AMD appoints new CTO

Former Intel chip designer takes lead technology role at rival company AMD

The server CTO position has been vacant since the Opteron launch

Chip manufacturer AMD has announced the appointment of former Intel engineer Don Newell as its chief technology officer (CTO) for its server microprocessors.

This position has been vacant since the launch of the "Istanbul" six-core Opteron chip last year.

Prior to taking the position at AMD, Newell was a senior principal engineer at Intel, responsible for datacentre networking and system-on-a-chip projects. He holds more than 20 patents, and has published more than 60 papers on a wide range of technology-based topics.

In his new role at AMD Newell will be responsible for the concept and definition of AMD’s long-term server road map based on current conditions, expected demand and long-term server trends.

"Don Newell brings a strong combination of leadership skills, engineering and design expertise, and strategic direction," said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager at AMD Products Group. "We’re fortunate to have Don on board as we prepare for the delivery of the 'Bulldozer' core in our AMD Opteron processors, scheduled for launch in 2011."