Ex-Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha named GlobalFoundries chief
The man who oversaw Google's buyout of Motorola Mobility will now be in charge of the international chip manufacturer.
Mobile veteran Sanjay Jha has been named the new chief executive officer of chipmaker GlobalFoundries. Jha is the former CEO of Motorola Mobility and also previously served as the COO of Qualcomm.
"Sanjay is one of the most respected leaders in the technology industry and has a proven track record of consistently delivering shareholder value," vice chairman of GlobalFoundries' board Ibrahim Ajami said in a statement. "His industry background and experience as a foundry customer will position GlobalFoundries for continued growth."
While the CEO of Motorola Mobility, Jha oversaw the successful split of Motorola into two companies -- Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions -- as well as Google's buyout of Motorola Mobility. He stepped down from Motorola Mobility in 2012.
GlobalFoundries is closely tied to the mobile industry -- it makes chips for several smartphone and tablet manufacturers. Reportedly, the company is in talks with Apple to make some chips at its Fab 8 factory in Malta, N.Y. GlobalFoundries also announced last week that it would be expanding this factory to produce 20- and 14-nanometer nodes.
GlobalFoundries CEO Ajit Manocha will now be returning to his previous role as an adviser to the company's shareholders. He will work with Jha for a smooth transition.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead a company with such a strong track record in an industry that I know and love," Jha said. "I look forward to working closely with Ajit during the transition and with a very talented global team to continue to make our customers successful."