Ex-CEO of Intel Craig Barrett fires up, says 'Fire the Intel board and rehire Pat Gelsinger'

Former Intel CEO Craig Garrett has written a new opinion piece on Fortune, where he wraps up the article by saying "fire the Intel board and rehire Pat Gelsinger".

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Garrett has an informative piece on Fortunte, writing a fantastic explanation into the situation with Intel from the former CEOs perspective. Garrett says that the only solution for Intel's problems is to break the company into two pieces: a design company and a wafer fabrication (foundry) company, and he also agrees that Intel shouldn't sell its foundry division (IFS) to TSMC, but "strongly disagree with their argument that Intel should be broken up".

He whips: "The board members are well meaning but off target. They are two academics and two former government bureaucrats, just the type of folks you want dictating strategy in the ruggedly competitive semiconductor industry".

Garrett noted that under now-ousted Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger, did a "great job at resuscitating the technology development team, and today the company's leading technology is on par with TSMC's 2nm technology. Additionally, Intel has a lead in the newest imaging technology (high NA EUV lithography, where they are currently processing 10,000s wafers) and in backside power delivery to complex chips. Both these accomplishments are key for future generations of silicon technology".

• Read more: Intel principal engineer: TSMC deal a mistake, Intel 18A is more advanced, has early adopters

You can read the entire piece here (which is a great read) but Garrett wraps his OP with: "I ran Intel with 100,000-plus employees, and I think I know the challenges if Intel were to be split up. If we want semiconductor manufacturing leadership in the U.S., then build on the current resurgence of Intel, don't tear it apart. The conversation should be who the next CEO should be to build on Pat Gelsinger's accomplishments over the last few years. Currently the company is being run by a CFO and a product manager. The challenge for Intel is to get someone who understands the business of making chips, not someone who spends their time splitting the company into two pieces. Along the way, you might also worry about the Intel board. They bear ultimate responsibility for what has happened to Intel over the last decade".

• Read more: TSMC CEO ruled out acquiring Intel's semiconductor fabs back in October 2024

"Yes, I have an emotional attachment to Intel, but I know what the team can do if properly led. It disappoints me that they lost their leadership position. However, it disappoints me more to see people who ignore the intricacies of the semiconductor industry and proclaim simplistic solutions. It takes years to develop a new semiconductor manufacturing technology and ramp it into volume production. Intel is about to regain its leadership in this area, and the dumbest idea around is to stall that from happening by slicing the company into pieces".

"The moment you announce you are splitting up Intel you'll lose the momentum and resources you need to succeed. In my opinion, a far better move might be to fire the Intel board and rehire Pat Gelsinger to finish the job he has aptly handled over the past few years".