Early Life
Lisa Tzwu-Fang Su was born in November 1969 in Tainan, Taiwan. At the age of three, she immigrated with her family to the United States, growing up in the Queens borough of New York City. Her parents, Su Chun-hwai and Sandy Lo, encouraged her and her brother to excel in math and science. When she was seven, her father began quizzing her on multiplication tables, and her mother, an accountant turned entrepreneur, introduced her to business concepts.
Education and Early Career
Su attended the Bronx High School of Science, graduating in 1986. She then went on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she earned bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering. She began her career at Texas Instruments in 1994, working in the Semiconductor Process and Device Center. She joined IBM in 1995, where she held various engineering and leadership positions, including Vice President of the Semiconductor Research and Development Center.
Rise to Success at AMD
Su joined AMD in January 2012 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Global Business Units. In October 2014, she was appointed President and CEO. At the time, AMD was facing financial and technological challenges. Under her leadership, AMD has undergone a significant turnaround, focusing on high-performance computing and challenging industry leaders like Intel and Nvidia.
Key Business Strategies
Su spearheaded the development of the Ryzen and EPYC processor lines, disrupting Intel's dominance. She also championed the use of chiplets to improve production flexibility. Her focus on innovation and strategic partnerships has been crucial to AMD's growth.
Philanthropy
Lisa Su is involved in philanthropic efforts, particularly those focused on promoting STEM education.