Dutch court orders probe into China-owned Nexperia

A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered a formal investigation into alleged mismanagement at Dutch semiconductor company Nexperia, which is owned by China’s Wingtech Technology and has become a focal point in geopolitical tensions over critical chip technology.

The Amsterdam-based Enterprise Chamber said there were “valid reasons to doubt the sound policy and conduct of business at Nexperia” and instructed that an inquiry be launched, News.Az reports, citing AFP.

The probe is expected to take several months.

The court had previously intervened in October by suspending Nexperia’s Chinese chief executive, Zhang Xuezheng, also known as Wing, over concerns about his management. Those measures will remain in place during the investigation.

“The director remains suspended. The appointment of a temporary director at Nexperia and the transfer of the shares in Nexperia remain in effect,” the court said in a statement.

According to the ruling, there was “negligent conduct involving a conflict of interest.” The court also found that Zhang altered the company’s strategy without consulting other board members, failed to honour agreements with Dutch authorities, and restricted the authority of Nexperia’s European executives.

Nexperia has been at the centre of a broader standoff between Beijing and Western governments, amid concerns that disputes over semiconductor supply chains could disrupt industries such as automotive manufacturing that depend heavily on its chips.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev