Board of Directors

The Board oversees the management of Synopsys' business operations, and ensures the long-term interests of Synopsys' stockholders are served. Our Board members bring with them decades of experience in the software, semiconductor, manufacturing and distribution industries. To learn more about committees of the Board of Directors, visit the Board Committees area of this site.

Dr. Aart J. de Geus
Executive Chair & Founder 

Dr. Aart de Geus co-founded Synopsys in 1986 and led the company for more than 35 years, serving as CEO from 1994 to 2024. Widely regarded as a pioneer in electronic design automation (EDA), Aart brings deep knowledge of the company’s technology, business and culture, as well as the semiconductor industry more broadly. Under his leadership, Synopsys drove the creation and commercialization of logic synthesis, which transformed CAD (computer-aided design) into EDA and automated decades of scaling in digital complexity, generally referred to as ‘Moore’s Law’. Building on the technical and economic success of synthesis, Aart expanded Synopsys’ product portfolio and growing global market position through sustained R&D investment and ~120 acquisitions. His vision, strategic leadership, and long-standing customer and industry relationships established Synopsys as the leader in EDA and a cornerstone ecosystem company used prolifically on advanced digital chips globally. Beyond his executive leadership, Aart is recognized as a catalytic industry voice known for articulating the evolution of technology and the future of semiconductor design. Aart also established the Synopsys Foundation in 1999, which advances initiatives such as project-based science and math education in Silicon Valley, and he is a proactive voice for corporate engagement in the community.

Career Highlights

• Synopsys
  • Founding President of Optimal Solutions, Inc. (1986), renamed to Synopsys (1987)
  • CEO / Co-CEO (1994-2024)
  • Various roles, including President, COO and SVP of Engineering and Marketing (1986-1994)
• General Electric
  • Various roles, culminating in Manager of the Advanced Computer-Aided Engineering Group (1982-1986)

Board Experience 

• Applied Materials (since 2007)

Industry Leadership and Recognition

• 2024 Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) Robert N. Noyce Award
• 2009 Global Semiconductor Association (GSA) Morris Exemplary Leadership Award
• 2008 Electronic System Design Automation (ESDA) Phil Kaufman Award
• 2007 Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) “Spirit of the Valley” Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2007 IEEE Robert Noyce Medal

Sassine Ghazi

Mr. Ghazi brings multiple decades of chip design, applications engineering, sales, product management and development experience to Synopsys.  He has been instrumental to the strategic innovation and transformative growth of Synopsys since joining the company in 1998 as an applications engineer, advancing through a series of leadership roles before his appointment as CEO in 2024. Prior to becoming CEO, Mr. Ghazi served as President since 2021 and as COO beginning in 2020, leading all business units, sales and customer success, strategic alliances, marketing and communications at Synopsys.  Mr. Ghazi has also led the company’s EDA Design business unit, overseeing all digital and custom products that make up Synopsys’ largest business.  In that role, he spearheaded the launch of several groundbreaking solutions.  Prior to Synopsys, Mr. Ghazi was a design engineer at Intel, where he started his nearly 30-year long career in the industry. 

Career Highlights

• Synopsys
  • President (since 2021) and CEO (since 2024) 
  • COO (2020-2024)
  • GM EDA business unit (2016-2020)
  • Various roles in applications engineering and sales (1998-2016) 
• Intel
  • Design Engineer (1996-1998)

Luis Borgen

Mr. Borgen brings extensive financial and operational expertise from 25+ years in senior finance roles across multiple industries, including as CFO of athenahealth, where he helped transform the company into a leading provider of cloud-based healthcare solutions and led its $17 billion sale to Hellman & Friedman and Bain Capital. His diverse background in various industries, including as CFO of e-commerce company Vistaprint, specialty consumer company DAVIDsTEA and healthcare provider DaVita, as well as Senior Vice President, Finance, at multinational retailer Staples, qualify him as an expert in global finance and complex business operations. Mr. Borgen offers extensive public board experience, having served as a director of Eastern Bankshares since 2016 and Carter’s since 2021. Mr. Borgen began his career as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he attained the rank of Captain. 

 Career Highlights

• athenahealth
  • CFO (2019-2022)
• Vistaprint
  • CFO (2017-2019)
• DAVIDsTEA
  • CFO (2012-2017)
• DaVita
  • CFO (2010-2012)
• Staples
  • Various, culminating in SVP, Finance (1997-2010)
• U.S. Air Force
  • Various, culminating in Captain (1992-1997)

 Board Experience 

• Carter’s (since 2021)
• Eastern Bankshares (since 2016)

Janice D. Chaffin

Ms. Chaffin is a technology executive with more than 30 years of experience leading and transforming global, large-scale software and hardware businesses. As Group President of the Consumer Business of Symantec (now Gen Digital), Ms. Chaffin oversaw the ~$2 billion Norton security brand, driving multiple years of consecutive revenue growth and maintaining market leadership while transforming the business from retail to online e-commerce and expanding product offerings. Prior to leading the Norton business, Ms. Chaffin helped build a global organization that addressed both enterprise and consumer markets as the first Chief Marketing Officer of Symantec. Prior to Symantec, she held executive roles at Hewlett-Packard Company, including as a member of the executive team that founded and scaled the Unix server business to over $5 billion. Ms. Chaffin has directly participated in both large and small acquisitions and integrations, including HP/Compaq and Symantec/Veritas.  She also has substantial experience as a public company director, having served on the board of PTC since 2013 (and Chair since 2024) and Informatica since 2019, as well as tenures at International Game Technology and Electronics for Imaging. 

Career Highlights

• Symantec (now Gen Digital)
  • Group President, Consumer Business Unit (2007-2013)
  • EVP and Chief Marketing Officer (2006-2007)
  • SVP and Chief Marketing Officer (2003-2006) 
• Hewlett-Packard Company
  • Various management and marketing leadership positions, including General Manager of the Unix server business (1981-2003)

 Board Experience 

• Informatica (since 2019)
• PTC (since 2013)
• Electronics for Imaging (2018-2019)
• International Game Technology (2010-2015)

Bruce R. Chizen 

Mr. Chizen is a seasoned technology executive with over a decade of leadership in the software industry and deep expertise in managing global organizations. As CEO of Adobe, he transformed the company into a multi-billion-dollar leader in digital design and publishing software, driving growth, innovation and large-scale organizational expansion. Mr. Chizen also offers valuable investor perspective and strategic insight from his role as Senior Adviser and Permira Growth Opportunities Partner at Permira Advisers, where he has partnered with management teams to scale technology businesses and enhance long-term value creation. He also served as a Venture Partner with Voyager Capital. He has an extensive record of public company board service and integration experience, having served on the boards of Informatica, ChargePoint Holdings, Oracle (where he oversaw its ~$28 billion acquisition of Cerner), and Adobe.

 Career Highlights

• Permira Advisers
  • Senior Adviser (since 2008) and PGO Partner (since 2018) 
• Voyager Capital
  • Venture Partner (2009-2023)
• Adobe
  • Strategic Adviser (2007-2008)
  • CEO (2000-2007)
  • President (2000-2005)
  • Various positions of increasing responsibility (1994-2000)

 Board Experience 

• Informatica (since 2015)
• ChargePoint Holdings (since 2014)
• Oracle (since 2008)
• Adobe (2000-2008)

Ajei Gopal

Dr. Gopal has substantial background in both technology and senior management of large software and technology companies. He is the CEO of Procore Technologies, the leading global provider of construction management software. Previously, during his tenure as CEO of Ansys, Dr. Gopal led the accelerated growth of the company, increasing its valuation from ~$8 billion market cap to the eventual sale to Synopsys for ~$35 billion. Previously, as Operating Partner at Silver Lake, one of the largest private equity firms in the world, he worked with several portfolio companies and was seconded as interim President and CEO to Symantec (now Gen Digital). Dr. Gopal has extensive M&A experience throughout his career at Ansys and Silver Lake. Moreover, he developed his expertise in global operations and business development in prior positions where he was responsible for software product and technology portfolios that drove billions of dollars in revenue, including SVP and General Manager, Software of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, EVP at CA Technologies, and EVP and Chief Technology Officer at Symantec. Dr. Gopal served as CEO and board member of ReefEdge Networks, a company he co-founded in 2000. He worked at IBM from 1991 to 2000, initially at IBM Research and later in IBM’s Software Group.

 Career Highlights

• Procore Technologies
  • CEO (since 2025)
• Ansys
  • President and CEO (2017-2025)
  • President and COO (2016-2017)
• Symantec (now Gen Digital)
  • Interim President and COO (2016)
• Silver Lake
  • Operating Partner (2013-2016)
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise 
  • SVP (2011-2013)
• CA Technologies
  • EVP (2006-2011)
• Symantec (now Gen Digital)
  • EVP and Chief Technology Officer (2004-2006)
• ReefEdge Networks
  • Co-founder and CEO (2000-2004)

Board Experience 

• Procore Technologies (since 2025)
• Fiserv (since 2024)
• Ansys (2011-2025)
• Citrix (2017-2021)

Mercedes Johnson

Ms. Johnson brings 20+ years of senior financial leadership and public company governance experience in the technology sector. Through her tenures as CFO of Avago Technologies (now Broadcom), SVP, Finance and CFO of Lam Research and interim CFO of Intersil, she directed global finance functions, bringing discipline and oversight to complex, technology-driven businesses with international scale. Ms. Johnson also offers deep expertise in semiconductors and information technology, developed through her leadership positions at Avago Technologies, Lam Research and Applied Materials. She has a track record of public company board service, including Analog Devices, Teradyne, Juniper Networks, Maxim Integrated Products (where she oversaw Maxim’s ~$21 billion sale to Analog Devices and subsequent integration), Micron Technology, Millicom International Cellular, Intersil and Storage Technology.

Career Highlights

• Intersil 
  • Interim CFO (2013)
• Avago Technologies (now Broadcom)
  • SVP and CFO (2005-2008)
• Lam Research
  • SVP, Finance (2004-2005)
  • CFO (1997-2004)

Board Experience 

• Analog Devices (since 2021)
• Teradyne (since 2014)
• Millicom International Cellular (2019-2023)
• Maxim Integrated Products (2019-2021)
• Juniper Networks (2011-2019)
• Micron Technology (2005-2019)
• Intersil (2005-2017)
• Storage Technology (2004-2005) 

Robert G. Painter

Mr. Painter brings extensive executive leadership experience and insight, currently serving as President and CEO of Trimble, a leading global industrial technology company.  Since joining Trimble in 2006, he held positions in M&A, General Management, and served as CFO before becoming CEO in 2020.  Mr. Painter has guided the company’s evolution into an asset-light, software-driven, recurring-revenue-oriented business. This transformation has been further advanced through a series of strategic acquisitions and divestitures that strengthened Trimble’s focus, resilience, and long-term growth profile, culminating in its inclusion in the S&P 500.  Mr. Painter also brings strategy, manufacturing, and corporate development experiences from his leadership roles at Cenveo, Rapt, Bain & Company, Whole Foods Market and Kraft Foods.

Career Highlights

• Trimble
  • President and CEO (since 2020)
  • CFO (2016-2019)
  • Various leadership positions (2006-2016)

Board Experience 

• Trimble (since 2020)

Jeannine P. Sargent

Ms. Sargent is an experienced corporate director and executive with 30+ years of international operating, strategy, technology and M&A experience across multiple sectors. Her track record of building and scaling companies, in addition to designing multiple disruptive hardware and software products, is evidenced during her time as President of Flex, where she launched the Energy business and Lab IX Corporate Ventures Group, CEO of Oerlikon Solar, and CEO of Voyan Technology. As a Senior Advisor at Generation Investment Management, a Venture Partner and Senior Advisor at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, an Operating Partner at G2 Venture Partners, a Senior Advisor, Operating Partner of Katalyst Ventures and Trustee at Northeastern University, Ms. Sargent engages and advises over 150 portfolio companies at the leading edge of today’s technology innovations and has gained decades of experience transforming, building and commercializing companies in emerging markets across multiple industries, geographies and business cycles. She also has significant experience executing investment, acquisition, and capital allocation strategies as a current director at Fortive and former director at Cypress Semiconductor, Proterra, and Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital.

Career Highlights

• Flex
  • Various, culminating with President of Innovation and New Ventures (2012-2017)
• Oerlikon Solar
  • CEO (2007-2010)
• Voyan Technology
  • CEO (1997-2002)

 Board Experience 

• Fortive (since 2019)
• Proterra (2021-2024)
• Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital (2021-2022)
• Cypress Semiconductor (2017-2020) 

John G. Schwarz

Mr. Schwarz has deep expertise in the software sector as CEO of Business Objects, where he doubled the company’s size and profitability through seven strategic acquisitions and led its transformational merger with SAP, successfully overseeing the integration and global expansion of SAP’s business intelligence business. Moreover, Mr. Schwarz offers extensive board and cybersecurity experience, having served as a director of Teradata Corporation since 2010 and as a director of Avast PLC from 2011 to 2022, including as Chairman, where he guided Avast PLC’s $8.6 billion sale to NortonLifeLock (now Gen Digital). In addition, Mr. Schwarz provides insight into intelligence technologies as the Chairman of Visier, where he previously served as CEO and advanced the company’s artificial intelligence applications while scaling its global operations.

Career Highlights

• Visier Inc.
  • Co-Founder & Chairman (since 2010)
  • CEO (2010-2020)
• SAP 
  • Division CEO (Business Objects) (2008-2010)
• Business Objects
  • CEO (2005-2008)
• Symantec Corporation (now Gen Digital Inc.)
  • President and COO (2001-2005)
• Reciprocal Inc.
  • President and CEO (2000-2001)
• IBM Corporation
  • 25 years in various roles, culminating with General Manager, Industry Solutions 

Board Experience 

• Teradata Corporation (since 2010)
• Avast PLC (2011-2022)
• SuccessFactors (2010-2011)
• Verity (2003-2005) 

Ravi Vijayaraghavan

Mr. Vijayaraghavan has over 35 years of experience in the technology industry and is an expert on global businesses, M&A, strategy and transformation. His work with clients as a leader in Bain & Company’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity practices has made him an expert in setting and executing on corporate strategic agendas to drive sustained organic and M&A-led growth and value creation at technology and telecommunications companies. As a Senior Partner, he leads global client relationships in technology and telecommunications and established and led Bain’s Asia-Pacific technology practice. Through his multiple senior roles with the firm, including serving as Head of the Asia-Pacific Technology Practice, Mr. Vijayaraghavan is deeply versed in a broad range of technology markets (including software, hardware, semiconductors, and services) as well as the telecom sector across North America, Europe and Asia. He began his career in software development and product management at Oracle Corporation and Centigram Communications.

Career Highlights

• Bain & Company
  • Partner (since 2001) and Senior Partner (since 2008)
  • Director and Head of the Asia-Pacific Technology Practice (2004-2006 and 2019-2024)
  • Member, Global Partner Compensation & Promotion Committee (2015-2020)
  • Various positions of increasing responsibility (1995-2019) 

 Board Experience 

• Ansys (2020-2025)
• Singapore Land Authority (2004-2006)