VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger: No Thanks, I Don't Want To Be Intel's Next CEO

Advertisement

Pat Gelsinger

AP

VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger

VMware's new CEO Pat Gelsinger quashed rumors that he was looking to become Intel's next CEO when Paul Otellini retires in May.

Advertisement

His name has been batted about as a candidate in the press. At an event in New York Wednesday to formally announced VMware's expected moves into cloud computing, Gelsinger was asked about the Intel job, reports the Wall Street Journal's Don Clark. His answer:

I’m flattered, of course, to be considered for running such a great company as Intel. But I’m happy in my role at VMware and hope to be doing it for many years to come.

Intel is expected to hire a CEO from within, but Gelsinger was considered in the running because he was a 30-year Intel veteran. He joined EMC in 2009 and was the No. 2 guy there until he took the VMware CEO job last summer.

The next Intel CEO is most likely COO Brian Krzanich or Stacy Smith, Intel's CFO and top strategy exec.

Advertisement

A woman is in the running, too, but she's more of a longshot: Renee James, executive vice president of Intel's software and services group.

Both Smith and James were promoted in November, at the same time Otellini announced his retirement. The implication was that they are being groomed as CEO candidates.