Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the company’s supreme decision-making body in all matters that have not been expressly reserved by company law or the articles of association to the General Meeting of Shareholders. The main responsibilities of the Board of Directors relate to giving strategic direction to the company and the supervision of the state of affairs.

The Board of Directors comprises at least five Directors. At least three of them have to be independent. Directors are appointed by the General Meeting of Shareholders for a period of maximum four years and can be dismissed by the General Meeting of Shareholders at any given time. There is no age limit for Directors and Directors whose mandate is expiring can be reappointed.

The board is chaired by Françoise Chombar. The Board of Directors delegates the daily management of the company to the Chief Executive Officer who is assisted by the Executive Management. For actions outside the scope of the daily management, the Company is validly represented by two directors acting jointly.

The board is assisted by two Committees: the Audit Committee and the Nomination and Remuneration Committee.

Ms. Françoise Chombar

Is Chairwoman and co-founder of Melexis. She served as the CEO of Melexis for 18 years (from 2003 to 2021). She is currently a Board member of Umicore, Soitec, Antwerp Management School and Mediafin and as an investor in start-ups/scale-ups through her role as Managing Director of Sensinnovat BV.

She has served as president of the STEM-platform for a decade (until September 2025) and continues to be an active member. The STEM-platform, an advisory board to the Flemish government, aims to encourage young people to pursue a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics education and to promote STEM to the broader public as a conduit towards more prosperity and wellbeing. Françoise Chombar’s long-term commitment to actively advocating more STEM and diversity and inclusion is driven by her profound belief in their positive societal impact.

Ms. Chombar holds a master’s degree in applied languages (Dutch, English, and Spanish) from Ghent University.

Mr. Marc Biron

Holds a degree in electronic engineering and obtained a Ph.D. in applied sciences in 1999 at the University of Liège, Belgium. Mr. Biron began his career in the electronics industry in 1997 when joining Melexis, where he held a number of senior positions over a 25-year period. In 2006, Mr. Biron was given responsibility for the Hall sensor/engine management business unit and its turnover generation. In 2009, he became global development & quality manager, focusing on the efficient development of profitable and reliable products, leading a team of 500 people.

In 2018, he became VP and general manager of the sense & drive business unit and added the responsibility of global innovation manager in 2020, focusing on the right new technologies and knowhow. In 2021, Mr. Biron was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Melexis. Since 2013, Mr. Biron has been a visiting lecturer for the course ‘Major Project in Electronics’ at the University of Liège.

Mr. Roland Duchâtelet

Has been a private shareholder of the company since April 1994 and has served as a director ever since.

Prior to that date, Mr. Duchâtelet served in various positions in production, product development and marketing for several large and small companies. He contributed to the start-up of two other semiconductor manufacturers: Mietec Alcatel (Belgium) from 1983 to 1985 as business development/sales manager and Elmos GmbH (Germany) from 1985 to 1989 as marketing manager.

Mr. Duchâtelet holds a degree in electronic engineering, a degree in applied economics and an MBA from the University of Leuven.

Ms. Maria Pia De Caro

Currently serves as EVP Global Operations and Sustainability at Pernod Ricard. She has extensive experience in supply chain management including strategy, manufacturing operations, planning and logistics, procurement and safety management.

Ms. De Caro has a track record of more than 25 years of leadership in areas such as engineering, manufacturing, M&A and supply chain at a number of fast-moving consumer goods companies like Nomad Foods, Procter & Gamble and Mondelez. Ms. De Caro holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Sapienza University of Rome and is an avid supporter of diversity and inclusion.

Ms. Ling Qi

Has more than 20 years of international business management experience. Currently, she is CEO of two multimedia and animation film companies. Alongside this, she has been consulting for foreign invested companies in China, has extensive experience in the semiconductor industry as a board member for a European headquartered wafer foundry, and has served as a director of a Belgian private bank.

Ms. Ling Qi holds a degree in international trade and English from the University of Liaoning, and obtained a certificate of Dutch at University of Antwerp.

Mr. Kazuhiro Takenaka

Has a successful career of over 45 years in the semiconductor and electronics engineering industry in renowned companies such as Nissan Motor and Seiko Epson. In his role at Seiko Epson, Mr. Takenaka has also collaborated extensively with international stakeholders, working on partnerships with US companies and building relationships in markets across Europe, Asia, and the USA. He brings valuable insights and a diverse perspective to the Board, particularly in markets beyond automotive.

Ms. Jayanthi Natarajan

Brings a unique blend of expertise in AI and digital transformation. Jay’s deep technical background ensures we remain at the forefront of technological innovation. With her roots in India and having lived in the US for more than 20 years, Ms. Natarajan brings a strong network in both India, our next growth geography, and the US.