A former senior executive at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is once again at the center of attention as Taiwan authorities continue investigating allegations involving the possible transfer of trade secrets to Intel.
Wei-Jen Lo, formerly TSMC’s senior vice president of corporate strategy and development, reportedly had his profile removed from the website of Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute, commonly known as ITRI. The move comes as local media reports indicate investigators have expanded their probe into Lo’s personal assets and electronic records.
Lo is a notable figure in the semiconductor industry. During his time at TSMC, he was involved in the company’s advanced chip manufacturing roadmap, including the mass production of 5-nanometer, 3-nanometer, and 2-nanometer process technologies. These cutting-edge nodes are central to TSMC’s global leadership in contract chip manufacturing and are used in some of the world’s most advanced processors.
The investigation reportedly began in November last year after Lo retired from TSMC and later joined Intel. Taiwan’s economic officials confirmed at the time that authorities were examining allegations that a retired TSMC executive had taken proprietary company information to a rival chipmaker.
According to reports from Taiwan, the Intellectual Property Branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office directed searches of Lo’s residences in Hsinchu and Taipei. Investigators were reportedly seeking computers, USB drives, and other storage devices that could contain relevant evidence. Authorities have also reportedly requested the seizure of certain assets, including stocks and real estate.
Following these developments, Lo’s personal page, profile information, and photo were said to have been removed from ITRI’s official website.
TSMC has taken legal action against Lo, filing a case in Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court. Taiwan’s economic minister, Kung Ming-hsin, has publicly supported TSMC’s decision to pursue the matter through the legal system.
Lo’s career has included long tenures at both Intel and TSMC. Before joining TSMC in 2004, he spent 18 years at Intel, where he worked on wafer processing technology and held operational responsibilities at a California facility. His return to Intel last year drew scrutiny because of his deep involvement in TSMC’s advanced manufacturing processes.
Intel has denied wrongdoing and has expressed support for Lo. In an internal message to employees, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the company saw no merit in the allegations based on available information. Intel also stated that it maintains strict policies prohibiting the use or transfer of third-party confidential information or intellectual property.
The case highlights the growing importance of intellectual property protection in the global semiconductor industry. As chipmakers compete to advance manufacturing technologies, trade secrets related to process nodes, wafer production, and fabrication methods have become highly sensitive assets.
TSMC remains the world’s leading advanced chip foundry, while Intel is working to strengthen its manufacturing business and compete more directly in the foundry market. The investigation involving Lo comes at a time when competition between major semiconductor companies is intensifying, especially in advanced process technology and artificial intelligence chip production.
For now, the allegations remain under investigation, and no final legal conclusion has been announced. However, the removal of Lo’s ITRI profile and the reported searches of his residences suggest Taiwan authorities are treating the matter seriously.
The outcome could have broader implications for semiconductor talent movement, corporate secrecy, and intellectual property enforcement across the chip industry.
