We are pleased to introduce Paul Schofield, Synova’s Semiconductor Business Unit Expert, based in Totowa, NJ – just 23 miles from Times Square. Since joining Synova in March 2025, Paul brings six months of dedicated leadership to our U.S. team. With a degree in Materials Technology, an MBA, and membership in IEEE, he combines deep technical expertise with strong business insight.
You joined Synova at the beginning of 2025; what drew you to the company and this particular role?
Paul: ”In my career, I’ve been exposed to both large corporations (Texas Instruments, Philips, Infineon) and a startup (MOSAID). That mix has given me the chance to experience both the structure and scale of global organizations, as well as the speed and creativity of smaller teams. Synova felt like the perfect ‘in-between’, a company that has outgrown it’s startup size and that is transforming and repositioning itself. I was also drawn to the role itself. I’ve always found the semiconductor industry fascinating as it covers so many facets of human endeavour; the race towards ever smaller dimensions, the rivalry between nations, and the exploration of our understanding of materials and beyond…”
Can you tell us a bit about your background in the semiconductor industry?
Paul: “I started as a Product Engineer (PE) at Texas Instruments, working on power devices, specifically thyristors. The role encompassed responsibility for yield and new product introduction. I then moved into Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon (CMOS) in a similar role but for memory products. Later, I joined a design startup based in Canada, where we designed memory products mainly for Asian customers. There, I collaborated with the design group to optimise performance, yield and testability, and I supported customers on-site, debugging first silicon from their R&D fabs. From there, I returned to a technology transfer role with Infineon for some 11 years. Half my time as a PE and half in a corporate role on a team negotiating JV’s with partners worldwide.”
What are the key challenges semiconductor manufacturers face today? And how do you see Synova’s technology contributing to the future of semiconductor manufacturing, especially in the US market?
Paul: “Many are the same challenges – the industry has a history of bust and boom as countries compete through national champions and the costs of staying at the bleeding edge of technology inexorably increases in the pursuit of ever finer dimensions. Today we hear of tariffs, but many countries promote their national champions through government policies such as low-interest rate loans, tax policy, grants etc. This is nothing new, other countries simply have more obscure ways to play the game. Happily, and unlike war (where countries compete on the battlefield) the customer tend to be the beneficiary of this form of inter-country competition rather than the victims of it.
With the growing realisation that semiconductors are key to AI and the strategic importance of having production onshore, we expect increased need for our products not only from semiconductor equipment manufacturers but also from wafer manufacturers. We also expect growth in the aerospace and medical markets. Unfortunately, much of our value-add comes from hardware sourced from Germany and is therefore subject to tariffs.”
Being Canadian and now working near New York, how has the transition been, both professionally and personally?
Paul: “I’ve actually lived in the US before. I’ve worked in Cary, Colorado Springs, and Silicon Valley so the transition felt familiar. As far as living near a big, busy, exciting city, I’ve had the good fortune to have lived in Shanghai and Tokyo. NYC has the advantage that I (roughly) speak the same language as the locals. Our centre in Totowa is also close to forest and lakes. I’ve seen deer near our car park and had to swerve to avoid wild turkey. Summer has been a little too hot here for this Canadian but winter will be much warmer and comfortable than I’m used to.”
As a business unit manager, what are your main priorities and goals for the coming year?
Paul: “I’m also responsible for our US operations. Stabilizing sales in this period of uncertainty due to tariffs is the immediate priority. As that settles down, I’ll focus more on seeing how we can develop the semiconductor market. Particularly applications using materials that our machines are well suited for, Si, GaN, SiC, CZT, and who knows maybe diamond power devices. I’m also interested to see if we can grow our presence in the MEMS market.”
To close on a lighter note: Which one is more difficult, choosing where to eat lunch at a tradeshow or finding the best parameters for a semiconductor application?
Paul: “I have never thought of comparing the two, but it would definitely be the latter. You have to find the best compromise between warring experts. Choosing lunch at a tradeshow, on the other hand, is much simpler, you just accept that it will probably be overpriced and move on. By the way, I will attend Semicon West beginning of October. I always enjoy the opportunity to reconnect with partners and customers. It’s a pity it’s no longer in San Francisco, which always gave the event a special energy. But I’m curious to see how the show feels in these interesting times and what opportunities are there for Synova.”
