Intel Selects Brian Krzanich As Its Next CEO

Almost half a year after Paul Otellini announced he will be leaving the office, Intel has finally voted in its sixth CEO – Brian Krzanich.

Krzanich has been with the company since 1982, and served as its chief operating officer from January 2012. Former Motorola boss Sanjay Jha and VMware chief executive Pat Gelsinger were reportedly in the running for the position, but in the end, in accordance with Otellini’s wishes, Intel decided to promote from within.

The board of directors also elected Renée James (pictured below), the woman who previously managed Intel’s software subsidiaries – Havok, McAfee and Wind River – as the company’s president.

Both Krzanich and James will begin their tenure at Intel’s annual stockholder’s meeting, scheduled for 16 May.

Intel plays it safe

Similarly to Krzanich, Otellini became Intel’s CEO in 2005, after spending almost 30 years at the company. And like Krzanich, he served as the COO shortly before taking the top position. Under Otellini, Intel faced the mobile revolution and made a serious effort to stay relevant, by promoting efficient Atom designs for everything from smartphones to servers.

According to Intel, Krzanich, aged 52, has already created “billions of dollars in value for the company”. He drove a broad transformation of Intel’s factories and supply chain in 2006, was involved in advancing the industry’s transition to lower cost 450mm wafer manufacturing, and oversaw the strategic investment in lithography supplier ASML.

“Brian is a strong leader with a passion for technology and deep understanding of the business. His track record of execution and strategic leadership, combined with his open-minded approach to problem solving has earned him the respect of employees, customers and partners worldwide. He has the right combination of knowledge, depth and experience to lead the company during this period of rapid technology and industry change,” said Andy Bryant, chairman of the board at Intel.

“I am deeply honoured by the opportunity to lead Intel,” said Krzanich. “We have amazing assets, tremendous talent, and an unmatched legacy of innovation and execution. I look forward to working with our leadership team and employees worldwide to continue our proud legacy, while moving even faster into ultra-mobility, to lead Intel into the next era.”

Renée James has been working at Intel from the day it acquired her previous employer – Bell Technologies. In December, she was promoted to the post of executive vice president, ain addition to her duties as the general manager of the Software and Services Group. James also currently serves on the board of directors of Vodafone Group and VMware.

“I look forward to partnering with Renée as we begin a new chapter in Intel’s history,” said Krzanich. “Her deep understanding and vision for the future of computing architecture, combined with her broad experience running product R&D and one of the world’s largest software organizations, are extraordinary assets for Intel.”

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