Executive Committee biographies
The Executive Committee comprises the Management Board members and three other senior executive leaders. Read their bios below.
Hichem M'Saad - Chairman of the Management Board and CEO
Mr. M’Saad was appointed as Chair of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer on May 13, 2024.
Hichem joined ASM in 2015 as the senior vice president and general manager of the Thermal Products business unit. From 2019, he held the role of executive vice president and general manager of Global Products, in which he was responsible for developing ASM’s ALD, Epi, VF, and PECVD products.
An experienced, passionate leader, Hichem has been instrumental in ASM’s innovative, disruptive technologies and products, including the Intrepid ES, Synergis, Previum, and SONORA.
In 2022, Hichem was appointed as a member of the Management Board for a four-year term and Chief Technology Officer, overseeing ASM’s technical product portfolio, platform group, and future technologies, and has been a key driver in ASM’s ‘Growth through Innovation’ strategy.
Hichem started his career as a process development engineer on various dielectric CVD applications. He became corporate VP and general manager of the Dielectric Systems and Modules (DSM) and the Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) divisions. He also served as CEO of a start-up in the solar photovoltaic industry for six years.
Hichem received a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, a master’s degree in materials science & engineering from Cornell University, and a PhD in electronic materials science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has written 57 technical articles and holds nearly 200 granted patents. Hichem is a non-executive director of ASMPT Ltd. He is a US and Tunisian national.
Paul Verhagen - Member of the Management Board and CFO
Mr Verhagen was appointed as member of the Management Board with effect from June 1, 2021 by the Annual General Meeting of May 17, 2021. Following this appointment, he was appointed as CFO from June 1, 2021 by the Supervisory Board.
Paul has a proven track record and background in Dutch listed companies and the electronics industry. He made a career within Royal Philips – starting in the early 90s and until 2013, he fulfilled numerous executive positions in the Netherlands, the US, Hong Kong, and China. His last two assignments – from 2007 until 2013 – were as executive vice president and CFO of Philips Consumer Lifestyle, and executive vice president and CFO of Philips Lighting. In 2014, he became the CFO and member of the Management Board of the Dutch stock listed company Fugro N.V.
Paul is a non-executive director of ASMPT, a member of the supervisory board (raad van toezicht) of Delft University of Technology and a member of the supervisory board of football club PSV. He is a Dutch national, holds a Master of Business Administration degree, and has a post-graduate degree as Chartered Controller.
Edyta Jakubek - Chief People Officer
Edyta Jakubek joined ASM in the role of Chief People Officer and was appointed as an Executive Committee member.
Edyta has more than 25 years of HR Leadership experience at various multinational listed companies. She is broadly recognized for her strategic capabilities and disciplined execution. Edyta has initiated and led with impact many HR and business-related transformation projects.
She began her career at Royal Philips, where she held various senior HR positions, and finally, as global head of the Lamps and Electronics business. In 2017, she joined AkzoNobel and took the role of Global Head of HR of the Paints & Coatings Division. For the last 4.5 years, she worked for Heineken as HR Senior Vice President for region Europe.
Edyta holds a master’s degree in law and sociology from the University of Gdansk. She also completed the Executive HR Program at Michigan University. Edyta is a Polish national.
Paul Ma - Corporate Vice President Thermal ALD and VF
Mr. Ma serves as Corporate Vice President and business unit head thermal ALD and Vertical Furnaces. He joined ASM in 2018 as Vice President and key product unit (KPU) head.
In 2020, he became the business unit head for thermal ALD, responsible for developing ASM’s ALD products, and in 2024, also for Vertical Furnaces. He was appointed an Executive Committee member of ASM International on July 23, 2024.
Paul has more than 20 years of experience in the semiconductor equipment industry. Before joining ASM, he had a 14-year tenure with Applied Materials. He started his career as a process development engineer on various ALD and CVD applications, rising to the level of managing director and KPU head of the Metal Deposition Products division.
Paul received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemical and materials engineering from Auckland University and a PhD in chemical engineering from Cornell University. He has written over 30 technical articles and holds over 100 patents. He is a US, New Zealand, and Taiwanese national.
Steve Reiter - Corporate Vice President Plasma and Epi
Mr. Reiter serves as Corporate Vice President and business unit head of Plasma and Epi. He joined ASM in 2015 as Senior Director in the key product unit (KPU) silicon Epi.
In 2020, he became the business unit head responsible for silicon Epi, Vertical Furnace, and eventually silicon carbide Epi following ASM’s acquisition of LPE. He rose to the level of business unit head for Epi products in 2022 and in 2024, alsi for plasma products. He was appointed an Executive Committee member of ASM International on July 23, 2024.
Steve has more than 27 years of experience in the semiconductor equipment industry. Before joining ASM, he worked for 17 years at Applied Materials. Steve started his career in 1997, supporting dielectric CVD film development and customer qualification in various areas, including SACVD, PECVD, and low-k ILD/barrier.
Steve received a bachelor’s degree in material science and engineering from the University of Michigan. He is a US national.