Nvidia-Supplier ASML's CEO Wants Young Leaders To Stop Asking Him This 'Absurd' But Common Question And Do This Instead

Christophe Fouquet, CEO of semiconductor heavyweight ASML, has a blunt response for those seeking a shortcut to the corner office: Stop asking. He believes the question "How do I become CEO?" misses the point entirely.

What Happened: "I see too many young people who come to see me, and they want to be CEO, and they ask me ‘how do we become CEO?' And I try to explain to them in the nicest possible way that this is almost an absurd question," Fouquet told Norges Bank Investment Management CEO Nicolai Tangen on the In Good Company podcast.

Instead, he said, aspiring leaders should ask, "What am I going to do tomorrow that really gets me excited, that really brings the best out of me?"

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Fouquet, who never craved the C-Suite in his early years, earned around €3.5 million last year. "Because if you go and do that every day, there may be a chance you become CEO — most probably a bigger chance that you don't—but you will equally end up doing something that brings you joy, energy, and most importantly brings that to the people around you." He encourages students to choose subjects they genuinely enjoy instead of focusing on strategic career paths.

ASML, valued at roughly $230 billion, has skyrocketed in importance. Its lithography machines power advanced semiconductor production for top players like Nvidia, fueling tech's post-pandemic and AI-driven surge.

"I think the first part of your career is about proving yourself, I truly believe that," Fouquet said. "And then you look forward, you say, okay, what's next… what can I do to help and where is the place where I can do something that matters?"

Featured image via Shutterstock

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