Intel CEO to retire in May

SAN FRANCISCO - Intel announced on Monday that Paul Otellini, its president and chief executive officer (CEO) , has decided to retire at the company's annual stockholders' meeting in May 2013, concluding his almost 40 years of service for the chipmaking giant.

"Paul Otellini has been a very strong leader, only the fifth CEO in the company's great 45-year history, and one who has managed the company through challenging times and market transitions," Andy Bryant, chairman of the Intel board, said in a statement.

Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel Corporation, holds an ultrabook as he gives a keynote address during the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, in this Jan 10, 2012, file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

"The board is grateful for his innumerable contributions to the company and his distinguished tenure as CEO over the last eight years," the statement added.

Otellini will start a leadership transition over the next six months and will still be available as an adviser to management after his retirement, according to a press release from Intel.

"After almost four decades with the company and eight years as CEO, it's time to move on and transfer Intel's helm to a new generation of leadership," the release quoted Otellini as saying.

Touting Otellini's achievements, Intel said that it has generated $107 billion in cash, with its annual revenue rising to 54 billion dollars from 38.8 billion during Otellini's tenure as CEO -- from the second quarter of 2005 through the third quarter of 2012.

After joining Intel in 1974, Otellini managed several of the chipmaker's businesses, including its PC and server microprocessor division, as well as global sales and marketing. During his tenure as CEO, Intel introduced ultrabooks to the PC market, delivered the first smartphones and tablets powered by Intel chips, and made strategic acquisitions that expanded the company's presence in security, software and mobile communications.

However, under Otellini's leadership, Intel has also embarrassingly seen very limited success in mobile devices, as Apple's popular iPhone and iPad, almost every Android device and the Microsoft Surface tablet all use low-power ARM processors. Meanwhile, customers like Google and Apple are designing their own mobile and server processors.

"Intel's CEO of eight year is leaving the company amidst what we see as difficult challenges for the company in the post-PC era, " Auguste Gus Richard, an analyst from US investment bank Piper Jaffray, said on Monday.

Intel said in the release that its board of directors will conduct the process to choose Otellini's successor and will consider both internal and external candidates for the job.