Qualcomm Appoints Intel Foundry Veteran Kevin O’Buckley to Lead Global Operations
In a significant move for both companies, Qualcomm has appointed Kevin O’Buckley, formerly of Intel Foundry Services, as Executive Vice President of Global Operations and Supply Chain. The appointment, effective March 2, 2026, signals Qualcomm’s commitment to strengthening its semiconductor operations as demand for high-performance computing, AI, and connectivity continues to grow.
O’Buckley’s Transition from Intel
O’Buckley joins Qualcomm after less than two years at Intel, where he served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Intel Foundry Services. Qualcomm announced the appointment on February 26, 2026. His departure from Intel comes amidst a leadership restructure within the foundry division, following a change in his reporting line to Naga Chandrasekaran in September 2025. Data Center Dynamics reports that Intel stated its foundry division remains a “highest strategic priority.”
Role at Qualcomm
At Qualcomm, O’Buckley will be responsible for overseeing the company’s global semiconductor operations, including manufacturing engineering, foundry and supplier partnerships, supply chain management, and procurement. He will report directly to Akash Palkhiwala, Qualcomm’s Executive Vice President, CFO, and COO. Palkhiwala stated that O’Buckley brings “deep operational expertise, proven commercial leadership, and decades of experience scaling complex semiconductor operations.” Qualcomm expects his leadership to strengthen global operations and support the delivery of industry-leading products.
Intel Foundry Leadership Change
Following O’Buckley’s departure, Naga Chandrasekaran has been appointed as the head of Intel Foundry, expanding his role to include both technology development and manufacturing operations. TechPowerUp details that Chandrasekaran previously led front-end process technology development and manufacturing, and has overseen both the Technology Development (TD) organization and the Foundry Manufacturing and Supply Chain (FMSC) group since mid-2024. Navid Shahriari will continue to manage packaging development and operations within Intel Foundry.
O’Buckley’s Extensive Background
Prior to his time at Intel, O’Buckley held positions at GlobalFoundries, Marvell, and IBM, where he worked for 17 years in various engineering roles. His experience spans across data center and edge devices, making him a valuable asset to Qualcomm’s supply chain strategy.
Industry Context
This move comes as Intel continues to push for greater adoption of its Intel Foundry Services, despite facing challenges in securing major customers. CRN notes that Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan remains optimistic about the future of the foundry business. Meanwhile, Qualcomm is focused on scaling its manufacturing partnerships and ensuring a smooth transition of its chip designs into volume production.