Power Integrations CEO Balu Balakrishnan to retire

Power Integrations (POWI) announced that Balu Balakrishnan, the company’s CEO since 2002, will retire from that role once a successor is in place. The company’s board of directors has retained an executive search firm to assist in identifying its next CEO; both internal and external candidates will be considered. Mr. Balakrishnan, 70, intends to serve as executive chairman of the company’s board for as long as is needed to ensure a smooth transition to his successor, and is expected to remain on the board of directors thereafter. Balakrishnan joined Power Integrations in 1989, shortly after its formation, from National Semiconductor, where he was a product-line manager. He is the inventor of many Power Integrations products including TOPSwitch, the company’s first commercial product, followed by TinySwitch, the first product to feature the company’s renowned EcoSmart technology for reducing standby-power waste. Mr. Balakrishnan served in a succession of executive roles before being named president and chief operating officer in 2001. In 2002 he was named CEO and joined the company’s board of directors. He has been awarded more than 200 U.S. patents and has received numerous awards including the Discover Award for Technological Innovation in recognition of the environmental benefits of EcoSmart technology.