Achieving Public Affairs Leadership in the Semiconductor Industry

Challenge

A large European semiconductor company sought to expand its government contracts and grants by achieving government affairs leadership in the industry. However, the company found itself in a bind: its existing European public affairs framework was not aligned with the company’s innovation objectives.

The company had six weeks to develop a new strategy, which would be presented to its board and form a blueprint for a go-forward plan. Recognizing LNE Group’s expertise in European public affairs and funding pursuit, the company engaged LNE Group to provide a fresh perspective on its European public affairs program and offer strategies and recommendations to generate new procurement opportunities and increase public funding for R&D.

Approach

Recognizing that time was tight, LNE Group engaged resources from its U.S. and European teams to “stretch” the workday for the project to 18 hours (taking advantage of the 6-hour time difference between the U.S. and Europe). In less than six weeks, LNE Group consultants lead a comprehensive analysis and proposed an overhaul of the company’s approach to European public affairs, funding, and procurement.

LNE Group provided an assessment of, and recommendations for, realigning the company’s public affairs framework with its innovation and public sector business development objectives. As part of its work, LNE Group: (1) recommended a new public affairs program structure to eliminate silos with clearer delineation of responsibilities and communications between the company’s public affairs and innovation groups; (2) improved issue monitoring, funding program, and procurement opportunity identification mechanisms; (3) recommended several untapped funding programs at the European Commission and National levels for the company to exploit; and (4) suggested specific strategies that would lead to greater public subsidies and procurement opportunities in the long term.

Result

The strategy was presented to the company’s board and the client implemented many of LNE Group’s recommendations. Today, the company continues to be a leader in the semiconductor industry and is pleased with its public affairs performance compared to its industry peers.