Ramya Shankar

Background

About Ramya Shankar

I work at the intersection of Semiconductor Product, Technology and Operations, creating innovative product solutions and building capabilities from the ground up that resolve complex challenges and grow business value. Leveraging an extensive leadership career in the semiconductor industry, I bring expertise in both execution-focused (volume manufacturing, NPI, quality) and exploration-focused teams (product definition, technology development, ecosystem enablement). Adept at cross-functional management and stakeholder alignment to drive product and business success. Noted for: Productization Founding member of Custom Silicon Operations team, recognized for engineering innovation and global leadership in launching four generations of networking ASICs in six years, supporting over ten different hardware product lines. Managed high volume scale (>$xB+ revenue), successfully navigating the semiconductor shortages by qualifying alternate sources, managing capacity planning and allocation, and optimizing manufacturing processes. AI and Robotics for Operations Pioneered the use of industry-first robots for high-volume ASIC testing, reducing test costs and increasing throughput by 10x. Developed a strategic plan for integrating AI and robotics into workforce strategy, pioneering use of cobots in lab environment for characterization, with projected ROI in double digits after first year. Created a comprehensive roadmap for Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and AI-based analytics to accelerate yield learning and incident response. Zero-to-One and Scale Led teams through zero-to-one product launches and successfully managed ramp (four generations of ASICs, 40+ SKUs, 10+ hardware product lines). Built and scaled a multi-domain team for an acquisition that reshaped Cisco product strategy, growing from five to ~100 people globally. Technology Development and Incubation Co-developed materials, processes, and test infrastructure in partnership with supplier ecosystem as part of multi-year roadmap for sustained ASIC differentiation (electrical and thermo-mechanical) and operational metrics improvement (cycle time and yield).