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Aart de Geus

Executive Chair & Founder, Synopsys · United States

✓ Verified current role· as of 2026-09-26

Aart de Geus is the Executive Chair & Founder of Synopsys. Geus is based in the United States. Earlier roles include positions at Synopsys. Geus was born in 1954 in Vlaardingen and educated at Cox School of Business and Southern Methodist University.

Co-founder and former CEO (1994-2024) of Synopsys, a pioneer in electronic design automation (EDA). Graduated with a master's degree in electrical engineering from EPFL Switzerland (1978) and a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University (1985). Started his career at General Electric developing semiconductor design tools before founding Synopsys in 1986.

Recent developments

AI summary of recent coverage

Recent coverage of Aart de Geus has focused on his transition from CEO to Executive Chair and Founder at Synopsys following the appointment of Sassine Ghazi as the company's new chief executive in early 2024. De Geus was also recognized with the semiconductor industry's highest honor in 2024 for his contributions to the field. Current coverage has shifted toward Synopsys's strategic initiatives, including the company's work on AI-related technology platforms.

Summarized from the headlines below; see each source for the full story.

Born
1954 · Vlaardingen
Citizenship
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Education
Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne
Awards
IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal, Phil Kaufman Award

Our coverage

On CEOInsider

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Aart de Geus: FAQ

Who is Aart de Geus?
Aart de Geus is the Executive Chair & Founder of Synopsys, based in United States.
Where did Aart de Geus work previously?
Earlier roles include Synopsys (CEO, until 2024).
Where was Aart de Geus educated?
Aart de Geus studied at Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.