(Yicai Global) July 20 -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International, China’s biggest chipmaker, has allowed some of its employees to buy discounted equity incentives worth nearly CNY550,000 (USD85,140) per person.

More than 3,900 people, or a quarter of SMIC's staff, bought some of the 67.5 million stock options that were offered at CNY20 (USD3.10) apiece, a more than 60 percent discount from yesterday's closing price.

Each of the selected purchasers now owns assets of CNY550,000 based on the company's stock price [SHA:688981] of CNY52.01 at noon.

The reason to provide workers with the stock incentives was to retain outstanding talents, the Shanghai-based tech company said in a statement yesterday.

Most of the chosen buyers were mid-level and senior managers and core technical personnel. Chairman Zhou Zixue, Vice Chairman Jiang Shangyi, as well as co-CEOs Zhao Haijun and Liang Mengsong were each awarded 400,000 restricted shares.

One name was missing from the list. Wu Jingang, former VP of the firm's technology research and development department, resigned on July 4. Industry insiders speculated that perhaps Wu was not offered enough stock options.

The idea of departure may have emerged already earlier this year. In the company's plan released in May, Wu was granted fewer shares than the other five core tech executives. Before this, SMIC said publicly that CEO Liang was given a CNY20 million (USD3.1 million) villa to retain the leader.

SMIC ranked No. 4 in terms of global sales in the pure-play foundry market last year, according to IC Insights.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi