State controls are hindering tech M&A, says Infineon CMO

BERLIN - Increasingly stringent state rules around the world have made takeovers in the high-tech sector more difficult, said German microchip maker Infineon's chief marketing officer.

"It lengthens the time until a green light is given and involves considerable uncertainty," Helmut Gassel said on Thursday.

Governments reserved the right to audit even the smallest takeovers, he said, adding the M&A environment in the high-tech and semiconductor sectors overall has become far more difficult.

Gassel's comment comes after a takeover offer for German chip supplier Siltronic by Taiwan's GlobalWafers fell through this week because the German government did not give regulatory approval in time.