Gary Dickerson was named President of Applied Materials, Inc. in June 2012 and appointed Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors in September 2013. Applied Materials is the leader in materials engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor and advanced display in the world.

Recognized as a top-performing CEO by Barron’s, Forbes and Harvard Business Review, Mr. Dickerson has decades of experience in the semiconductor industry and a track record of delivering profitable growth, market share gains and industry-leading customer satisfaction. Since becoming CEO, he has grown Applied’s revenue and set records for profitability while investing in talent, creating jobs and generating significant patents for technology breakthroughs.

Under his leadership, Applied is turning advances in materials science into commercial impact, working to sustainably scale AI by enabling faster and more energy-efficient transistors, chips and systems. He introduced a new high-velocity co-innovation model, which brings chipmakers, equipment suppliers, universities and research institutions together to compress the path from concept to commercialized chip, utilizing Applied’s EPIC (Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization) Center in Silicon Valley. The EPIC Center represents the largest-ever U.S. investment in advanced semiconductor equipment R&D.

Mr. Dickerson received the SEMI Sustainability Excellence Award for advancing sustainability practices across the semiconductor supply chain. Applied Materials is leading the industry with a Net Zero 2040 playbook built on cross-ecosystem collaboration and has been named one of the world’s most admired and most sustainable companies. In 2024, the President of Singapore recognized Mr. Dickerson as a Distinguished Friend of Singapore for his contributions to the nation’s economic growth and his partnership with the region’s semiconductor industry.

Before joining Applied, Mr. Dickerson spent seven years as CEO of Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc., which Applied Materials acquired in 2011. He previously spent 18 years at KLA-Tencor Corporation (now KLA), including serving as President and Chief Operating Officer. He began his career in manufacturing and engineering management at General Motors’ Delco Electronics Division and AT&T Technologies. Mr. Dickerson holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering management from the University of Missouri–Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) and an MBA from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.