The Role Models article series shines a light on remarkable individuals who serve as inspirational leaders for their achievements, leadership, and positive influence. In each installment, we delve into the life and accomplishments of these exceptional role models, exploring their journeys, values, and the impact they've made on their organizations, communities, and across industries.
Join us in celebrating these outstanding individuals and uncover the valuable lessons they offer for aspiring leaders and changemakers.
In an industry where the corporate landscape is predominantly male, Françoise Chombar has shattered glass ceilings, paving the way for future generations of women. Her journey as CEO of Melexis exemplifies the transformative power of visionary, authentic, and empowering leadership.
In this interview, Chombar shares personal insights and lessons from her journey, revealing what it takes to be a trailblazing and successful business leader while leading with purpose.
Françoise Chombar is a Belgian businesswoman. She is the current chairwoman of the Board and former CEO, as well as one of the original founders of the semiconductor company Melexis. She is also a non-executive board member at the semiconductor supplier Soitec, at the materials and recycling specialist Umicore, at Mediafinn Belgian media group, and at Antwerp Management School, the best ranked eMBA school of the Benelux. She has a master's degree from Ghent University in Applied Languages.
Chombar is the president of the STEM Platform, an independent advisory body to the Flemish government on all matters STEM. She also promotes gender equality through mentoring and involvement in several organizations including Women on Board, an association that aims to give women better access to directorial roles.
SEMI: Please tell us about your background and professional experience.
Chombar: My applied language studies didn’t quite prepare me for co-founding a high-tech company. My upbringing as the daughter of two full-time working parents never included the prospect of taking the lead either, let alone becoming a CEO or chairwoman. However, my mother, a self-educated and incredibly smart woman, was my first role model. With just a high school degree and having started working when she was 18, she became the backbone and driving force of a tiny rep office in the textile machinery industry, though she worked as an employee with the title of Secretary all her life.
My mom was more demanding of me than she was of my brother and sometimes it felt as if she didn’t love me as much as him, and so I tried harder time and time again to earn her praise. What she taught me, probably intuitively so - and I came to realize and value that only much later - is a true growth mindset. You can be anything you want if you’re oriented toward learning, if you have the grit to try, if you see failure as an opportunity to grow, and if you work hard for your achievements. As Carol Dweck summarizes in her book Mindset, “the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life."
SEMI: What was your motivation to co-found Melexis?
Chombar: It was really a confluence of various factors. There was no grand scheme, simply the eagerness by the three co-founders to do something they enjoyed and to do so differently than anything that had been done in corporate culture in the past. In retrospect, perhaps we were a bit crazy. We wanted to be a “no ordinary company” and our dream was to have a chip in every car worldwide. I’m proud to say that today Melexis delivers over 18 chips in every new car, and we have retained that original pioneering, innovation, and value-driven spirit. The Melexis culture is intrinsically diverse, equitable, and inclusive and I believe this is one of the success factors that enabled over 30 years of profitable growth. At Melexis, we do our utmost to keep an eye on life-balance and lifelong learning, to instill a sense of belonging, to foster sharing, co-creation and intrapreneurship, and to develop top-notch talent. And above all, we have fun!
Left to right: Rudi De Winter, Françoise Chombar, and Roland Duchâtelet at the Ernst & Young Belgium Entrepreneur of the Year award ceremony in 2000.
SEMI: What were your greatest challenges during startup and scaleup?
Chombar: There were too many to name, however they probably aren’t different from what other starters experience: building a sound customer base and getting paid for what you deliver, navigating the circumstances that life throws your way, choosing a robust strategy, getting the right people on board, and executing with discipline. In hindsight, I believe we had the luck and grasped the opportunity of two megatrends of the 90s: die Wende - the fall of the Berlin Wall - which opened a new market. Secondly, during this time, the automotive industry began to incorporate more semiconductor content, and the decades since have witnessed sustained growth for the industry, and this will increase exponentially in the near future.
Left to right: Françoise Chombar, Roland Duchâtelet, and Rudi De Winter at Melexis’ 30th anniversary celebration in 2019
SEMI: What has been your greatest learning as CEO?
Chombar: My greatest learning has been that regardless of whether you’re a co-founder or have an impressive job title, you still must earn the respect of your co-workers. That’s valid for customers, suppliers, and partners alike. A CEO should never rest on her laurels and must continue developing the organization, its community, the team, and herself. “There is nothing more powerful you can do to encourage others in their quest for personal mastery than to be serious in your own quest.” This excerpt from The Fifth Discipline, a book by Peter M. Senge, captures this powerfully. Leading is crafting.
Françoise Chombar with the Melexis Business Creation team in 2017
SEMI: Has mentorship played a significant role in your professional success?
Chombar: Absolutely! Mentorship is hugely important. I’ve had mentors, both female and male, and continue to do so. I’m forever grateful for their precious time and insightful advice. In most cases, I simply asked if I could reach out from time-to-time for advice, and all my mentors agreed. My mentors did so voluntarily, investing forward. I’ve adopted a similar approach to my mentees, and I learn as much from them as I hope they learn from me. Reverse mentorship is as valuable as traditional mentorship.
SEMI: How have you helped empower and elevate the next generation of female leaders?
Chombar: In the first place, by nurturing an inclusive culture within Melexis. An inclusive culture is key to innovation and thus to prosperity and well-being. Melexis innovates with heart. Secondly, by purposefully engaging in social outreach activities that advocate for and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), foremost in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). I’ve continuously invested my personal time in the STEM platform in Flanders, in initiatives such as STEM entrepreneurs in the classroom, Saturday schools for vulnerable youngsters, and more recently into the European Chips Skills Academy, an initiative driven by SEMI Europe in the framework of the European Pact for Skills for Microelectronics.
Mentors and students of the STEM entrepreneurs in the classroom in 2019
SEMI: How are you setting an example for your generation and demonstrating what you’d like to see from your generation?
Chombar: Often, baby boomers are proclaimed as having only brought doom, like climate change, biodiversity decline, or geopolitical turmoil, upon the next generations. However, we have also brought a lot of boon, such as better healthcare, education, women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. I believe we must actively demonstrate that we’re aligned with the younger generations by engaging our knowledge, experience, network, and time to tackle the challenges of today and to build a better future for us all. We must focus on the needs of the future generations and commit towards helping them succeed.
SEMI: What’s your advice to the next generation of industry leaders?
Chombar: My advice is simple: An inclusive culture is a business imperative.
We need all the talent in the world to take care of the future of humanity, by growing our economy in the right direction and steering away from what we did wrong in the past. Leaders who walk the talk on sustainability and inclusion will be hauling in the best talents.
SEMI: What is one of the best ways to attract school students, and especially girls, to the semiconductor industry?
Chombar: The best way to stimulate youngsters is by being a vigorous DEIB champion and by demonstrating how semiconductors contribute to solving the world’s toughest challenges.
SEMI: The list of your award recognitions is quite impressive. How do these accolades represent your career journey?
Chombar: If you pursue a purpose with the intention to benefit as many people as possible, those awards come as a recognition of a continuing journey together with others and as a contribution to trailblazing the way for others.
SEMI: Recently you won the 2022 European SEMI Award that recognizes leadership excellence and the strategic contributions of individuals to critical advances in the semiconductor industry. How does it feel to add the European SEMI Award to your list?
Chombar: I was humbled to receive the 2022 European SEMI Award and as stated before, I dedicate it to all the amazing people with whom I have had the opportunity to collaborate. I hope it encourages many more diverse talents to strengthen the exciting semiconductor space, particularly in Europe. A solid and thriving semiconductor ecosystem will boost Europe’s attractiveness as a great place to live and work, which will in its turn create a virtuous circle.
Françoise Chombar receiving the 2022 European SEMI Award at Industry Strategy Symposium Europe 2023
With an impressive career spanning nearly four decades, Chombar not only achieved remarkable business success in a fiercely competitive industry but also championed diversity and inclusion tirelessly. Her unwavering commitment to creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace, not only within Melexis but across industries, has set new standards.
While many people in leadership positions are seen as role models, only a select few have the ability to create a lasting impact on both individuals and organizations. Role models play a pivotal role in the growth of individuals, teams, and entire companies. Whether consciously or not, role models possess the power to shape the possibilities others envision for themselves, and exceptional role models harness this power to empower and inspire.
Cassandra Melvin is senior director of Business Development and Operation at SEMI.