Semiconductors

About Ulrich

Ulrich, a Munich-based director, helps lead our Semiconductors and Operations Practices. He specializes in advising semiconductor clients in Europe and Asia on operations, product development, and strategy. Internally, he led the development of our semiconductor benchmarking methodology and the creation of our benchmarking database, which now has information on approximately 100 semiconductor fabs.

Ulrich works closely with clients across the value chain, including material and equipment vendors, integrated device manufacturers (IDMs), analog-semiconductor companies, memory players, and foundries. He also has experience serving various industry players and investors on due diligence and mergers and acquisitions. Some of his recent client projects have involved the following: 

• working with a leading semiconductor manufacturer on an operations transformation
• supporting a Japanese semiconductor company on due diligence
• advising a leading semiconductor company on R&D strategy
• helping a large IDM with a turnaround program
• supporting a memory player on due diligence
• counseling a public-sector client on its strategy to strengthen the local semiconductor industry
• helping a client evaluate the potential of Brazil, Vietnam, and other emerging markets

Prior to joining McKinsey in 1996, Ulrich worked in technology development at Siemens Semiconductors (now Infineon Technologies). He holds a PhD from the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research at the University of Stuttgart, as well as a master’s degree in physics and an undergraduate degree in economics and mathematics from the University of Technology, Munich.

Published work

“Getting Mo(o)re out of semiconductor R&D,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Autumn 2011

“The evolution of business models in a disrupted value chain,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Autumn 2011

“Rebooting Japan’s high-tech sector,” McKinsey Quarterly, June 2011 

Past experience

Education