13:55 – 14:35
PANEL SESSION
Panel: Smart Fabs & the Future Workforce
- Smart fabs: How far can automation go?
- Upskilling for the digital fab
- Human-in-the-loop vs. lights-out factories
Moderator
Dr. David Lacey
Osram Opto Semiconductors
Panelist
Dr. Meri Helle
OneFab Nordic
Dr. Meri Helle is the Executive Chairwoman and founder of OneFab Nordic Oy.
OneFab Nordic is a Finnish microelectronics manufacturing and technology integration company founded in January 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, focusing on a compound semiconductor material aluminum nitride.
With a team of 13 industry experts, nine team members and a four-member advisory board. Three professors, nine doctors in science and technology and four MSc’s, OneFab has over 450 years of cumulated experience in the field of semiconductor industry, microelectronics, photonics, physics, wireless and optical communications, etc.
Dr. Helle started her entrepreneurial career in 2015 by co-founding Summa Semiconductor Oy, a specialty foundry and R&D service company that operated in Micronova cleanrooms in Finland. Ms. Helle was also the CEO of joint-venture foundry company OneFab Finland Oy, ”a OneFab First”, from 2018 to 2023.
OneFab Finland prepared a business and investment plan of €100 million for building a new manufacturing facility with novel business model offering specialty manufacturing processes for microelectronics and photonics. OneFab’s foundry services were targeted for industrial pre-volumes and medium manufacturing volumes, between R&D institutes and large foundries, i.e. helping customers to ramp-up industrial production.
Before jumping into the entrepreneurial path, Dr. Helle worked for silicon wafer manufacturing company Okmetic. At Okmetic she held a Process Engineer position (2011-2012) at Okmetic’s silicon wafer manufacturing fab in Finland and 2012-2015 a Technical Customer Support Engineer position at Okmetic’s sales team with main responsibilities in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Prior joining Okmetic, Dr. Helle was also part of Nokia Research Center’s graphene research team (2010-2011).
After finishing MSc (2001) and Doctoral (2006) in quantum physics in Aalto University, Ms. Helle continued her academic career in Low Temperature Laboratory, Aalto University as Academy of Finland Post-Doctoral Researcher Scientist (2006-2010). Her research consisted of superconducting nanoelectronics device fabrication in the Micronova cleanrooms and cryogenic-temperature measurements of quantum phenomena of superconducting
nano-devices.
Dr. Meri Helle is the Executive Chairwoman and founder of OneFab Nordic Oy.
OneFab Nordic is a Finnish microelectronics manufacturing and technology integration company founded in January 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, focusing on a compound semiconductor material aluminum nitride.
With a team of 13 industry experts, nine team members and a four-member advisory board. Three professors, nine doctors in science and technology and four MSc’s, OneFab has over 450 years of cumulated experience in the field of semiconductor industry, microelectronics, photonics, physics, wireless and optical communications, etc.
Dr. Helle started her entrepreneurial career in 2015 by co-founding Summa Semiconductor Oy, a specialty foundry and R&D service company that operated in Micronova cleanrooms in Finland. Ms. Helle was also the CEO of joint-venture foundry company OneFab Finland Oy, ”a OneFab First”, from 2018 to 2023.
OneFab Finland prepared a business and investment plan of €100 million for building a new manufacturing facility with novel business model offering specialty manufacturing processes for microelectronics and photonics. OneFab’s foundry services were targeted for industrial pre-volumes and medium manufacturing volumes, between R&D institutes and large foundries, i.e. helping customers to ramp-up industrial production.
Before jumping into the entrepreneurial path, Dr. Helle worked for silicon wafer manufacturing company Okmetic. At Okmetic she held a Process Engineer position (2011-2012) at Okmetic’s silicon wafer manufacturing fab in Finland and 2012-2015 a Technical Customer Support Engineer position at Okmetic’s sales team with main responsibilities in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Prior joining Okmetic, Dr. Helle was also part of Nokia Research Center’s graphene research team (2010-2011).
After finishing MSc (2001) and Doctoral (2006) in quantum physics in Aalto University, Ms. Helle continued her academic career in Low Temperature Laboratory, Aalto University as Academy of Finland Post-Doctoral Researcher Scientist (2006-2010). Her research consisted of superconducting nanoelectronics device fabrication in the Micronova cleanrooms and cryogenic-temperature measurements of quantum phenomena of superconducting
nano-devices.
Panelist
Boon Soo Lim
Sandisk
BS Lim is the Vice President and General Manager of Sandisk Batu Kawan Manufacturing Operations. With over 25 years of experience in operations, process management, equipment, and planning, he plays a critical role in advancing Sandisk Storage Malaysia (SDSM) Solid State Drive Storage Operations.
He began his career in process engineering and rose through various roles, ultimately serving as Factory Manager in his previous company before joining Sandisk as a Senior Manager of Operations. Throughout his career, he has managed engineering in process, equipment, and new product introductions (NPI), as well as overseeing planning, warehousing, logistics, and overall operations. He also held full responsibility for operational cost control. Over his decade-long tenure at Sandisk/Western Digital, his exceptional leadership and expertise led to his progression through roles as Director, Senior Director, and now Vice President and General Manager of Operations, overseeing core areas of Manufacturing Operations, Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, Planning & IE, Test Engineering, Automation & Analytics, WH/FG Management and Sustainability, driving high standards of efficiency and innovation.
He is a seasoned leader dedicated to elevating manufacturing processes and innovation. He continues to drive advancements in Sandisk Storage Malaysia (SDSM), helping to position the Penang facility as a leading center for high-quality flash memory production to meet global demand.
Company Profile
Sandisk, a global Flash and advanced memory technology innovator, understands how people and businesses consume data and relentlessly innovates to deliver solutions that enable today’s needs and tomorrow’s next big ideas. With a rich history of groundbreaking innovations in memory and storage semiconductors, we keep people and businesses moving forward with inspired innovations to actualize their potential.
As Sandisk embarks on its journey with its new corporate branding, the company continues to keep aspirations moving and pushing possibility forward, empowering people and businesses with data everywhere. We do this through the balance of our powerhouse manufacturing capabilities and our industry-leading portfolio of products that are recognized for innovation, performance and quality.
Sandisk is on a journey to be an industry leader in sustainability, building from a strong foundation. Our commitment to environmental, social and responsible business has always been an integral part of Sandisk’s DNA. These focus areas guide the company to make meaningful decisions that benefit the business and have a positive impact on the environment, society, and key stakeholders.
Company Products & Services
Sandisk operates in several key sectors: Cloud & Data Center, Client Compute, Consumer & Gaming as well as Automotive, Mobile & IoT. These industries are central to the company’s broad portfolio, which includes storage solutions ranging from high-performance memory cards to enterprise-level data management, serving cloud providers to enterprises to consumers.
BS Lim is the Vice President and General Manager of Sandisk Batu Kawan Manufacturing Operations. With over 25 years of experience in operations, process management, equipment, and planning, he plays a critical role in advancing Sandisk Storage Malaysia (SDSM) Solid State Drive Storage Operations.
He began his career in process engineering and rose through various roles, ultimately serving as Factory Manager in his previous company before joining Sandisk as a Senior Manager of Operations. Throughout his career, he has managed engineering in process, equipment, and new product introductions (NPI), as well as overseeing planning, warehousing, logistics, and overall operations. He also held full responsibility for operational cost control. Over his decade-long tenure at Sandisk/Western Digital, his exceptional leadership and expertise led to his progression through roles as Director, Senior Director, and now Vice President and General Manager of Operations, overseeing core areas of Manufacturing Operations, Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, Planning & IE, Test Engineering, Automation & Analytics, WH/FG Management and Sustainability, driving high standards of efficiency and innovation.
He is a seasoned leader dedicated to elevating manufacturing processes and innovation. He continues to drive advancements in Sandisk Storage Malaysia (SDSM), helping to position the Penang facility as a leading center for high-quality flash memory production to meet global demand.
Company Profile
Sandisk, a global Flash and advanced memory technology innovator, understands how people and businesses consume data and relentlessly innovates to deliver solutions that enable today’s needs and tomorrow’s next big ideas. With a rich history of groundbreaking innovations in memory and storage semiconductors, we keep people and businesses moving forward with inspired innovations to actualize their potential.
As Sandisk embarks on its journey with its new corporate branding, the company continues to keep aspirations moving and pushing possibility forward, empowering people and businesses with data everywhere. We do this through the balance of our powerhouse manufacturing capabilities and our industry-leading portfolio of products that are recognized for innovation, performance and quality.
Sandisk is on a journey to be an industry leader in sustainability, building from a strong foundation. Our commitment to environmental, social and responsible business has always been an integral part of Sandisk’s DNA. These focus areas guide the company to make meaningful decisions that benefit the business and have a positive impact on the environment, society, and key stakeholders.
Company Products & Services
Sandisk operates in several key sectors: Cloud & Data Center, Client Compute, Consumer & Gaming as well as Automotive, Mobile & IoT. These industries are central to the company’s broad portfolio, which includes storage solutions ranging from high-performance memory cards to enterprise-level data management, serving cloud providers to enterprises to consumers.
Panelist
Ariel Meyuhas
MAX I.E.G.
At the helm of The MAX Group, Ariel brings over 25 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, working closely with leading Frontend Fabs and Backend OSATs. Known for his vision, innovation, and strong business relationships, he excels in leading teams with positive energy and passion. His expertise lies in driving operational turnarounds and transformative strategies for semiconductor companies, consistently delivering significant financial returns for clients. He is committed to excellence in every aspect of his work.
Company Profile
We are MAX, for over two decades we have been creating faster and smarter global operations!
Our business philosophy and our key to success are founded on never taking your business for granted and always following you every step of the journey where everything happens, sharing responsibility for any outcomes. Our expert teams will work in perfect synergy with you, zealously improving your bottom line. Clients credit us for accelerating their factories’ path for demonstrating world-class performance results – higher productivity and output, shortened Cycle Times, and reduced Operational Costs. As tough as the challenge may be, we will bring skills and cutting-edge tools to help you succeed.
The MAX Group is a leading global consulting firm with special expertise in Benchmarking and Operational Improvements in the Semiconductor industry. While primarily focusing on the Semiconductors and Electronics industries, we are proudly serving our Clients operating in wide variety of industrial spaces including Automotive, Aerospace, Bio-Medical and more.
Company Products & Services
We provide services ranging from Manufacturing Efficiency & Productivity Improvements to Management Consulting and Organizational Transformations, M&A, New Facility Design & Build and IT Consulting. The MAX Group has over two decades of experience as change agents improving manufacturing operations from startup phase to a mature factory. Exposure to world-wide organizations and our multi-national professional talent enabled us to develop a unique range of operational solutions that help your business MAXimize profit.
At the helm of The MAX Group, Ariel brings over 25 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, working closely with leading Frontend Fabs and Backend OSATs. Known for his vision, innovation, and strong business relationships, he excels in leading teams with positive energy and passion. His expertise lies in driving operational turnarounds and transformative strategies for semiconductor companies, consistently delivering significant financial returns for clients. He is committed to excellence in every aspect of his work.
Company Profile
We are MAX, for over two decades we have been creating faster and smarter global operations!
Our business philosophy and our key to success are founded on never taking your business for granted and always following you every step of the journey where everything happens, sharing responsibility for any outcomes. Our expert teams will work in perfect synergy with you, zealously improving your bottom line. Clients credit us for accelerating their factories’ path for demonstrating world-class performance results – higher productivity and output, shortened Cycle Times, and reduced Operational Costs. As tough as the challenge may be, we will bring skills and cutting-edge tools to help you succeed.
The MAX Group is a leading global consulting firm with special expertise in Benchmarking and Operational Improvements in the Semiconductor industry. While primarily focusing on the Semiconductors and Electronics industries, we are proudly serving our Clients operating in wide variety of industrial spaces including Automotive, Aerospace, Bio-Medical and more.
Company Products & Services
We provide services ranging from Manufacturing Efficiency & Productivity Improvements to Management Consulting and Organizational Transformations, M&A, New Facility Design & Build and IT Consulting. The MAX Group has over two decades of experience as change agents improving manufacturing operations from startup phase to a mature factory. Exposure to world-wide organizations and our multi-national professional talent enabled us to develop a unique range of operational solutions that help your business MAXimize profit.
