nvidia]], one of AMD's primary competitors in the GPU and AI accelerator markets. The familial connection between the leaders of two of the world's largest semiconductor companies has drawn public attention and media commentary, though both executives have generally maintained that their professional roles are separate from their family relationship.
Su has spoken in various public forums about the importance of engineering education and increasing diversity in the technology industry. She has described her parents' influence on her career path, noting their encouragement of her interest in science and mathematics during her formative years.<ref name="tahs" />


Su has spoken publicly about the importance of education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ([[STEM]]), and has emphasized the value of encouraging young people — particularly women — to pursue careers in engineering. Her selection to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address was noted as a recognition of both her professional accomplishments and her role as a prominent figure in the technology industry.<ref name="mit-commencement" />
== Recognition ==


== Recognition ==
Su has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, spanning both technical achievement and business leadership.
 
In 2002, the ''MIT Technology Review'' recognized her as one of the world's top innovators under the age of 35 for her work on silicon-on-insulator technologies at IBM.<ref name="tr35" /><ref name="tr35_profile" />


Su has received a substantial number of awards and honors throughout her career, reflecting her contributions to the semiconductor industry and her leadership at AMD.
In 2009, she was elected a Fellow of the [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] (IEEE), a distinction that recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of electrical and electronic engineering.<ref name="nae">{{cite web |title=National Academy of Engineering Member |url=https://www.nae.edu/178117.aspx |publisher=National Academy of Engineering |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2002, she was named to ''MIT Technology Review'''s list of the top 100 young innovators under the age of 35 (TR35) for her work on semiconductor technologies.<ref name="tr35" /><ref name="tr35-profile" />
In 2014, ''[[EE Times]]'' named Su Executive of the Year, coinciding with her appointment as CEO of AMD. That same year, she became the first woman to be named ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's CEO of the Year.<ref name="computing_uk" />


In 2014, ''[[EE Times]]'' named Su its Executive of the Year, coinciding with her appointment as CEO of AMD. That same year, ''Time'' magazine named her CEO of the Year, making her the first woman to receive the designation. She received the honor a second time in 2024.
Su was named one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in the Technology Industry in 2016.<ref name="top50_2016">{{cite web |title=Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology 2016 |url=http://top50tech.org/2016/ |publisher=Top 50 Tech |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She received the same recognition again in 2017.<ref name="top50_2017">{{cite web |title=Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology 2017 |url=http://top50tech.org/2017/ |publisher=Top 50 Tech |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2016, Su was recognized as one of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business.<ref name="outstanding50">{{cite web |title=2016 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160524005601/en/2016-Outstanding-50-Asian-Americans-Business-Award |publisher=BusinessWire |date=2016-05-24 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She was also recognized by the Top 50 Tech Visionaries list in both 2016 and 2017.<ref name="top50-2016">{{cite web |title=Top 50 Tech Visionaries 2016 |url=http://top50tech.org/2016/ |publisher=Top 50 Tech |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="top50-2017">{{cite web |title=Top 50 Tech Visionaries 2017 |url=http://top50tech.org/2017/ |publisher=Top 50 Tech |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2016, Su was honored as one of the 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business.<ref name="aab">{{cite web |title=2016 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160524005601/en/2016-Outstanding-50-Asian-Americans-Business-Award |publisher=BusinessWire |date=2016-05-24 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2017, ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' named Su one of the World's Greatest Leaders.<ref name="fortune-leaders">{{cite web |title=World's Greatest Leaders |url=http://fortune.com/worlds-greatest-leaders/ |publisher=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''Fortune'' also recognized her as number six on its 2018 Businessperson of the Year list.<ref name="fortune-bpoy">{{cite web |title=Businessperson of the Year: Lisa Su |url=http://fortune.com/businessperson-of-the-year/lisa-su-6/ |publisher=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2017, ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' named her one of the World's Greatest Leaders.<ref name="fortune_leaders" /> She was later ranked number 6 on ''Fortune'''s 2018 Businessperson of the Year list.<ref name="fortune_bpoty">{{cite web |title=Businessperson of the Year — Lisa Su |url=http://fortune.com/businessperson-of-the-year/lisa-su-6/ |publisher=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Su was elected to the [[National Academy of Engineering]] in 2018, one of the highest professional honors for an engineer in the United States.<ref name="nae">{{cite web |title=Dr. Lisa Su elected to the National Academy of Engineering |url=https://www.nae.edu/178117.aspx |publisher=National Academy of Engineering |date=2018 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2018, Su received a Global Leadership Award.<ref name="bw_award">{{cite web |title=AMD President and CEO Dr. Lisa Su Bestowed Global Leadership Award |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181112005519/en/AMD-President-CEO-Dr.-Lisa-Su-Bestowed |publisher=BusinessWire |date=2018-11-12 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


She was named a Fellow of the [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] (IEEE) in 2009. In 2021, she became the first woman to receive the [[IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal]], one of the organization's most prestigious awards, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the microelectronics industry.<ref name="amd-noyce">{{cite web |title=AMD President and CEO Dr. Lisa Su Bestowed IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181112005519/en/AMD-President-CEO-Dr.-Lisa-Su-Bestowed |publisher=BusinessWire |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2021, Su became the first woman to receive the [[IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal]], which honors exceptional contributions to the microelectronics industry. The award is named after [[Robert Noyce]], the co-founder of Intel and co-inventor of the integrated circuit.<ref name="nae" />


In 2024, Su was selected as a Fellow of the [[Industrial Technology Research Institute]] (ITRI) of Taiwan. In 2025, ''Forbes'' named her the tenth most powerful woman in the world. Also in 2025, ''Time'' magazine recognized her as one of the "Architects of AI" as part of its Person of the Year selection.
Su was elected a member of the [[National Academy of Engineering]], one of the highest professional honors for engineers in the United States.<ref name="nae" />


The Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce has also honored Su for her contributions to the technology industry and the Asian American business community.<ref name="austin-asian">{{cite web |title=Austin Asian Chamber honors Dr. Lisa Su and others |url=http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/440708618/austin-asian-chamber-honors-dr-lisa-su-and-others |publisher=EIN News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2024, she was named ''Time'' magazine's CEO of the Year for a second time and was selected as a Fellow of the [[Industrial Technology Research Institute]] (ITRI) in Taiwan. In 2025, ''Forbes'' ranked her as the tenth most powerful woman in the world. She was also named as one of the "Architects of AI" for ''Time'''s Person of the Year in 2025.<ref name="mit_commencement" />


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Lisa Su's tenure at AMD represents one of the most significant corporate turnarounds in the history of the semiconductor industry. When she became CEO in October 2014, AMD was a struggling company with declining revenue, limited competitive products, and a market capitalization of roughly $3 billion. Under her leadership, the company developed competitive processor architectures that challenged Intel's long-standing dominance in the x86 CPU market, expanded its presence in the data center and AI accelerator markets, and grew its market capitalization to more than $200 billion.
Lisa Su's tenure as CEO of AMD is considered one of the most notable corporate turnarounds in the semiconductor industry. When she assumed the role in October 2014, AMD's market capitalization was approximately $3 billion and the company faced questions about its long-term viability as a competitor to Intel. Under her leadership, AMD's market capitalization grew to more than $200 billion, and the company overtook Intel in market capitalization for the first time in its history.<ref name="bloomberg" /><ref name="fortune_bpoty" />


Su's background as an electrical engineer and semiconductor researcher has been frequently cited as a distinguishing characteristic of her leadership style. Unlike many CEOs of technology companies who come from finance or business management backgrounds, Su's career was built on deep technical expertise in semiconductor design and manufacturing. Her appointment was noted at the time as a shift from AMD's previous CEO, who had come from a financial engineering background, to a leader with hands-on semiconductor engineering experience.<ref name="computing" />
Su's emphasis on high-performance computing, the development of the Zen microarchitecture, and AMD's expansion into data center and AI markets reshaped the competitive dynamics of the semiconductor industry. The company's EPYC server processors gained adoption among major cloud computing providers, and AMD's GPU products became increasingly relevant in the AI acceleration market.<ref name="pcmag" />


Her election as chair of the Semiconductor Industry Association in November 2025 further cemented her position as one of the most influential figures in the global semiconductor ecosystem.<ref name="sia-chair" /> Her selection by MIT to deliver the 2026 Commencement address reflected the university's recognition of her accomplishments as one of its most notable alumni.<ref name="mit-commencement" />
Her election as chair of the Semiconductor Industry Association in 2025 reflected her standing within the broader U.S. semiconductor ecosystem.<ref name="sia_chair" /> Her selection to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address and her headline appearance at Purdue University's Presidential Lecture series further indicated her recognition as a leading figure in technology and engineering.<ref name="mit_commencement" /><ref name="purdue" />


As one of the few women to lead a major global technology company, Su's career has also been cited in discussions about gender representation in the technology and engineering sectors. Her status as the first woman to receive both the ''Time'' CEO of the Year designation and the IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal has been noted as a marker of progress in an industry that has historically been dominated by men.
As one of the most prominent women in the technology industry, Su's career has been cited as an example of leadership in a field historically dominated by men. Her technical background — with a PhD in electrical engineering and foundational research in silicon-on-insulator technology — distinguished her from many of her CEO peers in the semiconductor industry, who more often came from finance or general management backgrounds.<ref name="computing_uk" /><ref name="techreview_translation" />


== References ==
== References ==
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Latest revision as of 04:59, 24 February 2026

Lisa Su
BornLisa Tzwu-Fang Su
Template:Birth year and age
BirthplaceTainan, Taiwan
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusiness executive, electrical engineer, computer scientist
TitleChair and CEO of AMD (2014–present)
Known forChair and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), semiconductor design, silicon-on-insulator technology
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (BS, MS, PhD)
Spouse(s)Daniel Lin
AwardsIEEE Fellow (2009), IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal (2021)
Website[https://www.amd.com Official site]

Lisa Tzwu-Fang Su (Template:Zh; born 1969) is an American business executive, computer scientist, and electrical engineer who serves as the chair, president, and chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), the American semiconductor company. Born in Tainan, Taiwan, Su immigrated to the United States as a young child and went on to earn three degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including a doctorate in electrical engineering. Before joining AMD, she held engineering and management positions at Texas Instruments, IBM, and Freescale Semiconductor, where she built a reputation for technical expertise in silicon-on-insulator semiconductor manufacturing and chip efficiency.[1] Appointed CEO of AMD in October 2014, Su inherited a company struggling financially and led a strategic turnaround that saw its market capitalization grow from roughly $3 billion to more than $200 billion.[2] She became the first woman named Time magazine's CEO of the Year and the first woman to receive the IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal.[3] In November 2025, she was elected chair of the Semiconductor Industry Association.[4]

Early Life

Lisa Su was born in 1969 in Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan.[5] Her family immigrated to the United States when she was a young child, settling in the country where she would pursue her education and career. Su has described developing an early interest in math and science, and her parents — her father a statistician and her mother an accountant — encouraged her technical curiosity from a young age.[5]

Growing up in the United States, Su demonstrated a strong aptitude for engineering and technology. She has spoken publicly about how her childhood experiences shaped her desire to understand how things work, an inclination that would eventually lead her to a career in the semiconductor industry. Su is a cousin of Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, another major American semiconductor company.[5]

Su's formative years were marked by a disciplined focus on academics and an orientation toward problem-solving. Her early exposure to quantitative fields through her parents' professions, combined with the educational opportunities available in the United States, provided a foundation for her subsequent academic achievements at MIT and her career in semiconductor engineering.[1]

Education

Su attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1990, a Master of Science in electrical engineering in 1991, and a Doctor of Philosophy in electrical engineering in 1994.[6] Her doctoral thesis, titled Extreme-submicrometer silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFETs, focused on silicon-on-insulator technology, a semiconductor manufacturing technique that would become central to her early professional career.[1]

Su completed all three degrees at MIT in a span of approximately four years, an accelerated pace that reflected her academic abilities and dedication. Her doctoral research contributed to the understanding of advanced semiconductor device physics and manufacturing processes, subjects that would define much of her subsequent work in the industry.[6] In December 2025, MIT announced that Su would deliver the university's 2026 Commencement address, recognizing her as "a leading executive in the semiconductor industry."[6]

Career

Early Career at Texas Instruments and IBM

After completing her PhD at MIT in 1994, Su began her career at Texas Instruments, where she worked as a member of the technical staff. She subsequently moved to IBM, where she spent over a decade in increasingly senior technical and management roles.[1]

At IBM, Su became known for her work on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor manufacturing technologies. SOI technology involves building semiconductor devices on a layered silicon-insulator-silicon substrate rather than conventional silicon wafers, offering advantages in terms of chip speed and power consumption. Su's contributions in this area were recognized early; in 2002, the MIT Technology Review named her one of the world's top innovators under the age of 35 for her work on SOI technologies.[7][8]

Su rose to the position of vice president of IBM's Semiconductor Research and Development Center, where she oversaw efforts to develop more efficient semiconductor chips. Her work at IBM focused on translating advanced research into commercially viable manufacturing processes, a skill that combined technical depth with business acumen.[9] During her time at IBM, Su managed teams working on next-generation chip technologies and gained experience in leading large-scale semiconductor development programs.

Freescale Semiconductor

Su left IBM to join Freescale Semiconductor, the chip manufacturer that had been spun off from Motorola in 2004. At Freescale, she served as senior vice president and general manager of the company's networking and multimedia group, overseeing product strategy and engineering for key business segments.[1] Her tenure at Freescale further developed her capabilities in general management and business operations, areas that would prove essential in her subsequent role as CEO of AMD.

AMD: Joining and Rise to CEO

Su joined Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in January 2012 as senior vice president and general manager of the company's global business units.[1] At the time, AMD was facing significant competitive and financial challenges, including declining market share in the personal computer processor market and increasing competition from Intel and ARM-based chip makers.

In her initial role at AMD, Su was responsible for driving strategy and execution across the company's product lines. She was later promoted to chief operating officer (COO), where she oversaw business strategy, sales, and engineering operations.[10]

On October 8, 2014, AMD announced that Su had been appointed president and chief executive officer, succeeding Rory Read.[2] The appointment made her the first woman to lead a major semiconductor firm as CEO.[11] At the time of her appointment, AMD's stock was trading at low levels and the company's market capitalization stood at roughly $3 billion. The semiconductor industry and financial analysts viewed the CEO transition as a significant moment for AMD, given the company's ongoing financial difficulties.[2]

Turnaround and Strategic Direction at AMD

Upon becoming CEO, Su outlined a strategic plan focused on developing high-performance computing products and diversifying AMD's customer base beyond the traditional PC market. She emphasized investment in new chip architectures and building stronger relationships with major technology companies.[12]

Under Su's leadership, AMD launched the Zen microarchitecture for its Ryzen and EPYC processor lines, which represented a significant leap in performance and energy efficiency compared to the company's previous products. The Zen-based processors enabled AMD to regain competitiveness against Intel in both the consumer and server processor markets. AMD's data center business, built around the EPYC server processor line, became a major growth driver for the company.[13]

Su also expanded AMD's presence in the gaming console market, securing design wins for custom chips powering the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox platforms. These semi-custom chip deals provided AMD with stable revenue streams and demonstrated the company's ability to deliver complex, integrated processor designs.[14]

AMD's acquisition of Xilinx in 2022 further expanded the company's product portfolio into field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and adaptive computing, areas with applications in data centers, communications infrastructure, and automotive systems. The deal, valued at approximately $49 billion, was one of the largest acquisitions in the semiconductor industry's history and reflected Su's strategy of building a diversified computing company.

In 2022, Su was also named chair of AMD's board of directors, adding the chairmanship to her existing roles as president and CEO.[15]

Artificial Intelligence Strategy

In the mid-2020s, Su positioned AMD as a competitor in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence (AI) chip market, challenging Nvidia's dominance in AI accelerator hardware. AMD developed its Instinct series of data center GPUs targeting AI training and inference workloads.

In early 2026, Su publicly addressed demand for AMD's AI products, stating that "AI is accelerating at a pace" that was driving significant business opportunities for the company.[16] She described demand for AMD's chips as "on fire" and characterized the period as an "inflection year" for the company's AI business.[17]

In January 2026, Su commented on the relationship between AI and employment, stating that AI had not slowed the pace of hiring at AMD, while acknowledging that the technology was changing the types of roles being filled.[18] Her enterprise-focused strategy included an emphasis on delivering AI solutions across different computing environments, reflecting an approach that the company described as offering "the right tool for the right job."[19]

Su also indicated that AMD's strategic focus would emphasize the enterprise segment, as the traditional client PC market faced uncertainty.[20]

Industry Leadership Roles

Beyond her role at AMD, Su has served in a number of industry leadership positions. She previously served on the board of directors of Cisco Systems. She is a member of The Business Council.[1]

In November 2025, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced that Su had been elected as chair of the organization's board of directors. The SIA represents the U.S. semiconductor industry and advocates for policies related to trade, technology, workforce development, and research funding.[4]

Su was also selected to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address, an honor the university bestowed in recognition of her leadership in the semiconductor industry.[6] In February 2026, Purdue University announced that Su would headline its Presidential Lecture series, discussing the future of AI and the technologies that would power its development.[21]

Personal Life

Su is married to Daniel Lin.[5] She resides in the United States. Su is a cousin of Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, a fact that has drawn attention given that AMD and Nvidia are competitors in the GPU and AI chip markets.[5]

Su has spoken in various public forums about the importance of engineering education and increasing diversity in the technology industry. She has described her parents' influence on her career path, noting their encouragement of her interest in science and mathematics during her formative years.[5]

Recognition

Su has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, spanning both technical achievement and business leadership.

In 2002, the MIT Technology Review recognized her as one of the world's top innovators under the age of 35 for her work on silicon-on-insulator technologies at IBM.[7][8]

In 2009, she was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a distinction that recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of electrical and electronic engineering.[22]

In 2014, EE Times named Su Executive of the Year, coinciding with her appointment as CEO of AMD. That same year, she became the first woman to be named Time magazine's CEO of the Year.[10]

Su was named one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in the Technology Industry in 2016.[23] She received the same recognition again in 2017.[24]

In 2016, Su was honored as one of the 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business.[25]

In 2017, Fortune named her one of the World's Greatest Leaders.[3] She was later ranked number 6 on Fortune's 2018 Businessperson of the Year list.[26]

In 2018, Su received a Global Leadership Award.[27]

In 2021, Su became the first woman to receive the IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal, which honors exceptional contributions to the microelectronics industry. The award is named after Robert Noyce, the co-founder of Intel and co-inventor of the integrated circuit.[22]

Su was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional honors for engineers in the United States.[22]

In 2024, she was named Time magazine's CEO of the Year for a second time and was selected as a Fellow of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan. In 2025, Forbes ranked her as the tenth most powerful woman in the world. She was also named as one of the "Architects of AI" for Time's Person of the Year in 2025.[6]

Legacy

Lisa Su's tenure as CEO of AMD is considered one of the most notable corporate turnarounds in the semiconductor industry. When she assumed the role in October 2014, AMD's market capitalization was approximately $3 billion and the company faced questions about its long-term viability as a competitor to Intel. Under her leadership, AMD's market capitalization grew to more than $200 billion, and the company overtook Intel in market capitalization for the first time in its history.[2][26]

Su's emphasis on high-performance computing, the development of the Zen microarchitecture, and AMD's expansion into data center and AI markets reshaped the competitive dynamics of the semiconductor industry. The company's EPYC server processors gained adoption among major cloud computing providers, and AMD's GPU products became increasingly relevant in the AI acceleration market.[13]

Her election as chair of the Semiconductor Industry Association in 2025 reflected her standing within the broader U.S. semiconductor ecosystem.[4] Her selection to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address and her headline appearance at Purdue University's Presidential Lecture series further indicated her recognition as a leading figure in technology and engineering.[6][21]

As one of the most prominent women in the technology industry, Su's career has been cited as an example of leadership in a field historically dominated by men. Her technical background — with a PhD in electrical engineering and foundational research in silicon-on-insulator technology — distinguished her from many of her CEO peers in the semiconductor industry, who more often came from finance or general management backgrounds.[10][9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Meet AMD's new CEO Lisa Su: 7 things to know".San Jose Business Journal.2014-10-09.http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/10/09/meet-amds-new-ceo-lisa-su-7-things-to-know.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Advanced Micro Devices Appoints Lisa Su as CEO, Replacing Read".Bloomberg News.2014-10-08.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-08/advanced-micro-devices-appoints-lisa-su-as-ceo-replacing-read.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "World's Greatest Leaders".Fortune.http://fortune.com/worlds-greatest-leaders/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Dr. Lisa Su, AMD Chair and CEO, Elected Chair of Semiconductor Industry Association".Semiconductor Industry Association.2025-11-20.https://www.semiconductors.org/dr-lisa-su-amd-chair-and-ceo-elected-chair-of-semiconductor-industry-association/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "Lisa Su biography".San Francisco Chronicle.http://www.sfgate.com/visionsf/article/Visionary-of-the-Year-nominee-Lisa-Su-CEO-of-AMD-6070002.php.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Lisa Su '90, SM '91, PhD '94 to deliver MIT's 2026 Commencement address".MIT News.2025-12-11.https://news.mit.edu/2025/lisa-su-mit-2026-commencement-address-1211.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "TR35".MIT Technology Review.http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/?year=2002.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "TR35 Profile: Lisa Su".MIT Technology Review.http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?trid=397.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Found in Translation".MIT Technology Review.https://www.technologyreview.com/s/405802/found-in-translation/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Semiconductor engineer Dr Lisa Su takes over from financial engineer as CEO of AMD".Computing.http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2374712/semiconductor-engineer-dr-lisa-su-takes-over-from-financial-engineer-as-ceo-of-amd.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Chip maker AMD taps Lisa Su as its first female CEO".VentureBeat.2014-10-08.https://venturebeat.com/2014/10/08/chip-maker-amd-taps-lisa-su-as-its-first-female-ceo/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Lisa Su Letter".AMD.https://www.amd.com/Documents/lisa-su-letter.pdf.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "AMD CEO Lisa Su".PC Magazine.https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2459455,00.asp.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Exclusive Interview with Dr. Lisa Su from AMD".KitGuru.http://www.kitguru.net/site-news/interviews/zardon/exclusive-interview-with-dr-lisa-su-from-amd/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Dr. Lisa Su — Corporate Information — Leadership".AMD.https://www.amd.com/en-us/who-we-are/corporate-information/leadership/dr-lisa-su.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "AMD falls 17%, posts worst day since 2017 as Lisa Su addresses guidance concerns".CNBC.2026-02-04.https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/04/amd-lisa-su-ai-demand-guidance-earnings.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "AMD's Stock Got Crushed Today. CEO Lisa Su Says Demand Is 'On Fire'".Investopedia.2026-02-04.https://www.investopedia.com/amd-s-stock-got-crushed-today-ceo-lisa-su-says-demand-is-on-fire-11899868.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "AMD's Lisa Su says AI isn't replacing people, but is changing who gets hired".CNBC.2026-01-06.https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/06/amd-lisa-su-ai-jobs-hiring.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "There is no one-size-fits-all for AI, says AMD's Alexey Navolokin".CRN Asia.2026-02-23.https://www.crnasia.com/news/2026/components-and-peripherals/there-is-no-one-size-fits-all-for-ai.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "AMD Prepares to Battle PC Market Uncertainty, But CEO Lisa Su Says the Focus Will Stay on "Enterprise"".Wccftech.2026-02.https://wccftech.com/amd-prepares-to-battle-pc-market-uncertainty-but-ceo-says-the-focus-will-stay-on-enterprise/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "AMD CEO and global tech leader Lisa Su to headline upcoming Presidential Lecture on what will power AI era".Purdue University.2026-02-17.https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/2026/Q1/amd-ceo-and-global-tech-leader-lisa-su-to-headline-upcoming-presidential-lecture-on-what-will-power-ai-era.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 "National Academy of Engineering Member".National Academy of Engineering.https://www.nae.edu/178117.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology 2016".Top 50 Tech.http://top50tech.org/2016/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology 2017".Top 50 Tech.http://top50tech.org/2017/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ↑ "2016 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award".BusinessWire.2016-05-24.http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160524005601/en/2016-Outstanding-50-Asian-Americans-Business-Award.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Businessperson of the Year — Lisa Su".Fortune.http://fortune.com/businessperson-of-the-year/lisa-su-6/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  27. ↑ "AMD President and CEO Dr. Lisa Su Bestowed Global Leadership Award".BusinessWire.2018-11-12.https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181112005519/en/AMD-President-CEO-Dr.-Lisa-Su-Bestowed.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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