Photo credit: ASML
If you’re looking for some real job security, check out Christophe Fouquet’s gig. He leads ASML, the company that makes the only machines on Earth capable of producing the world’s most advanced chips. In a year when AI demand is exploding and governments are scrambling to secure semiconductor supply chains, Fouquet is at the center of both the tech economy and global geopolitics. ASML is scaling production of its next-generation High-NA EUV systems. These machines cost hundreds of millions of dollars each, take years to build, and are essential for companies like TSMC, Intel, and Samsung to stay competitive. It means Fouquet gets to make some truly heavyweight decisions, like who gets these machines, how fast ASML will ship them, and which technologies the company will prioritize.
He also plays a quiet but crucial role in international policy, since ASML’s tools are tightly controlled by export regulations.
