Intel announced several changes to its leadership today as it restructured one of its most critical groups and formed two new business units. As a result, long-time Intel veteran and one-time CEO candidate Navin Shenoy will leave the chipmaker on July 6 after 26 years with the company. In contrast, Chief Architect Raja Koduri will see a promotion to a newly-formed AXG graphics group.
Pat Gelsinger, who recently passed the 100-day mark as Intel CEO, has restructured the Data Platform Group (DPG), one of the company's largest revenue generators that's responsible for other key segments, like the Data Center Group (DCG). The changes see the formation of two new groups. Intel veteran Sandra Rivera will lead the Datacenter and AI group, with this new group now being responsible for Xeon CPUs, FPGA, and AI products. She previously served as the head of Intel's Human Resources, and before that ran the Network Platforms Group.
Nick McKeown will helm a new Network and Edge Group that will merge the Network Platforms Group, Internet of Things Group (IOTG) and Connectivity Group into one unit.
Navin Shenoy, the now-former executive vice president and GM of DPG, will stay on with the company to manage the transition until July 6, 2021. Shenoy had a long 26-year tenure at Intel, having also run the Client Computing Group and Intel Asia Pacific. Intel filed an 8K on the matter that states "[..]Intel Corporation (“Intel”) determined that Navin Shenoy, Intel’s Executive Vice President and General Manager, Data Platforms Group (“DPG”), will separate from Intel effective as of July 6, 2021."
Intel is also creating two new business groups, with the aforementioned promotion of Koduri to the Accelerated Computing Systems and Graphics Group, now known as "AXG." This group will focus on HPC and graphics for integrated and discrete GPUs in all facets of Intel's empire. However, it's unclear if that results in the dissolution of the current Architecture, Graphics and Software group helmed by Koduri.
Industry veteran Greg Lavendar, Gelsinger's SVP and CTO at VMware, also joins Intel as the new CTO and SVP and GM of a new Software and Advanced Technology group. Intel Labs will also fall under Lavendar's remit.
All four executives will report directly to Gelsinger. “Since re-joining Intel, I have been impressed with the depth of talent and incredible innovation throughout the company, but we must move faster to fulfill our ambitions,” said Gelsinger. “By putting Sandra, Raja, Nick and Greg – with their decades of technology expertise – at the forefront of some of our most essential work, we will sharpen our focus and execution, accelerate innovation, and unleash the deep well of talent across the company.”
These changes come on the heels of a larger as-yet unconfirmed effort to restructure the company's Manufacturing and Operations and separate Global Supply Chain groups into one Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Operations group, as previously reported by CRN.
Intel has also brought on Samsung's former head of its North American foundry business, Hong Hau, to lead its shift to its own third-party foundry company, Intel Foundry Services, as part of its IDM 2.0 initiative. Here's the breakdown of today's changes from Intel's press release:
- Sandra Rivera will take on a new role as executive vice president and general manager of Datacenter and AI. Rivera will lead this organization's focus on developing leadership data center products for a cloud-based world, including Intel Xeon and field programmable gate array (FPGA) products. She will also drive the company's overall artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. Rivera has a deep history in data center technology and a track record of integrating Intel's silicon and software portfolios to drive customer value. Prior to her role serving as Intel's chief people officer, she led Intel's Network Platforms Group. (Sandra Rivera's biography)
- Nick McKeown will join Intel full-time on July 6 as senior vice president and general manager of a new Network and Edge Group. This brings Intel's Network Platforms Group, Internet of Things Group and Connectivity Group into a single business unit chartered to drive technology and product leadership throughout the network to the intelligent edge. Renown in the networking technology industry and recipient of the 2021 IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal, McKeown was previously a part-time Intel Senior Fellow who joined the company with its 2019 acquisition of Barefoot Networks, which he co-founded. (Nick McKeown's biography)
- Greg Lavender has joined Intel as chief technology officer (CTO) and senior vice president and general manager of the new Software and Advanced Technology Group. This group will drive Intel's unified vision for software, ensuring it remains a powerful competitive differentiator for the company. As CTO, Lavender will also be responsible for driving Intel's technical innovation and research programs, including Intel Labs. He brings more than 35 years of experience in software and hardware product engineering and advanced research and development to Intel, most recently serving as senior vice president and CTO of VMware. He has also held key leadership roles at Citigroup, Cisco and Sun Microsystems. (Greg Lavender's biography)
- Raja Koduri, a well-known innovator in GPU computing technology, will lead the Accelerated Computing Systems and Graphics Group, a newly formed business unit that will increase the company's focus in the key growth areas of high performance computing and graphics. AXG is chartered with delivering HPC and graphics solutions for integrated and discrete segments across client, enterprise and data center. Koduri previously served as Intel's general manager of Architecture, Graphics and Software. (Raja Koduri's biography)
