6 Major Intel Channel Executive Changes That Shocked Partners

Executive Switch Up

Intel partners have seen widespread reshuffling among executives in the channel over the past year, as the chip company aims to refocus its strategy around the cloud and data center.

The most recent change came this week, when CRN learned that channel chief Maurits Tichelman is moving out of his role in the channel. Beyond Tichelman, Intel has been reorganizing its channel operations since it first announced in 2016 its overall strategy to reduce its dependence on the PC market.

Following are six big Intel channel executive changes that surprised partners.

Maurits Tichelman

Channel chief and partner advocate Maurits Tichelman is moving out of his role in the channel, CRN has learned.

The executive will move to a leadership position within Intel, but will no longer be in a channel executive role, effective Jan. 1, Intel told CRN.

Tichelman, vice president in the Sales and Marketing Group and general manager of sales within the worldwide Direct and Channel Sales, has spent his four-year tenure as channel chief advocating for the channel.

Greg Pearson

In August, it was revealed that Greg Pearson, who had been the senior vice president and general manager of Intel's sales and marketing group since 2013, would move out of his channel role.

The company said Pearson would "remain on the company's management committee and is expected to take on a new role with the company, which will be announced at a later date," according to an Intel Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Michelle Johnston Holthaus

In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing in August, Intel said Michelle Johnston Holthaus would take the channel gauntlet from Greg Pearson as the new head of the Sales and Marketing Group, effective Sept. 6.

Holthaus has worked at Intel since 2003 in several channel-related positions, most recently as the company's vice president and general manager of sales and marketing for the Client Computing Group.

Ricardo Moreno

In early 2017, Intel hired a new VP of channel sales, Ricardo Moreno, to help invest further in worldwide channel sales, training and resources, according to the company. Ricardo Moreno, the new vice president of Intel's Sales and Marketing Group and general manager of Intel's Partner Program Organization, is in charge of tightening focus on investments across Intel's go-to-market strategy, as well as channel resources and training strategies from a worldwide perspective.

Moreno, who recently joined Intel, has a wealth of channel experience under his belt – the executive previously worked as vice president of Worldwide Partner Sales at Infoblox, overseeing partner relationships, development and programs. Before that, Moreno worked at Cisco as the vice president of the vendor's US and Latin America Field Partner Organization.

CJ Bruno

In the fall of 2016, Intel channel leader CJ Bruno moved out of the channel business and is now focused on top global accounts as the vice president and general manager of global accounts, according to Intel. Bruno spent years overseeing the channel, specifically helping partners find opportunities in vertical markets and the data center.

Bruno has passed the channel torch along to Vice President Greg Baur.

Greg Baur

In the fall of 2016, Americas channel head CJ Bruno passed the channel leadership baton to Vice President Greg Baur.

Baur, formerly the sales and marketing group director of Intel's Compute and Embedded Sales Group, replaced Bruno as head all channel activities and sales. His new role, vice president of Intel Americas and director of sales, has also been expanded to cover Latin America as well as North America, and distribution sales.

Baur has long worked in Intel's channel business, holding his role as director of sales for eight years, according to LinkedIn. Partners hope that his experience will translate to an increased focus on the channel within Intel