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Employee of chip equipment giant ASML accused of stealing company secrets went to Huawei: report
- A former China-based ASML employee accused of misappropriating company data later moved to Huawei, according to a Dutch news report
- The chip in Huawei’s new Mate 60 Pro smartphone is believed to be made using a DUV machine rather than ASML’s more advanced EUV machine
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A former employee of ASML Holding accused of stealing trade secrets from the manufacturer of the world’s most advanced semiconductor-making equipment, later worked for Huawei Technologies, according to a Dutch media report.
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ASML disclosed in its 2022 annual report published in February that one of its former China-based employees had engaged in “unauthorised misappropriation of data relating to proprietary technology” that may have violated some export controls.
ASML CEO Peter Wennink characterised the incident as “one piece of a puzzle that you don’t have the box for”, and the Veldhoven, Netherlands-based company did not disclose what data was stolen. But a Bloomberg report at the time said the theft targeted a chip machine repository that included details of ASML’s advanced machinery.
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On Monday, Dutch newspaper NRC reported that the perpetrator went on to work for US-sanctioned Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei after leaving ASML, citing unnamed sources.
ASML and Huawei did not immediately respond to an inquiry from the Post.
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