Intel is losing another specialist. He moves on to the competition

There has been an unexpected change at the top. Kevin O’Buckley – who led Intel Foundry for the past two years – is leaving the company to join Qualcomm as executive vice president of global operations and supply chain, overseeing chip manufacturing and subcontractor and supplier relationships.

His place will be taken by Naga Chandrasekaran, previously responsible for technology and operations, including the development of production processes and production supervision. In his new role, he will combine control over the publishing plan (further lithographs, packaging methods and tests) with the ongoing management of a global network of factories and the supply chain.

Chandrasekaran’s promotion comes as no surprise. From mid-2024, he was responsible for key departments dealing with technology development and contract production, and from September 2025, his position only strengthened, which naturally prepared him to take up a higher position.

An Intel spokesman thanked O’Buckley in a press release and emphasized that the Foundry division remains one of the company’s highest strategic priorities. For now, it is not known whether this change will translate into closer cooperation between the two companies in the field of chip production. However, it is no secret that after the success of Panther Lake mobile processors, many entities are interested in the latest Intel 18A lithography.