Monday, Dec. 03, 2001
Morris Chang
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing CEO
Born in mainland China and edu-cated in the U.S., Chang, 70, is credited with creating Taiwan's semiconductor industry. The firm he founded in 1987, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, has become a global leader, building microchips for everything from PCs to cell phones while leaving the design to others. This approach has freed small chip designers from having to build their own factories, resulting in more competition and innovation. Despite the global tech slump, Chang just announced a $20 billion expansion.