Intel scraps "Fellow" title

[Xebec]

Intel will no longer confer the titles “fellow” and “senior fellow” on its top researchers, dropping a prestigious designation that has endured at the company for nearly half a century.

Instead, Intel notified employees last week that it will refer to its leading scientists as “distinguished engineer” and “senior distinguished engineer,” titles the company said reflects heightened expectations that senior researchers contribute to Intel’s business result

Intel replaces one of its most coveted titles after nearly 50 years

For nearly 50 years, the title "Intel fellow" has been reserved for the company's most accomplished scientists.

www.oregonlive.com

 

[blueone]

I wonder if AMD is next to make the change. I'm pretty sure IBM was the first big company to use the fellow title, and they still do.

 

[Xebec]

I wonder if AMD is next to make the change. I'm pretty sure IBM was the first big company to use the fellow title, and they still do.

This change just seems silly to me, but .. what do I know. I found this (Toms Hardware article):

Intel CTO Pushkar Ranade told employees that the move represents more than a simple renaming and establishes a new standard for technical leadership.

"The future of Intel will be determined by leaders who combine deep domain expertise with outstanding problem-solving ability, creative innovation with disciplined execution, and an expansive and strategic vision with measurable tactical progress," the Intel CTO reportedly wrote.

...

This strikes me as one of those "executives all sat in a room for a day and pondered something" changes. Now, all of the "former Fellows" and their leaders have to change nomenclature and learn to speak "the right way" across organizations. These are the kinds of changes that just create paperwork, slow down, and .. distract from actual execution, IMO.

 

[Daniel Nenni]

This strikes me as one of those "executives all sat in a room for a day and pondered something" changes. Now, all of the "former Fellows" and their leaders have to change nomenclature and learn to speak "the right way" across organizations. These are the kinds of changes that just create paperwork, slow down, and .. distract from actual execution, IMO.

To me this is a "No Job is Safe" move, and rightly so.

 

[swka]

This change just seems silly to me, but .. what do I know. I found this (Toms Hardware article):

Intel CTO Pushkar Ranade told employees that the move represents more than a simple renaming and establishes a new standard for technical leadership.

"The future of Intel will be determined by leaders who combine deep domain expertise with outstanding problem-solving ability, creative innovation with disciplined execution, and an expansive and strategic vision with measurable tactical progress," the Intel CTO reportedly wrote.

...

This strikes me as one of those "executives all sat in a room for a day and pondered something" changes. Now, all of the "former Fellows" and their leaders have to change nomenclature and learn to speak "the right way" across organizations. These are the kinds of changes that just create paperwork, slow down, and .. distract from actual execution, IMO.

wish Intel, or any company, management has better things to do than rename a title. The CTO comments made no progress to make sure it is more than a name change. Unfortunately, part of large company issue

 

[Xebec]

To me this is a "No Job is Safe" move, and rightly so.

I agree no job should be auto safe, but this action makes the executive (the CTO) sound incompetent, imo. A title change isn't required to hold someone accountable.

 

[count]

To me this is a "No Job is Safe" move, and rightly so.

I agree. I think there is a perception that a fellow is kind of like a tenured professor where it’s a recognition for past contributions to the company and industry and for that you have earned a permanent seat, and the title change to engineer is a message that you have to keep building and contributing and continue to earn your seat.

If you know these companies you know what I mean.

 

[meo9725]

I must agree. Intel technology has fallen behind in the last two decades. The bar for senior technical staff needs to rise.

 

[siliconbruh999]

I must agree. Intel technology has fallen behind in the last two decades. The bar for senior technical staff needs to rise.

That's not true lol their tech has not fallen that behind it's delays that are the main problem what Intel needs to do is not layoff people like crazy you rarely hear AMD/Nvidia laying off people.

 

[swka]

I agree. I think there is a perception that a fellow is kind of like a tenured professor where it’s a recognition for past contributions to the company and industry and for that you have earned a permanent seat, and the title change to engineer is a message that you have to keep building and contributing and continue to earn your seat.

If you know these companies you know what I mean.

a pretty weak move from leadership point of view. holding people accountable should be a culture throughout, and one does not have to hide behind a title change in order to get the message across.