Rick Harwig

Chief Technology Officer, Royal Philips Electronics, The Netherlands

Session

He will speak in the "Health & technologies" session.

Biography

After earning his Ph.D degree in 1977 on fast ion conducting solid materials for electrochemical cells at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, Dr. Harwig joined Philips Research to develop processes for integrated circuits on silicon. In 1984, he became manager of the Integrated Circuits advanced development in a joint program between Research and Semiconductors, which led to the Philips advanced CMOS logic business and delivered the technical basis of ASM-L and TSMC. In 1991, he became director of the Advanced Systems Laboratories of Consumer Electronics, charged with technical development of digital media applications, like the DVD, flat HD-TV and digital Audio applications.

Dr. Harwig returned to Research in 1997 as head of Access and Interaction Systems. From August 2000 onwards, he led the management of Philips Research at the High Tech Campus, Eindhoven. From January 1, 2004 until 2007 he was Chief Executive Officer of Philips Research. In that period he has driven open innovation to become a leading theme within Philips and supported the emerging High Tech Campus Eindhoven, a unique innovation eco-system in Europe.

On April 1, 2006 Dr. Harwig was appointed Chief Technology Officer Royal Philips Electronics and a member of the Group Management Committee with responsibility for the technology strategy and management, Research and Intellectual Property and Standards, New Business Incubation and Applied Technologies.

Dr. Harwig was born in the Netherlands in 1949. He is married, with three children, enjoys sailing, and cross country cycling.