MediaTek has appointed Rick Tsai as the company's co-CEO, effective July 1, 2017. Tsai will report directly to MediaTek chairman and CEO Ming-Kai Tsai and will also assume responsibility as vice chairman of the Mediatek Group.

MediaTek said it has also nominated Rick Tsai - a former CEO of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) - for a seat on its board of directors.

The company said a MediaTek Group Office will be established to reinforce responses to future operation and development needs. Ching-Jiang Hsieh, vice Chairman and president of MediaTek, will assume the responsibility as president of MediaTek Group Office and reports directly to Ming-Kai Tsai.

Ming-Kai Tsai emphasized that he and co-CEO will be working on the mid- to long-term strategic blueprint for fthe company's expansion.

Rick Tsai received a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Cornell University. Prior to MediaTek, he served as chairman and CEO of Chunghwa Telecom from 2014 to 2016. From 2011 to 2014, he was concurrently chairman and CEO of TSMC Solar, a provider of high-performance solar modules, and TSMC Solid State Lighting, a company providing integrated LED lighting solutions.

Rick Tsai was TSMC's president of New Businesses from June 2009 to July 2011 and president and CEO of TSMC from July 2005 to June 2009.