At a dinner with supply chain partners on May 19, Intel's new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, highlighted Taiwan's critical role in the global semiconductor sector, praising it as a key technology and innovation hub with abundant creative talent from its universities and research institutions.
Early days in Taiwan's venture capital scene
Tan said that in 1985, he was invited by Kwoh-ting Li to visit Taiwan to introduce American venture capital practices. A venture capital company was formed with investments from investors, including the Bank of Communications. During the first board meeting, Tan spoke in English but was asked by Vivian Wu, a prominent chairperson, to speak Chinese for meetings in the Republic of China.
Tan said that Li had advised contrasting the loud board meetings common in the US with Taiwan's smoother approach, where directors are consulted individually beforehand. Tan gradually adapted to local business practices, like organizing travel allowances for government representatives, which eased and streamlined meetings.
Tan also gained experience mentoring local startups through past investments in Taiwanese companies like D-Link.
Unexpected path to intel CEO
Tan also mentioned his previous departure from Intel's board of directors and his journey of taking over as CEO in March 2025.
He said it was unexpected, and upon joining Intel, he spent a significant amount of time visiting customers and further communicating with them, emphasizing that both large and small customers are important, as the future innovation giants often come from today's startups.
He added that Intel needs to humbly learn and co-create solutions with customers. This is not just about discussing contracts but involves in-depth collaboration between engineers and architects.
"I am willing to stay as long as needed—five, ten, even twenty years," Tan stated confidently, highlighting Intel's role as an industry leader.
Unveils Taiwan partnership for corporate transformation amidst intel restructuring
Tan revealed a new partnership with Taiwan, emphasizing a pragmatic approach and innovative technologies to drive corporate transformation in the face of industry challenges. Intel plans to collaborate with Taiwan's supply chain to develop world-class solutions. This collaboration aims to reorganize engineering teams, enhance product development, and ensure customer satisfaction. The team structure now reports directly upward to support the promotion of key products.
Tan openly admitted that Intel is facing challenges with internal restructuring and talent reorganization, including leadership changes and workflow integration. Despite layoffs, the company is still working to recruit new talent, although it will take time to streamline and clarify the organizational structure.
Intel boosts AI investments, prioritizes OEM collaboration despite market challenges
Tan said Intel is ramping up investments in AI, networking, and storage, focusing on startups like Credo to enhance AI applications and system integration through innovation.
In CPU and memory technology, Tan emphasized the crucial role of CPU performance in relation to memory and expressed a desire for close collaboration with OEM customers, while Intel committed to attentively considering their feedback.
Acknowledging market reactions, Tan admitted that some products are imperfect but emphasized Intel's strength with a 68% market share. Even though it missed some opportunities in the data center segment, Intel is committed to working harder to regain ground.
Champions 'honest feedback' culture
Tan stressed the importance of a culture centered on "honest feedback," prioritizing transparency and direct communication. He believes in engaging personally with frontline employees and customers, pointing out that too much hierarchy can lead to miscommunication. By interacting directly with engineers, he aims to deeply understand the real issues at hand.
Tan emphasized the importance of hearing bad news first to solve problems effectively. He shared contact details on his business card to encourage Taiwanese partners to provide feedback and instructed internal teams to report issues promptly, promoting a transparent communication environment.
Tan emphasized that he is focused on delivering results rather than empty promises. Acknowledging Taiwan's significant contribution to Intel, he expressed gratitude and anticipated continued collaboration, saying, "Taiwan's ecosystem has been vital to Intel over the past 40 years, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration for the next 40 years."
Before Computex 2025, Intel introduced new advanced graphics chips and AI accelerators aimed at professionals and developers. These include the Arc Pro B-series graphics chips, the Gaudi 3 AI accelerator, and the AI Assistant Builder.
Article edited by Joseph Chen
