Intel's Product Chief Exits Amid Broader Leadership Reshuffle

Semiconductor leader Intel continues to reorganize its executive team under CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who took the reins in March.

Intel announced on Monday that Michelle Johnston Holthaus, who most recently served as chief executive officer of Intel products, is leaving the company after more than 30 years. She will stay on as a strategic adviser.

The company also revealed the formation of a central engineering group, tasked with building a new custom silicon business for external clients. This unit will be led by Srinivasan “Srini” Iyengar, who joined Intel from Cadence Design Systems in July.

Additionally, Intel stated that Kevok Kechichian, formerly of ARM, will join as head of its data center group. Jim Johnson has been named senior vice president and general manager of Intel’s client computing group. Naga Chandrasekaran, chief technology and operations officer of Intel Foundry, is also taking on broader responsibilities.

"With Srini leading Central Engineering, we are tightening the alignment between innovation and execution to better serve our customers," Tan said in a company statement. "We are laser-focused on delivering world-class products and empowering our engineering teams to move faster and execute with excellence. Kevork, Jim, and Srini are exceptional leaders whose deep technical expertise and industry relationships will be crucial as we continue building a new Intel."

This announcement follows recent news that the U.S. government plans to convert certain grants into a 10% stake in Intel. The agreement includes provisions that would penalize Intel if its ownership of its foundry unit falls below 50%.

These are not the only leadership shifts at Intel this year.

Connect with 10,000+ tech and VC leaders at Disrupt 2025

Join heavy hitters from Netflix, Box, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, and Elad Gil among 250+ leaders across 200+ sessions. Gain actionable insights to accelerate startup growth and sharpen your competitive edge. Celebrate TechCrunch's 20th anniversary and learn from the top minds in tech. Secure your ticket before September 26 to save up to $668.

Connect with 10,000+ tech and VC leaders at Disrupt 2025

Join heavy hitters from Netflix, Box, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, and Elad Gil among 250+ leaders across 200+ sessions. Gain actionable insights to accelerate startup growth and sharpen your competitive edge. Celebrate TechCrunch's 20th anniversary and learn from the top minds in tech. Secure your ticket before September 26 to save up to $668.

Tan's appointment as CEO in March marked a significant change. In July, the company also hired four new executives for sales and engineering roles, including Greg Ernst as chief revenue officer.

Intel declined to provide further comment.