Intel loses its Chief Sales Officer to Kuka
Christoph Schell leaves the chip company in very turbulent times and takes over the management of Kuka – another challenge for the new Intel boss Tan.
Christoph Schell moves seamlessly from Intel to Kuka in the executive chair.
(Image: Kuka)
Intel's Chief Sales Officer Christoph Schell is leaving the company by the end of June. Apparently, the 53-year-old wants to be free for a new career move: Industrial robot manufacturer Kuka from Augsburg has announced that Schell will seamlessly take over the position of CEO there on July 1. Schell has already been a member of Kuka's Supervisory Board since the beginning of 2023, where he is also Chairman of the Strategy and Technology Committee. He was born in the Swabian town of Kirchheim unter Teck.
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Schell's departure apparently comes as a surprise to Intel, however, as the company is unable to name a direct successor ad hoc. The current Executive Vice President, responsible for the chip giant's overall sales, will be replaced on an interim basis by Corporate Vice President Greg Ernst.
Schell only joined the company in February 2022, following similar positions at HP, Philips and Procter & Gamble. His current departure coincides with a real period of upheaval at Intel, as the company was only able to present its new CEO Lip-Bu Tan in March, after CEO Pat Gelsinger was sent into retirement by Intel in December 2024. With the new boss, an imminent wave of layoffs is now to be expected, which will not stop at management. More than 20 percent of the workforce could soon lose their jobs, which the new management hopes will increase profits and the company's competitiveness.
In addition, Tan launched an initiative against working from home and demanded in April that every employee must return to the company four days a week. Schell will probably no longer have to implement this change.
(agr)
