Dave Orton, the former CEO or ATI is leaving AMD at the end of the month according to a press release posted on AMD's website today. This is indeed sad news and it seems like most of the key ATI staff has left AMD since the merger of the two companies. Dave Orton held a press conference about AMD's new graphics products here in Taipei at Computex, just a month ago.

It is worrying times for AMD and if they keep losing key ATI staff at this rate, there won't be much of a graphics team left at AMD. Adrian Hartog and Rick Bergman will be reporting directly to Hector Ruiz as an effect of Dave Orton's resignation.

"Dave's passion and relentless drive catapulted ATI into a solid leadership position in each of the company's graphics, chipset and consumer electronics businesses," said Dirk Meyer, AMD president and chief operating officer. "More recently, Dave was one of the key drivers in the successful integration of AMD and ATI. With his integration work complete and the successful launch of key graphics and chipset products earlier this year, the time was right for Dave to take his personal and professional life in a different direction."

"It is with mixed feelings that I am leaving AMD," said Orton. "I am very optimistic about AMD's future. I believe strongly in the strategies that brought AMD and ATI together and the talented employees of the 'new AMD' who are committed to winning in the market by delivering the best possible solutions for customers."