SK hynix's NAND subsidiary Solidigm appoints 2 new CEOs

SEOUL, May 16 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc. said Tuesday its subsidiary Solidigm, a NAND flash memory solutions provider, appointed two new CEOs, as part of efforts to maximize synergies between the two firms amid a chip downturn.

SK hynix tapped Noh Jong-won, chief business officer of Solidigm and president at SK hynix, and David M. Dixon, senior vice president and general manager of Solidigm's data center storage group, as new co-chief executive officers of the California-based chip company.

Noh and Dixon are "the most qualified given their proven leadership in the data-center solid-state drive (SSD) business and business optimization, respectively," the chipmaker said.

Noh "has led Solidigm's push to explore new business opportunities and build deeper relationships with business partners," the company added, while Dixon, who worked at Intel for 28 years as an enterprise SSD expert, "has been at the forefront of Solidigm's efforts to set up SSD development strategies and plan products as the head of the company's data center group."

The position had been filled by SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung, following the sudden departure in November last year of former Solidigm CEO Rob Crooke.

SK hynix set up Solidigm in San Jose early last year following the completion of the first phase of Intel's NAND and SSD business acquisition in December 2021, a move aimed at enhancing its NAND Flash business competitiveness.

Launching the first collaborative product with Solidigm in April last year, SK hynix said it will continue "to optimize both companies' operations to create synergies and partnership."

In the first quarter, the chipmaker widened quarterly losses as a worsening macroeconomic climate dented demand for semiconductors used in PCs and other digital products, and a continued chip glut wiped out profits.

Operating losses amounted to 3.4 trillion won (US$2.5 billion) during the three months ending in March, compared with a profit of 2.86 trillion won a year ago.

DRAM took up 58 percent of the company's total revenue, while NAND flash accounted for 33 percent, from 60 percent versus 30 percent the previous quarter.

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
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