インテルＣＥＯ、来月交代　投資家圧力高まり

【サンフランシスコＡＦＰ＝時事】米半導体大手インテルは13日、ボブ・スワン最高経営責任者（CEO）が来月退任すると発表した。後任にはパット・ゲルシンガー氏が就任する。インテルをめぐっては、ヘッジファンド企業サードポイントが同社に変更を求める書簡を提出し、ここ数週間圧力が強まっていた。（写真はインテルのボブ・スワン最高経営責任者）
　「物言う株主」として知られるダニエル・ローブ氏がＣＥＯを務めるサードポイントは昨年１２月、インテルに書簡を送付。この中で競合他社に追い付けるよう製造工程の外部委託の検討を求めていた。インテルは今回の人事と同社の業績とは「関連がない」としている。
　２月１５日にＣＥＯに就任するゲルシンガー氏は現在、ソフト会社ＶＭウェアのＣＥＯを務めるが、インテルに３０年間勤務していた。
　インテルは依然として世界の半導体業界をけん引する企業の一つながらも、急成長中のモバイル機器部門では競合他社に後れを取っている。同社製チップはこれまで米アップルが採用していたが、アップルはコンピューター「Ｍａｃ（マック）」向けに自社製チップを開発し、切り替えを進めている。
【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/01/14-12:31）

Intel CEO Bob Swan will step down next month, the computer chip giant said on Wednesday, weeks after a hedge fund sent a letter demanding changes in its business.
Intel today announced that its board of directors has appointed 40-year technology industry leader Pat Gelsinger as its new chief executive officer, effective February 15, 2021, the company said in a statement. He will succeed Bob Swan.
Though it said the announcement was unrelated to Intel's financial performance, the decision follows a December letter to the company from Third Point, led by activist investor Daniel Loeb.
The hedge fund told the company it should consider outsourcing its manufacturing operations to keep pace with rivals in the sector such as Taiwan-based TSMC and South Korean giant Samsung, among others.
We suggest the board retain a reputable investment advisor to evaluate strategic alternatives, including whether Intel should remain an integrated device manufacturer and the potential divestment of certain failed acquisitions, the letter stated.
While Intel remains one of the world's leading chip companies, it has lagged behind rivals in the fast-growing segment of mobile devices, and its chips are being phased out by Apple, which is developing its own microprocessors for its Mac computers.
Swan was made interim chief executive in 2018 and appointed permanently the next year after his predecessor Brian Krzanich resigned over a relationship with an employee that violated a company non-fraternization policy.
Gelsinger is currently CEO of software firm VMware but spent 30 years at Intel and also served as chief operating officer of EMC's Information Infrastructure Products division, the company said.
Intel's stock was up 8.5 percent around 1500 GMT.