Chip giant Intel has announced key leadership changes amid semiconductor industry turbulence, naming new heads for its core data center and PC chip divisions—while 30+ year veteran Michelle Johnston Holthaus will depart.
In the reshuffle, Arm executive Kevork Kechichian joins to lead the data center unit; 40-year Intel insider Jim Johnson takes over PC chips. Intel also launches a new Central Engineering Group, led by June 2024 hire Srinivasan Iyengar. All three report directly to CEO Pat Gelsinger.
Since March 2024, Gelsinger has sought to reshape Intel—once a semiconductor leader, now outpaced by rivals and struggling with booming AI product demand. Kechichian must quickly deliver strategies to reclaim the data center market: a sector surging with AI infrastructure investment, once dominated by Intel’s Xeon processors but now seeing NVIDIA capture tens of billions in revenue.
Per Intel, Holthaus (who served as co-CEO after ex-CEO Pat Kissinger stepped down) will act as a strategic advisor for months to ensure a smooth transition.
ICgoodFind’s view, Intel’s leadership shakeup is a critical move to fight competition and break through. The industry will watch closely to see if the new team revives Intel amid the AI wave.
