10 Western Digital engineering leaders
Fred Hong, Senior Director Of Engineering at WD, opens this list of Western Digital engineering leaders, which also includes a senior director of magnetic media design and directors of engineering in servo firmware, firmware development and process development. A reader can learn how engineering leaders work at Western Digital from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
David A.
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · WD
David A. has been Director of Engineering at WD since October 2020, based in San Jose, California, and the profile describes thin film deposition, etching process development and research and production support of magnetic thin film materials. David A. was Senior Manager at WD from 2015 to 2020 and a Process Development Engineer at Veeco from 2004 to 2009.
Fred Hong
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director Of Engineering · WD
Fred Hong has been Senior Director Of Engineering at WD since January 2020, based in San Jose, California. Fred Hong was Servo Director at HGST, a Western Digital brand, from 2013 to 2020 and Servo Manager there from 2010 to 2013, and was a Servo Engineer at Seagate Technology and Maxtor.
Haiwen Xi
LinkedInExperience: Dev. Engineering Director · WD
Haiwen Xi has been Dev. Engineering Director at WD since January 2013, based in San Jose, California, and the profile describes research and development work in magnetic materials, devices and information storage technologies. Haiwen Xi was Senior R&D Manager at Seagate Technology from 2007 to 2009 and Senior Staff Engineer there from 2002 to 2006.
Jeff Chang
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Engineering · WD
Jeff Chang has been Director Of Engineering at WD since July 2017, based in Irvine, California, and the profile describes leading firmware development projects. Jeff Chang was Senior Engineering Manager at WD from 2011 to 2017, Principal Engineer there from 2008 to 2011 and Staff Engineer from 1999 to 2008.
Joe Chen
LinkedInExperience: Engineering Director · WD
Joe Chen has been Engineering Director at WD since May 2002, based in Cupertino, California, and the profile also lists Servo FW Engineering Director at WD from 2002 and describes a history in the HDD technology industry with electronics, engineering management and device drivers among the listed skills. Joe Chen was a Senior Engineer at Nayna Networks and at Quantum, and a Staff Engineer at Seagate Technology.
M. S. Desai
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Engineering, Magnetic Media Design · WD
M. S. Desai has been Senior Director of Engineering, Magnetic Media Design at WD since July 2015, based in Walnut Creek, California, and the profile also lists Director of Engineering, Magnetic Media Design at WD from 2009. M. S. Desai was Sr. Principal Engineer, Magnetic Head Design at WD from 2005 to 2009.
Ming Mao
LinkedInExperience: Engineering Director · Western Digital Corp.
Ming Mao has been Engineering Director at Western Digital Corp. since January 2008, based in Fremont, California, with a profile headline placing the role in Advanced Process Development. Ming Mao was Director, ALD and PVD technology at Veeco from 2001 to 2008 and a Physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory from 1999 to 2000.
Peyman Niazi
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Engineering · WD
Peyman Niazi has been Director Of Engineering at WD since September 2021, based in San Jose, California. The profile lists a background in feedback control theory, robust and adaptive control, frequency domain analysis and digital signal processing and filter design, and this WD role is the only position it lists.
Todd Gandy
LinkedInExperience: Director, Engineering · Western Digital Corporation
Todd Gandy has been Director, Engineering at Western Digital Corporation since April 2011, based in Fremont, California. Todd Gandy was Director, Process Engineering at STMicroelectronics from 2001 to 2011 and Process Engineering Section Manager there from 1999 to 2001.
Weimin Si
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · WD
Weimin Si has been Director of Engineering at WD since January 2014, based in Fremont, California, with a profile headline placing the role in process development and a background in wafer fab thin film deposition and etching for magnetic recording. Weimin Si was Senior Manager at WD from 2011 to 2014 and Sr. Process Development Engineer at Veeco from 2000 to 2004.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose engineering area, whether servo and control, firmware, magnetic media and head design or thin film process development, matches the decision you face. Check when each person started the current role to judge how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current engineering role?
- 02How do you move a new process from development into production?
- 03What has your own work taught you about balancing performance, reliability and cost in a new design?
Reaching Western Digital engineering leaders
How can I contact one of these Western Digital engineering leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 3 companies: WD, Western Digital Corp. and Western Digital Corporation, based on profile data retrieved on October 20, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Western Digital engineering leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Western Digital engineering leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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