Intel fully backs its controversial new hire that TSMC alleges took company secrets with him — CEO Lip-Bu Tan highlights Team Blue's strict ethics policy in internal memo amid high-stakes lawsuit

Yesterday, we reported on TSMC's newly filed lawsuit against one of its former executives, Wei-Jen Lo, alleging breach of contract. TSMC believes that Lo's extensive history at the firm carries invaluable "trade secrets" that he could leak to Intel, giving it a competitive advantage. Today, in response to this lawsuit, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reassured employees in an internal memo that the company fully stands behind Wei-Jen Lo and dismissed all allegations as baseless.

Lo joined Intel as Executive Vice President in October 2025, just a few months after leaving TSMC, following his 21-year stint at the company. Lo was one of the highest-ranking execs there, overseeing R&D and manufacturing operations. He brings a unique perspective to the industry, drawing on experience in both chip design and mass production — a skill any semiconductor firm will find indispensable.

In July 2025, Lo retired from TSMC with a non-compete and an NDA in place that TSMC argues forbade him from joining Intel. Apparently, Lo did not inform TSMC that he had lined up a position at a competitor in the same sector, so his hiring came as a surprise and a potential legal risk. Intel, on the other hand, welcomed him with open arms in its first statement since the news broke.

"Based on everything we know today, we see no merit to the allegations involving Wei-Jen, and he continues to have our full support. As part of this transformation, Intel has welcomed back Wei-Jen Lo, who previously spent 18 years at Intel working on the development of Intel's wafer processing technology before joining TSMC, where he continued his work in their wafer processing technology development."

Lo worked for Intel before he joined TSMC in 2004, so the situation is just coming full circle. Now he's back at his original company, but full of confidential info from his previous employer, according to TSMC. Intel remains fervent in denying these claims, saying that it "maintains rigorous policies and controls that strictly prohibit the use or transfer of any third-party confidential information or intellectual property."

Having the full support of Lip-Bu Tan certainly makes the situation more interesting than just a routine litigation spat. It suggests that Lo's hiring has already been confirmed to some degree and is ready to move ahead. It also shows that Intel is serious about its chipmaking ambitions following a government-backed revitalization over the past few months, as evidenced by the debut of the 18A process in Panther Lake. After a long while, Intel can finally be competitive with TSMC again.

The lawsuit, therefore, gains additional nuance and could pertain to Lo's manufacturing expertise as part of a foundry that secures external customers. That's what Intel is looking to do right now, after all, and that work goes beyond just the chip design on its own. Moreover, if Lo was really bound by trade-secret laws and contracts, local Taiwanese courts (where the case was filed) have clear jurisdiction over the matter, regardless of Intel being an American company.

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