Microchip Technology was co-founded by a group of corporate executives and engineers when it spun off from General Instrument in 1989, with key leadership arriving shortly thereafter to rescue the firm from near bankruptcy. Visionary executive Steve Sanghi joined the enterprise early in its independent history as president and chief executive officer, driving its turnaround strategy, building its corporate culture, and steering its long-term growth into a premier global microcontroller and semiconductor powerhouse.