News & Analysis
High-profile ex-Intel exec joins Qualcomm as new marketing chief
Junko Yoshida
8/6/2012 10:30 AM EDT
NEW YORK – This may be a classic case of, If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
After more than a year of silence, Anand Chandrasekher (left), a high-profile, former Intel executive once responsible for the microprocessor giant’s mobile group, has resurfaced, as chief marketing officer at Qualcomm. San Diego-based Qualcomm announced Monday (Aug. 6) that Chandrasekher will oversee global marketing and external communications, reporting to Steve Mollenkopf, president and chief operating officer of Qualcomm.
Most recently, Chadrasekher was senior vice president and general manager for Intel’s Ultra Mobility Group. He resigned that post in March, 2011 amid Intel’s unsuccessful efforts to break into the mobile phone market.
Chadrasekher’s group at Intel was responsible for low power Intel architecture products, ultra-mobile PCs, mobile Internet devices, smart mobile and hand-held market segments. Chandrasekher's team was responsible for developing the technologies behind the Atom processor and Centrino Atom processor product families.
Qualcomm described Chandrasekher as “a seasoned global operating and management executive with a proven track record in strategic planning, product development and marketing.”
Beyond his lead role for Intel Atom processor family, Chadrasekher held a variety of leadership roles during his 25-year tenure at Intel, including heading its Worldwide Sales and Marketing Group, corporate vice president of the Mobile Platforms Group and co-general manager for the Intel486 Processor Division. He is best known for his pioneering efforts on the Intel Centrino platforms.
Related stories:
-Teardown: Inside Google's Nexus 7 tablet
-Intel's mobile chief resigns
-MWC: Intel targets high-, low-end smartphones
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goafrit
8/6/2012 12:39 PM EDT
I think Qualcomm is going for the second fiddle. This guy could not execute Intel's mobile strategy. One hopes he understands marketing to lead the charge very well.
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junko.yoshida
8/6/2012 2:37 PM EDT
goafrit, I wouldn't go that far...but it is sort of interesting. Because if the story was about Intel snatching up a high-profile Qualcomm exec, sure, it makes sense.
I hope it is an easy transition for Chandrasekher -- from being Mr. Atom to Mr. Snapdragon.
But CMO? I am not sure...
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WW Thinker
8/6/2012 8:09 PM EDT
Anand is pure and simple, a workplace politician. He pretty much delivered nothing given the huge investment by Intel in the mobile handheld market. What could a workplace politican benefit Qualcomm?
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abraxalito
8/7/2012 3:21 AM EDT
Yet his Centrino business was a resounding success? Something in your argument there doesn't quite stack up.
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raayee
8/8/2012 1:42 PM EDT
but he failed to do anything else and wasted billions of dollars on failing initiatives.. This guy plays politics a lot and paint a virtual picture of things he can not deliver on.
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raayee
8/8/2012 1:46 PM EDT
snatching means he was still working at Intel when Qualcomm picked him up.. He was unemployed for two years and he found a job.
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Gil Russell
8/6/2012 5:25 PM EDT
He is much better off now - at least Qualcomm's management and BOD understand the mobile space...,
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raayee
8/8/2012 1:42 PM EDT
is that why he was unemployed for 2 years?
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abraxalito
8/7/2012 3:18 AM EDT
Looks to be a 'victim' of resource dependency. Over at Intel he'd not be given enough latitude to really develop the mobile market because there's no money to be made there in comparison with Intel's core business. 'The Innovator's Dilemma' spells it out nicely.
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eewiz
8/7/2012 4:58 AM EDT
Exactly. Why would Intel want to let a 30$ CPU business kill 300$ CPU business. Intel hasnt taken mobile CPU business seriously until now.
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abraxalito
8/7/2012 9:50 PM EDT
Even now I don't believe they're taking it seriously. Accepting that, its easy to see why Anand quit - he must've been managing with both hands tied behind his back.
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raayee
8/8/2012 1:44 PM EDT
he did not quit.. he was fired!
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raayee
8/8/2012 1:43 PM EDT
on the contrary.. He wasted soooo much money plotting fantacies
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alfred95
8/7/2012 2:53 PM EDT
Snapdragon is already a successful product but atom is not. I don't understand how he will contribute if not make Snapdragon another atom.
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junko.yoshida
8/7/2012 3:40 PM EDT
His knowlege on Intel -- if not anything specific -- may be useful for opposition research. No?
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raayee
8/8/2012 1:45 PM EDT
Things at Intel are not the same as other companies.. They are just two different worlds..
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raayee
8/8/2012 1:44 PM EDT
I think they want him to make it a platform.
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