Intel Foundry Lead Jumps to Qualcomm
The semiconductor executive shuffle continues as Kevin O’Buckley, who previously led Intel's foundry business, has left the company to join rival Qualcomm. This move is another high-profile departure from Intel as competition in the chip sector intensifies.
Kevin O'Buckley's new title at Qualcomm is EVP of Global Operations and Supply Chain, a role reporting directly to the CFO and COO, Akash Palkhiwala. He will manage global semiconductor operations, including manufacturing engineering, foundry partnerships, and procurement for the fabless chip giant. This move comes after a brief tenure of less than two years at Intel, where O'Buckley was initially hired as SVP and GM of Intel Foundry Services in May 2024. A recent reorganization had him reporting to Naga Chandrasekaran, who took on an expanded role overseeing the entire foundry unit, a change from his initial direct reporting line to the CEO. O'Buckley's exit is part of a broader executive shuffle at Intel under CEO Lip-Bu Tan, which has seen the departure of the chief strategy officer and the chief executive of products over the past year. This leadership churn occurs as Intel's foundry business continues to face significant financial challenges, posting a $2.5 billion operating loss in the fourth quarter of 2025. The hire is a strategic win for Qualcomm, which operates on a fabless model, outsourcing its manufacturing to foundries like TSMC and Samsung. Bringing in an executive with deep experience from IBM, GlobalFoundries, and Intel signals an intent to bolster its manufacturing partnerships and supply chain as it pushes aggressively into new markets like automotive and AI PCs. Interestingly, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon had previously commented in September that Intel's production technology was not currently good enough for Qualcomm to use them as a supplier. Acquiring the executive in charge of that very business underscores the intense competition for talent and operational leadership in the semiconductor industry. At Qualcomm, O'Buckley's expertise will be critical in scaling complex operations and strengthening supplier relationships. This is particularly vital as the company expands its Snapdragon platforms into new high-growth areas, aiming for its automotive design-win pipeline to reach $45 billion.
