A voltage regulator comprising: switched mode regulator circuitry (..., 301, 302, 304, 306), connectable across a power supply (BATT), to generate a regulated voltage (V out) having series and shunt switching elements (301, 302); and voltage spike protection circuitry, arranged across said regulatory circuitry for voltage-spike-protecting the regulator circuitry, comprising a dissipative element (R sp) and a charge-storage circuit (C sp); characterised in that: said regulator circuitry (..., 301, 302, 304, 306) and said voltage spike circuitry are implemented by an integrated circuit in an integrated circuit package; said series and shunt switching elements (301, 302) of said switched mode regulator circuitry are subdivided into in-parallel connected switching block segments (2120, 2130, 2140); and said charge-storage circuit (C sp) of said voltage-spike protection circuitry is subdivided into in-parallel connected charge-storage circuit segments (2121, 2122) which are interleaved between said switching block segments, wherein each charge-storage circuit segment (2121, 2122) of the voltage-spike protection circuit is physically closer to the switching block segment (2120, 2130, 2140) it protects than any other switching block segment. switched mode regulator circuitry (..., 301, 302, 304, 306), connectable across a power supply (BATT), to generate a regulated voltage (V out) having series and shunt switching elements (301, 302); and voltage spike protection circuitry, arranged across said regulatory circuitry for voltage-spike-protecting the regulator circuitry, comprising a dissipative element (R sp) and a charge-storage circuit (C sp); characterised in that: said regulator circuitry (..., 301, 302, 304, 306) and said voltage spike circuitry are implemented by an integrated circuit in an integrated circuit package; said series and shunt switching elements (301, 302) of said switched mode regulator circuitry are subdivided into in-parallel connected switching block segments (2120, 2130, 2140); and said charge-storage circuit (C sp) of said voltage-spike protection circuitry is subdivided into in-parallel connected charge-storage circuit segments (2121, 2122) which are interleaved between said switching block segments, wherein each charge-storage circuit segment (2121, 2122) of the voltage-spike protection circuit is physically closer to the switching block segment (2120, 2130, 2140) it protects than any other switching block segment. said regulator circuitry (..., 301, 302, 304, 306) and said voltage spike circuitry are implemented by an integrated circuit in an integrated circuit package; said series and shunt switching elements (301, 302) of said switched mode regulator circuitry are subdivided into in-parallel connected switching block segments (2120, 2130, 2140); and said charge-storage circuit (C sp) of said voltage-spike protection circuitry is subdivided into in-parallel connected charge-storage circuit segments (2121, 2122) which are interleaved between said switching block segments, wherein each charge-storage circuit segment (2121, 2122) of the voltage-spike protection circuit is physically closer to the switching block segment (2120, 2130, 2140) it protects than any other switching block segment.