Exit, rebuild, repeat — Intel’s new era begins without Holthaus

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Intel recently unveiled significant management shakeups, with CEO Bob Tan spearheading initiatives aimed at revitalizing the ailing semiconductor company. Notably, long-time employee Michelle Johnston Holthaus, who has served Intel for over three decades, is leaving the organization.

The recent reorganization occurs at a time when Intel acknowledged that their Arrow Lake processors didn’t meet expectations. Now, everyone is eagerly awaiting the Nova Lake architecture, as Intel aims for it to reestablish its competitive edge against AMD in this growing rivalry, which is increasingly captivating both users and the industry.

Holthaus’s departure after 30 years at Intel

In 1996, which predates my birth by a year, Holthaus began working for Intel. Over the years, she progressed through various positions in sales, marketing, and product development, starting as a program manager in the OEM Platform Solutions Division and eventually moving up through leadership roles. This history of hers makes me feel somewhat old!

From 2013 to 2017, she oversaw Intel’s collaboration with Microsoft, ensuring smooth coordination for sales, product planning, and technical assistance. This position played a crucial role in maintaining close alignment between Intel’s processors and Microsoft’s operating systems (Windows, Surface, Xbox), as well as their cloud services.

In late 2024, Holthaus temporarily took on the role of interim co-CEO alongside CFO David Zinsner following Pat Gelsinger’s departure. Later, she was promoted to CEO of Intel Products, but she only held this position for nine months before deciding to step down. According to Intel, her resignation was due to a significant decrease in her responsibilities, salary, and bonus, which aligned with the “Good Reason” provision in her contract.

Under the terms of this provision, Holthaus is entitled to complete severance packages and continues his association with Intel as an advisor in a non-executive capacity until March 1, 2026.

New leadership team takes shape

Kevork Kechichian, who previously worked at Arm, has now taken on the role of Executive Vice President and General Manager for Intel’s Data Center Group. With over three decades of expertise in the semiconductor industry, he formerly led teams responsible for Snapdragon System-on-Chip at Qualcomm.

A new appointment has been made, with Jim Johnson – a 40-year veteran at Intel – taking on the role as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Client Computing Group. Throughout his extensive career, he’s had experience working in various departments within Intel, including the Technology and Manufacturing Group, Networking and Communications, and global operations.

In 2025, Intel introduced a new division known as the Central Engineering Group, with Srinivasan “Srini” Iyengar leading the way. This specialized team is dedicated to crafting custom silicon designs for external clients. Iyengar, having spent more than two decades at Cadence Design Systems, brings a wealth of experience in silicon engineering and design automation to the table.

In summary, Dr. Naga Chandrasekaran’s duties have been broadened to encompass Foundry Services, in addition to his current positions as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology and Operations Officer of Intel Foundry. Prior to working at Intel, he spent 16 years at Micron, where he oversaw the advancement of memory technology development.

These meetings collectively illustrate Tan’s endeavor to combine established Intel executives with diverse knowledge from firms such as Arm, Cadence, and Micron. Although it might be a while before we see the effects, these alterations underscore Intel’s readiness to take bold steps in its efforts to keep up with competition.

Tan’s strategy and vision for Intel’s future

Tan intends to streamline operations by eliminating excess management tiers and establishing a leaner, more targeted organizational structure. The objective is to expedite decision-making processes and enhance direct responsibility. Holthaus’s role, for instance, will no longer be filled, with crucial departments now reporting directly to Lip-Bu Tan instead.

Apart from his current roles, he’s also steering Intel towards specializing in custom silicon and foundry services, sectors where the company aims to take a leading position. The newly established Central Engineering Group is instrumental in this transformation, as they will be focusing on creating chips for external clients rather than exclusively for Intel’s own products.

Undeniably, any transformation story in 2025 won’t be whole without AI, and this is also reflected in Tan’s plans. However, whether this strategy enables Intel to keep pace with competitors such as AMD remains the key question. Rebuilding trust among users and partners will require patience, but Nova Lake might offer a preview of what a redefined Intel under Tan could potentially bring.

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2025-09-09 20:39