News [intel] Jim Keller resigns from Intel

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Det0x

Golden Member
Sep 11, 2014
1,027
2,953
136
Changes in Intel’s Technology, Systems Architecture and Client Group
Jim Keller to Depart Intel; New Leaders Named

SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 11, 2020 – Today, Intel announced that Jim Keller has resigned effective June 11, 2020, due to personal reasons. Intel appreciates Mr. Keller’s work over the past two years helping them continue advancing Intel’s product leadership and they wish him and his family all the best for the future. Intel is pleased to announce, however, that Mr. Keller has agreed to serve as a consultant for six months to assist with the transition.
Intel has a vastly experienced team of technical leaders within its Technology, Systems Architecture and Client Group (TSCG) under the leadership of Dr. Venkata (Murthy) Renduchintala, group president of TSCG and chief engineering officer. As part of this transition, the following leadership changes will be made, effective immediately:
  • Sundari Mitra, the former CEO and founder of NetSpeed Systems and the current leader of Intel’s Configurable Intellectual Property and Chassis Group, will lead a newly created IP Engineering Group focused on developing best-in-class IP.
  • Gene Scuteri, an accomplished engineering leader in the semiconductor industry, will head the Xeon and Networking Engineering Group.
  • Daaman Hejmadi will return to leading the Client Engineering Group focused on system-on-chip (SoC) execution and designing next-generation client, device and chipset products. Hejmadi has over two decades of experience leading teams delivering advanced SoCs both inside and outside of Intel.
  • Navid Shahriari, an experienced Intel leader, will continue to lead the Manufacturing and Product Engineering Group, which is focused on delivering comprehensive pre-production test suites and component debug capabilities to enable high-quality, high-volume manufacturing.
Intel congratulates Sundari, Gene, Daaman and Navid as we begin the next phase of our world-class engineering organization and look forward to executing on our exciting roadmap of products.

link
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
136
He did not get much done in 2 years he was there. Just 14+++++++ refreshes while AMD is eating away at their market share.

He was working on changes that won't show up for a couple of years - too bad he won't be able to finish what he started.

Indeed. I wouldn't have expected his work to crop up until 2023-ish.
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,718
1,278
136
He did not get much done in 2 years he was there. Just 14+++++++ refreshes while AMD is eating away at their market share.
Obviously, the products he was working on are just now beginning to come to market, or are still to be seen in the future.
 

Makaveli

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2002
4,715
1,049
136
Strange statement. He would be not the first person to quit his job because one's wife got seriously sick.

Very strange assumption he doesn't know him personally. Pretty inconsiderate also if you ask me. Not everyone places their job over their families.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Elfear

jpiniero

Lifer
Oct 1, 2010
14,510
5,159
136
Very strange assumption he doesn't know him personally. Pretty inconsiderate also if you ask me. Not everyone places their job over their families.

Especially being an exec, he definately would have had options that doesn't involve quitting. He's only 61. You can be pretty much assured he will end up somewhere else once the contract expires.
 

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
15,332
7,792
136
Obviously, the products he was working on are just now beginning to come to market, or are still to be seen in the future.
He was really at Intel to fix their CPU development process. If Intel had good architectures, he may not have touched that very much. My understanding is that he wasn't very hands on WRT the development of Ryzen - that Papermaster and Mike Clark already had a good idea about what they wanted to do. Keller help AMD fix problems with their development process from top to bottom to be able to realize their vision. If my understanding is correct, then Keller's influence would be felt in products in the '22-'23 timeframe, similar to what @DrMrLordX suggested. Intel isn't so nimble as AMD was.
 

amrnuke

Golden Member
Apr 24, 2019
1,181
1,772
136
Especially being an exec, he definately would have had options that doesn't involve quitting. He's only 61. You can be pretty much assured he will end up somewhere else once the contract expires.
He didn't quit, he resigned his current position and took a different role. Probably after six months he will have a better feel for whatever is going on at this time with possible family health issues, if that's the case.
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
136
@Ajay

Was that all he did? I had heard his focus was on the Core team specifically. Y'know, Ocean Cove and all that.

welcome back. apparently i invoked your name successfully in the summoning ritual, i will proceed to sacrifice 3 heat spreaders to the wet sanding tile in accordance to tradition.

Ia Ia idontcare fhtagn!
 
  • Love
Reactions: cytg111

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
15,332
7,792
136
@Ajay

Was that all he did? I had heard his focus was on the Core team specifically. Y'know, Ocean Cove and all that.

Ia Ia idontcare fhtagn!

Well, he had said that an opportunity to work on a new server architecture was one of the appeals that led him to move on to Intel. But, he's also described himself as a sort of mechanic (for CPU development processes).
I'm guessing he had to spend more time on the latter, to be able to achieve the former - but I don't have any proof of that.
 

Kenmitch

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,505
2,248
136
I'm guessing he had to spend more time on the latter, to be able to achieve the former - but I don't have any proof of that.

Only he know's the real reasoning why he's leaving/left/taking a time out.

Maybe the never ending security issues played a role in his decision?
 

thesmokingman

Platinum Member
May 6, 2010
2,307
231
106
The reason of the sickness of a loved one doesn't make sense to me. He resigned so he loses all benefits, albeit there's cobra but that only get you another six months. It doesn't make any sense to leave when he doesn't have to. If a loved one is sick and needs care, you don't leave a lifeline like Intel. Thus I'm not sure how likely it is health related. One could take all sorts of paid leave for this. To just quit outright... and then get sidelined with a consultancy for another six months... yea ok an extra limit on the non-compete.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spursindonesia

Roland00Address

Platinum Member
Dec 17, 2008
2,196
260
126
The reason of the sickness of a loved one doesn't make sense to me. He resigned so he loses all benefits, albeit there's cobra but that only get you another six months.
The loved one is a sibling not a spouse, children, etc. Extended Family in other words, but still close family for you grew up with your sibling.

And the loved one who is a sibling also has another a completely separate and different family emergency that makes sibling's husband unable to take care of his wife for he too is having medical problems.

Intel Benefits was not going to take care of this, intel's giving lots money was not going to take care of this. The problem is you need people to take care of family.

-----

We know for a fact these medical problems are happening to Jim Keller's extended family. We do not know if that is the reason Keller is resigning for the reason given may be a pretext or it may be reality.

I consider it bad taste to speculate further for speculation is not going to arrive at any concrete answer. Accept the reason given on the press release and let's move on.
 

amrnuke

Golden Member
Apr 24, 2019
1,181
1,772
136
The loved one is a sibling not a spouse, children, etc. Extended Family in other words, but still close family for you grew up with your sibling.

And the loved one who is a sibling also has another a completely separate and different family emergency that makes sibling's husband unable to take care of his wife for he too is having medical problems.

Intel Benefits was not going to take care of this, intel's giving lots money was not going to take care of this. The problem is you need people to take care of family.

-----

We know for a fact these medical problems are happening to Jim Keller's extended family. We do not know if that is the reason Keller is resigning for the reason given may be a pretext or it may be reality.

I consider it bad taste to speculate further for speculation is not going to arrive at any concrete answer. Accept the reason given on the press release and let's move on.
Well-put.

Not enough facts, but from what we can see, obviously him remaining at his current position wasn't going to help the situation at all, which is why things are where they are.
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,718
1,278
136
Rumor and innuendo is always rampant in this type of situation; much more entertaining than the stated reason.
As for keeping insurance, I am sure someone of Keller's accomplishment can afford pretty much any private insurance plan he wishes. Or perhaps he made some kind of deal with intel to continue insurance at a special rate. Or maybe he just wants to travel or do other things with his life, now that he is over 60.
 

Kenmitch

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,505
2,248
136
Or maybe he just wants to travel or do other things with his life, now that he is over 60.

Covid-19 has impacted many lives in different ways. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's broken out a bucket list. We've seen the storm, but the avalanche(aftermath) is yet to come.

Health related whether it's his or some others is a believable scenario.
 

gdansk

Golden Member
Feb 8, 2011
1,975
2,354
136
I do not mean to dismiss Keller's work at Intel, but really is one man's contribution at a managerial level that important to the future of the company? There are competent managers to replace him and Keller's plans could, if the company thought them worthwhile, still continue under any successors. There's really no reason to stay around if there are pressing personal issues.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spursindonesia