Templeton made the crucial decision to pull TI out of digital markets and focus on analogue, to whch end he bought National Semiconductor.

In 2010, in the depths of a chip recession, Templeton bought two Spansion fabs in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan and fab equipment from Qimonda’s bankruptcy which gave TI considerable extra capacity to use when the market came back.

It also allowed TI to move a lot of its analogue portfolio onto 300mm wafers to cut costs.

Gross margin was 64% last year.

Templeton is to stay on as chairman.