Main » 2009 » May » 16 » AMD Merges Microprocessor, Graphics Chip Units
AMD Merges Microprocessor, Graphics Chip Units
11:32:58 PM
As part of the reorganisation, Randy Allen, senior
vice president of AMD's computing solutions group, will be leaving the
company.
Saturday, May 16, 2009:
AMD
has announced a new operating model that centres the organisation on
four equally critical functions -- products, technology, marketing and
customers. The new structure, according to the company, is designed to
better optimise AMD’s operations to drive performance graphics and
microprocessors and further integrate the company’s x86 processor and
graphics technologies. The restructuring marks the company's latest
move to claw back market share lost to arch-rival Intel Corp.
AMD has recorded consecutive quarterly
losses for more than two fiscal years now. The company reported a net
loss of $416 million for the first quarter of 2009, compared to a loss
of $364 million in the first quarter of 2008.
In an effort to
cut manufacturing costs and focus on chip design, the company recently
spun off its manufacturing assets to GlobalFoundries. GlobalFoundries
is a joint venture with investment firm Advanced Technology Investment
(ATI), which is owned by the Abu Dhabi government.
“We are
tightening our focus on delivering the winning products and platforms
our customers want based on AMD’s industry-leading microprocessor and
graphics technologies,” said Dirk Meyer, president and CEO, AMD.
Meyer
added, “The next generation of innovation in the computing industry
will be grounded in the fusion of microprocessor and graphics
technologies. With these changes, we are putting the right organisation
in place to help enable the future of computing.”
Meyer has
organised the company around these four operating teams. The rest of
Meyer’s direct reports remain unchanged. The products group, led by
Rick Bergman, is responsible for delivering all of AMD’s platforms and
products and aligning the graphics and microprocessor product
development groups into a single unified organisation. Jeff VerHeul,
50, will head the processor solutions engineering team, to deliver
AMD’s platform silicon and improve time-to-market and innovation for
near-term roadmaps.
Led by Chekib Akrout, the advanced technology group will focus on developing AMD’s future technology innovation.
The
marketing group will be headed by Nigel Dessau. According to AMD, this
singular marketing group will drive cohesive and consistent external
messaging across all of the company’s products and platforms.
The
customer group, led by Emilio Ghilardi, will be a sales organisation
responsible for expanding AMD’s customer relationships globally.
The
company has also announced that Randy Allen, senior vice president,
computing solutions group, has decided to leave the company. The
details of Allen's departure were not disclosed by AMD. Meyer said in a
statement, "Randy has been an important engineering and business leader
who has played a key role in many of AMD’s most significant
achievements in recent years. We wish him well in his future
endeavours."
