The former CEO of Osram will take the reins at the Aixtron, which makes equipment for the deposition of LED materials.

Aixtron SE (FSE: AIX; NASDAQ: AIXG), the Germany-based manufacturer of deposition equipment for LED materials growth, has appointed a new CEO. Paul Hyland, the company’s current president and CEO, will leave effective February 28, 2013. Hyland’s departure was said to be “by mutual agreement” and for “personal reasons.” Hyland will be replaced by Martin Goetzeler, who was CEO of lighting manufacturer Osram GmbH until he was replaced in March 2011 by Wolfgang Dehen. Until recently, Goetzeler served on the executive board of Siemens’ subsidiary Osram, and has also held various international leadership positions within the Siemens group. He has also served as president of the European technology platform Photonics21, which, among other things, advises the European Commission in determining major strategic research in the area of photonics.

“I am looking forward to the task of leading Aixtron as a leading provider of semiconductor technology production solutions along the way towards industrial mass production,” said Goetzeler. “We have the opportunity to address some of the current social megatrends such as energy efficiency and intelligent networking, which are dominated by LEDs, OLEDs and power electronics. There is substantial growth potential for Aixtron in all of these areas.”

Hyland said that he was “pleased that I had the opportunity to participate in Aixtron’s route to becoming a globally acknowledged leading technology company.”

Kim Schindelhauer, the chairman of the Supervisory Board of Aixtron SE, expressed his gratitude to Hyland for his contributions to the company: “Mr. Hyland has successfully managed the Company during his tenure through many ups and downs in the semiconductor industry. For this, we would like to express our great appreciation. We are delighted to have found someone like Mr. Goetzeler, a versatile manager with extensive knowledge in the high-tech market and international experience. Mr. Hyland will actively support Mr. Goetzeler in taking up his office and ensure a smooth transition.”

Aixtron has seen some other personnel changes recently. At the end of January, two board members – Holger Jürgensen (deputy chairman of the supervisory board) and Karl-Hermann Kuklies (ordinary member of the supervisory board) – informed the management board of their resignation from office with immediate effect.

Finally, Aixtron announced that SukYoung Kim has been appointed General Manager of Aixtron Korea Co., Ltd. Kim has been working in the international semiconductor industry in Korea and the USA for many years and most recently held the position of Regional President and Representative Director of Novellus Systems in Korea.

Tim Whitaker is an Editorial Consultant with LEDs Magazine.