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Intel execs shift titles, not jobs

A shift in title and rank is under way among top management at the world's largest chip manufacturer.

Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor
Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
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Brooke Crothers
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A shift in title and rank is under way among top management at Intel (INTC).

The leading chip manufacturer said today that Andy Grove will become chairman of the company, while retaining the title of chief executive officer. The firm also said Chief Operating Officer Craig Barrett will add the title of president to his business card.

Chairman Gordon Moore will become chairman emeritus.

"Gordon has been coming in three days a week anyways, and he will still participate in the big decisions of the company," said an Intel spokesperson. "Andy has been the visionary of the company, and Craig is responsible for making Intel hum. Their jobs will all basically be the same."

Barrett has been one of the principal architects of Intel's success as the executive overseeing Intel's colossal manufacturing infrastructure. Intel's manufacturing prowess is probably the most important reason for the company's huge success : it has become one of the most efficient chip makers in the world and, as a result, crushed many of its rivals.

Barrett, who has served as chief operating officer for the past four years, is Intel's "cultural cop," according to a source close to the company. "Grove is the visionary, while [Barrett] is the guy that makes Intel, Intel. Barrett closes the quarter and is the guy that pushes and pulls expenses," the source added.

The recent defection of top-level Intel executives to other companies was not related to the title changes in any way, according to the Intel spokesperson.

In October, David House, vice president of Intel's enterprise server group left to head Bay Networks (BAY) and then recruited Dave Shrigley, a former Intel marketing executive. And Carl Everett, a senior vice president and cogeneral manager of Intel's desktop products group, announced late last year that he planned to leave the company to spend more time with his family.

Intel is an investor with CNET: The Computer Network.