Robert Swan is an American businessman who served as the CEO of Intel Corporation from January 2019 until February 2021. Swan was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1960 and grew up in California. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Buffalo and his MBA from Binghamton University.
Swan began his career at General Electric, where he worked for over 15 years in various finance and leadership roles. In 1999, he joined the private equity firm General Atlantic LLC as an investment partner, and later became its CEO. During his tenure at General Atlantic, Swan invested in several technology companies, including Alibaba and Facebook.
In 2016, Swan joined Intel as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and he was named interim CEO in June 2018, following the resignation of Brian Krzanich. In January 2019, he was officially named CEO, becoming the seventh CEO in the company’s history.
Under Swan’s leadership, Intel faced several challenges, including manufacturing delays and increased competition from rival chipmakers. Despite these challenges, Swan oversaw several strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of Habana Labs, a leading provider of artificial intelligence processors, and the sale of Intel’s smartphone modem business to Apple.
In 2021, Swan announced his retirement from Intel, and was succeeded by Pat Gelsinger. According to Forbes, Swan’s net worth as of March 2023 is estimated at $600 million, primarily from his stock holdings in Intel.
Here is a timeline of Robert Swan’s career:
- 1960: Robert Swan is born in Syracuse, New York.
- 1982: Swan earns a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Buffalo.
- 1985: Swan earns his MBA from Binghamton University.
- 1985-2000: Swan works at General Electric in various finance and leadership roles.
- 1999: Swan joins the private equity firm General Atlantic LLC as an investment partner.
- 2007: Swan becomes the CEO of General Atlantic LLC.
- 2016: Swan joins Intel as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
- 2018: Swan is named interim CEO of Intel following the resignation of Brian Krzanich.
- 2019: Swan is officially named CEO of Intel, becoming the seventh CEO in the company’s history.
- 2020: Swan oversees Intel’s acquisition of Habana Labs, a leading provider of artificial intelligence processors.
- 2021: Swan announces his retirement from Intel and is succeeded by Pat Gelsinger.
- March 2023: Swan’s net worth is estimated at $600 million, according to Forbes.
5 Interesting Facts about Robert Swan:
- Swan was the first person outside of the founding family to be named CEO of Intel Corporation.
- He started his career as a financial analyst at General Electric and worked there for over 15 years.
- In his tenure as CEO of Intel, he oversaw the company’s transition from a PC-centric to a data-centric business.
- Swan is known for his emphasis on transparency and accountability in corporate governance.
- He is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
5 Quotes from Robert Swan:
- “You can’t lead through fear. You have to lead through inspiration and motivation and by enabling people to do their best work.”
- “Culture is about what you do, not what you say.”
- “Innovation is about the people who do it, not just the technology they use.”
- “To truly innovate, you have to take risks and be willing to fail. If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing the boundaries enough.”
- “I believe in the power of diversity to bring new ideas and perspectives to the table, and to create a better and more inclusive workplace.”
