Intel denies TSMC allegations that executive leaked trade secrets

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By Wen-Yee Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Intel on Thursday denied allegations by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing that one of its executives, Wei-Jen Lo, who formerly worked at the Taiwanese chipmaker, had leaked trade secrets.

“Based on everything we know, we have no reason to believe there is any merit to the allegations involving Mr Lo,” Intel said in an emailed statement.

Lo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Intel said the company maintains rigorous policies and controls that strictly prohibit the use or transfer of any third-party confidential information or intellectual property.

“We take these commitments seriously,” Intel said.

The U.S. chipmaker said it has welcomed back Lo and that he is widely respected across the semiconductor industry for his integrity, leadership and technical expertise. “Talent movement across companies is a common and healthy part of our industry, and this situation is no different,” the company added.

TSMC said on Tuesday it had filed a lawsuit in Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court against Lo, its former senior vice president.

Lo, who helped drive TSMC’s mass production of cutting edge 5-nanometre, 3-nm and 2-nm chips, joined Intel in October after retiring from TSMC following a 21-year-long career there.

Before joining TSMC in 2004, Lo worked at Intel for 18 years.

TSMC had said in a statement that “there is a high probability that Lo uses, leaks, discloses or transfers TSMC’s trade secrets and confidential information to Intel, thus making legal actions necessary

Taiwan’s economy ministry said this week that it will cooperate to determine whether the case involves the infringement of core technologies or violations of Taiwan’s National Security Act.

(Reporting by Wen-Yee Lee; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Jacqueline Wong)