Intel hires new leaders to boost turnaround plan

Intel is shaking things up to get back on track, announcing new hires to strengthen its focus on engineering and customer relationships. The chipmaker, led by CEO Lip-Bu Tan since March 2025, is working to streamline its operations and succeed in the competitive AI chip market. Tan’s strategy includes cutting the workforce, flattening management layers, and bringing in fresh talent to drive innovation.

Greg Ernst, a long-time Intel sales leader, is now the Chief Revenue Officer, tasked with improving customer connections. On the engineering side, Intel has hired Srinivasan Iyengar, Jean-Didier Allegrucci, and Shailendra Desai for key roles. Iyengar, coming from Cadence Design Systems, will lead a new customer engineering center. Allegrucci, with experience at Apple and Rain AI, will head AI chip development. Desai, previously at Google, will focus on AI, GPU, and networking designs.

These hires aim to sharpen Intel’s product offerings and rebuild its foundry business. Intel is also launching new AI-focused products, like the Intel Arc Pro GPUs and Gaudi 3 AI accelerators, to show its commitment to cutting-edge technology. Despite challenges, including layoffs and financial struggles, Tan’s bold moves are setting the stage for a potential comeback. Investors are cautiously optimistic, with Intel’s stock rising 3% after the news. These changes signal Intel’s determination to regain its edge in the semiconductor world.