On track for growth

How strategically important is this region for Lexar?

I’m thrilled about Lexar’s prospects in the Middle East, and our local team has been performing admirably, achieving significant milestones in terms of market coverage and sales revenue. Currently, we are strategically prioritising brand positioning, and you can expect to make substantial investments in this area in the coming year.

As the new CEO, what is your vision for Lexar?

I have two key points to address this question. First, revenue is undeniably important. Having a substantial revenue indicates market share and a notable presence in the market. It’s essential to ensure customers and distributors are familiar with Lexar. When people purchase and use our products and find them exceptional, they recognize Lexar’s value.

 However, the second point is even more important for me: making Lexar the best employer. Why? Because to earn respect for Lexar in the market, we must first earn the respect of our own employees. When our team loves the company and is dedicated to their roles, it empowers Lexar to create superior products and establish a stronger brand globally. My ultimate dream is to position Lexar among the world’s best employers. Achieving this would signify a significant milestone for us.

What sets Lexar apart in this very competitive market?

We have 800 engineers engaged in R&D. Also, we have our own controller, which is a crucial component in our SSDs and memory cards. These cards, designed and manufactured by us, consist of two key elements: the controller and the wafer. The controller represents the high-tech core of the card, serving as its CPU. In the past, we relied on third-party chips for this purpose. Now, we have developed our high-performance, top-quality chip specifically designed for SSDs and memory cards.

If you look at the memory cards market today, I admit SanDisk has a larger market share, primarily because we didn’t have competitive products in this category. However, the game has changed with the introduction of our proprietary chipset. We’ve elevated performance standards significantly, with substantially higher read and write speeds than the competition, giving us a distinct competitive edge. Furthermore, it’s important to note that some of our competitors rely on the same manufacturing facility. In contrast, Lexar has taken a different path by acquiring PTI China, a leading company in wafer packaging. This strategic move underscores Lexar’s unique DNA in this industry.

What are Lexar’s current priorities in terms of technological innovation?

Data storage has become indispensable given the rapid growth in internet users in the region, coupled with the steep rise in the volume of data generated from various digital platforms. This has resulted in a significant demand for more advanced and secure data storage solutions, a trend we expect will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. 

 Data storage for professional photographers, videographers, and content creators from the media and entertainment industry can be rather complex and challenging. Given that both these industries continue to face unprecedented challenges in the digital era, the demand for high-quality content, the proliferation of formats and platforms, the need for scalability and agility, and the threat of cyberattacks are some of the factors that put pressure on the industry’s data management capabilities. 

Lexar is not just perfectly positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for memory and storage solutions through our wide range of products; we have also been able to anticipate and respond to the evolving needs of our target market.  

Moreover, data security is of topmost importance for Lexar – all of our new portfolio of memory solutions features data security technology called ‘Lexar Data Shield’, which is an advanced software that keeps files safe with 256-bit AES encryption.

Can you share insights into Lexar’s approach towards environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility?

Sustainable development is a crucial consideration for Lexar, encompassing the continuous iteration of our product technology using the most advanced processes, such as lower nanometer IC chips and higher-stacked flash wafers. This means that Lexar’s products offer high performance while consuming less power.

Furthermore, our production and manufacturing integration will also utilize the most advanced methods globally to ensure that products are environmentally friendly and energy-efficient, taking into account sustainable development dimensions.

With Lexar’s global sales reaching billions of units, any small energy-saving measures are a priority for us to invest in, as they represent Lexar’s social responsibility and user value.

We believe that as our world becomes increasingly interconnected, so does our awareness of the environmental impact of technology. The semiconductor industry is no exception. There’s a growing demand for green semiconductors—chips that are energy-efficient and produced using sustainable methods.

The quest for eco-friendly semiconductors involves minimizing energy consumption during manufacturing, recycling electronic waste, and investigating innovative materials that combine efficiency with environmental sustainability. It’s a trend driven not only by consumer demand but also by a collective responsibility to protect our planet.