TomTom, Dutch GPS and auto tech firm, CEO backs minister’s takeover of Nexperia
Caretaker Minister Vincent Karremans acted correctly by taking control of chip manufacturer Nexperia, despite widespread criticism, according to Harold Goddijn, CEO of TomTom in Het Financieele Dagblad (FD).
TomTom, based in Amsterdam, is active in the automotive industry, a sector that appeared vulnerable to disruption due to Karremans’ intervention. Yet Goddijn praised the minister for "raising awareness of Europe’s dependence on China."
“It is not that we now have to pick a fight with China. Absolutely not,” Goddijn told FD. “But I do think it is beneficial that—if such a conflict arises—it becomes clear in the public debate how little control we really have over our own supply chain.”
Goddijn emphasized that the Nexperia incident will not cause lasting damage, either to TomTom or to Dutch businesses as a whole. “A little disagreement with a chip supplier—yes, that shouldn’t make a difference,” he said.
It has become known this weekend that Wingtech, the Chinese owner of chipmaker Nexperia, has accused its Dutch branch of secretly plotting to create an independent supply chain and permanently remove the parent company from control. The allegations follow a recent ruling by the Amsterdam Enterprise Chamber that suspended Nexperia’s Chinese CEO, Zhang Xuezheng, over suspected mismanagement—a decision Wingtech is now appealing to the Supreme Court in The Hague.
Nexperia Netherlands strongly denied the claims of independent supply chain ambitions. Reports from European directors raised concerns about serious mismanagement, prompting the suspension of Zhang, according to a company spokesperson. Wingtech, however, argued that the Dutch government’s involvement skewed the ruling and that the company’s arguments were not properly considered.
