John Daane

John Daane is an American electrical engineer and business executive, best known for his tenure as the president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the programmable logic device company Altera Corporation. Under his leadership, Altera solidified its position as a major competitor to Xilinx in the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) market and was ultimately acquired by Intel in a landmark deal. His career spans significant roles at other major technology firms, including LSI Logic and Avago Technologies.

Early life and education

Daane completed his undergraduate studies in electrical engineering and computer sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, a leading institution in the field. He subsequently earned a Master of Business Administration from the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles. His academic foundation in both engineering and business administration provided a critical base for his future executive roles in the semiconductor industry.

Career

Daane began his professional career at LSI Logic, a pioneer in the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) market, where he held various engineering and management positions. His expertise in semiconductor design and business strategy led him to Avago Technologies, a spin-off from Agilent Technologies which itself originated from Hewlett-Packard. At Avago, a company specializing in analog semiconductor components, Daane served as executive vice president and general manager, overseeing a broad portfolio and gaining extensive experience in the competitive electronics sector.

Leadership at Altera

In 2003, Daane was appointed president, chief executive officer, and a member of the board of directors at Altera Corporation, a leading manufacturer of FPGAs and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). He later assumed the role of chairman. His tenure was marked by intense competition with primary rival Xilinx, driving innovation in high-performance computing, telecommunications, and industrial automation. Key strategic moves included forging a crucial foundry partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and navigating the industry's transition to more advanced process nodes. In 2015, he oversaw Altera's agreement to be acquired by Intel for approximately $16.7 billion, one of the largest deals in semiconductor history, aimed at integrating FPGA technology with Intel's central processing unit (CPU) products for data center and Internet of Things applications.

Post-Altera activities

Following the completion of the Intel acquisition in late 2015, Daane departed the company. He has since served on the boards of directors for several technology firms, contributing his expertise in semiconductors and corporate governance. His board memberships have included positions at MaxLinear, a provider of radio frequency and mixed-signal integrated circuits, and PDF Solutions, a company focused on yield improvement technologies for the integrated circuit manufacturing process. He remains a noted figure in the Silicon Valley business community.

Personal life

Daane maintains a relatively private personal life. He is known to be an avid supporter of educational initiatives in science and technology. His professional achievements have been recognized through features in publications like The Wall Street Journal and at industry events such as the International Solid-State Circuits Conference.

Category:American businesspeople Category:American electrical engineers Category:Semiconductor industry executives Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni