Joe Haggerty

Senior Manager - VAT

San Jose, California, United States

About

Experienced C-level manager with over 15 years managing large international organisations of over 1000 employees. Proven successful turnaround experience in a private equity environment. Over 35 years of technical and managerial experience in high tech industries, primarily in thin film technologies for semiconductor, optical, and wear-resistance coatings based on PVD, CVD, and PACVD deposition. Work experience includes designing, opening, and running several factories on three different continents and managing networks of up to 50 thin film coating centers. Full time work experience in the USA, China, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

Experience

  • VAT Group (8 yrs)
    • Senior Manager
      May 2026 - Present · 2 mos

    • President - US Operations
      Jul 2024 - Apr 2026 · 1 yr 10 mos

    • Senior Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Services
      Jul 2018 - Jun 2024 · 6 yrs

      VAT is the world's leading supplier of vacuum valves serving the semiconductor, flat panel display, solar panel, and thin films industries with approximately 2000 employees based in Haag, Switzerland. As Head of Global Services duties include management of 210mCHF of business activities across the company's global network of service centers and leading a team engineering valve upgrades and retrofits for the semiconductor market as well as new valve designs for the sub-fab market. In 2020 became the Head of Global Sales & Service for the company overseeing all sales and service operations in the worldwide VAT network and managing roughly 700mCHF in sales revenue and a team of over 300 employees. In 2022 sales reached over 1.2B CHF.

  • Founder at Haggerty International
    Feb 2017 - Jun 2018 · 1 yr 5 mos

    Haggerty International was a management consulting company focusing on new factory start-ups, management systems implementation, and margin improvement projects. Collaborations included a 9 month assignment in Malaysia ramping up a new factory for optical thin film coating supplier Optics Balzers for high volume optical components for facial recognition systems in the mobile phone market. Additionally, engaged with a Swiss-based start-up developing holographic photolithography systems. Work was focused on developing strategic business plans, technology roadmaps, and securing financial, strategic and commercial partnerships.

  • CEO at Ionbond IHI Group
    Jan 2007 - Sep 2016 · 9 yrs 9 mos

    Ionbond is a global leader in thin film coating services designed for wear-protection applications with over 1000 employees and 140mCHF in sales (approx. 140mUSD). The company has a network of 40 coating centres in 18 countries in Europe, America, and Asia. The company provides PVD, CVD, and PACVD vacuum deposition services for products in automotive, industrial, and medical applications. The company was sold in December of 2012 to IHI of Japan. During 10 year career led all aspects of the turnaround of the company beginning in 2007 and through the Lehmann crisis in 2009. At that time the company was held by the private equity firm Stirling Square Capital Partners based in London. Brought the company from negative to +20% EBIT margins leading to the sale of the company to IHI in 2012.

  • Senior Vice President and Head of the Optics Division at Oerlikon
    Jun 1996 - Oct 2006 · 10 yrs 5 mos

    Oerlikon is a global technology company focusing on surface solutions, advanced materials, and materials processing. The company is based near Zürich and generates revenues of over 2.5BCHF annually and employees over 13,000 employees. Historically, the company's strengths have been in thin film vacuum deposition processes and equipment used in semiconductor, wear protection, and optical coatings. During 10 year career opened the first production plant for the Optics Division in the USA that grew to over 100 employees as well as the first production plant in China that ultimately grew to over 400 employees. Promoted to the Head of the Optics Division in 2003 managing four production sites in Liechtenstein, Germany, USA, and China with over 1000 employees.

  • Manufacturing Manager & Project Engineer at Hughes Aircraft Company (Hughes-JVC)
    Jun 1985 - May 1996 · 11 yrs

    Hughes-JVC was a joint venture between Hughes Aircraft Company of the USA and JVC of Japan. The company produced high resolution LCD projectors for home theatre, cinema, and simulator applications. Started 10 year career as a process and test engineer before being promoted to manufacturing manager for the entire LCLV production line. This line produced a complex thin film device incorporating e-beam evaporation, sputtering, and PACVD deposition processes. Managed a 24-7 operation and over 40 personnel. Responsible for transferring entire production line to Japan in 1996.