Intel Foundry boss leaves for Qualcomm — Naga Chandrasekaran takes charge of the unit

Source: Tom’s Hardware

Image credit: Tom’s Hardware

Leadership Change at Intel Foundry

In an unexpected turn of events, Kevin O’Buckley, the head of Intel Foundry, decided to join Qualcomm after just two years at Intel. Intel announced that Naga Chandrasekaran will now lead the unit.

“We thank Kevin O’Buckley for his contributions to Foundry Services and wish him the very best as he pursues an opportunity outside the company,” an Intel spokesperson told Tom’s Hardware. “Intel Foundry remains one of Intel’s highest strategic priorities, and under Naga Chandrasekaran’s leadership the organization is focused on disciplined execution and delivering for customers.”

Naga Chandrasekaran Takes Charge

As Chief Technology and Operations Officer and head of Intel Foundry, Chandrasekaran now oversees both the development of advanced process technologies and the day‑to‑day execution of Intel’s global manufacturing network—a role that previously was split between separate leaders.

Image credit: Intel

Chandrasekaran is responsible for:

• Creating and rolling out next‑generation silicon logic nodes, advanced packaging solutions, and test technologies.
• Supervising front‑end wafer fabrication and back‑end assembly and packaging operations worldwide.
• Leading customer engagement, ecosystem initiatives, strategic planning, corporate quality and reliability programs, and supply‑chain operations.

In short, he now runs both the technology roadmap and the factories.

Previously, Chandrasekaran headed technology and operations at Intel Foundry, overseeing the Technology Development (TD) group and the Foundry Manufacturing and Supply Chain (FMSC) organization since mid‑2024. His promotion to General Manager of the entire Intel Foundry organization follows logically from those responsibilities.

Navid Shahriari will continue to be responsible for packaging development and operations at Intel Foundry.

Image credit: Intel

Kevin O’Buckley’s Role at Qualcomm

At Qualcomm, O’Buckley will serve as Executive Vice President in charge of Global Operations and Supply Chain, leading the company’s worldwide chip production activities. His duties will include:

• Overseeing manufacturing engineering.
• Managing relationships with contract manufacturers and component vendors.
• Reporting directly to Akash Palkhiwala, Qualcomm’s Executive Vice President, CFO, and COO.

After seven years at IBM Microelectronics and GlobalFoundries, followed by less than two years at Intel Foundry, O’Buckley will now supervise how Qualcomm turns its designs into finished silicon.

Whether Intel Foundry will produce any of Qualcomm’s future designs remains to be seen.