In an interview during Cyient’s press conference, Suman Narayan, CEO of Cyient Semiconductors, spoke with TimesTech about the strategic vision behind the company’s spin-off, the role of talent in driving innovation, and India’s positioning in the global ASIC space. As the semiconductor market accelerates toward a $2 trillion future, Cyient Semiconductors is betting big on India’s engineering strength and a customer-first mindset.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: You’ve led major P&L turnarounds and growth at companies like Allegro and ON Semi. How will that experience shape your vision for Cyient Semiconductors in the ASIC space?
Suman: I believe every transformation has been unique in its own way. However, what stands out across all these transformations is the strategic focus—identifying the right markets, developing the right products or ASICs, and building a strong, capable team. A key priority has been talent development—attracting skilled individuals to join us, nurturing their growth, and enabling them to contribute meaningfully to the semiconductor industry. Ultimately, it’s a game of talent.
TimesTech: With 20+ years of semiconductor expertise and the AnSem acquisition, how do you plan to build on this foundation to stay ahead in fast-evolving sectors like HPC and automotive?
Suman: AnSem originated as a spin-off from imec (Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre), a renowned international research hub in microelectronics and nanotechnology. The talent pool at AnSem has always been exceptional, particularly in the area of custom ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) development. We have greatly benefited from this expertise and continue to build upon it. Our focus moving forward is to further leverage and grow this talent, strengthening our capabilities in advanced ASIC design and development.
TimesTech: Why was spinning off Cyient Semiconductors as a separate entity critical, and how does it give you a competitive edge in the ASIC turnkey business?
Suman: The semiconductor business is fundamentally different from the services industry. The underlying DNA, the capital requirements, and the need for long-term investments are significantly greater. These factors are crucial not only for business sustainability but also for attracting top-tier talent. Our perspective is that this distinction gives us a competitive advantage. Unlike service companies, we are not evaluated by the same standards. Instead, our focus aligns more with leading-edge semiconductor companies like ON Semiconductor and Texas Instruments. Looking ahead, my aspiration is to see our company stand alongside such industry leaders in the long run.
TimesTech: You’ve driven digital transformation across organizations—how will you bring that approach to customer engagement and operational excellence here?
Suman: In the semiconductor business, we stand on three core pillars. The first is putting customers first across the entire organization. The second is ensuring we act as one, functioning as a unified team. The third is our commitment to continuous improvement in execution and innovation.
If we look at traditional transformations in the past, they have primarily focused on talent and execution excellence—and this is something we must consistently apply to ourselves. Ultimately, customers care about a few critical things: whether the products are delivered on time, whether they perform reliably, and whether they fit within the expected budget. Our focus should remain firmly on meeting and exceeding these expectations.
TimesTech: With the semiconductor market heading towards $2T by 2032 and ASICs growing rapidly, how is Cyient Semiconductors positioning itself to lead in this high-growth space, especially in India?
Suman: At Cyient Semiconductors, one of our key focus areas is leveraging India’s vast semiconductor talent pool—accounting for nearly 20% of the global talent in this domain. Our goal is to harness this strength to drive high-performance innovation and continuity in the market, particularly within industrial automation. We are committed to building the right talent and capabilities to develop customized power semiconductor products that cater to these critical sectors.
TimesTech: You’re known for building strong, innovative teams. How are you fostering that culture at Cyient Semiconductors to drive cutting-edge solutions?
Suman: I believe that more than the company itself, the role of managers is crucial. There are three key principles that great managers should follow.
First, prioritize delivering strong individual performance, followed by putting the team and then the company first. It’s essential to think beyond yourself and focus on how to uplift those around you.
Second, you must genuinely care about the growth and development of others on your team. Supporting their professional journey is vital.
Third, always strive to hire people who are smarter than you. Building a strong team starts with bringing in exceptional talent.
The focus should never be just on “me, myself, and I,” but on “we” — the collective progress and success of the team. When people feel part of a culture that values their career growth and compensates them fairly, they are more likely to stay motivated and contribute meaningfully. That’s how you build and retain great talent.
