Intel has appointed Cindy Stoddard as its next senior vice president and chief information officer, a move that comes as the company accelerates the modernization of its global technology estate and sharpens its focus on data, AI, and operational resilience. She will assume the role on December 1, reporting directly to CEO Lip-Bu Tan, and will succeed Motti Finkelstein, who has been in role for the past two years, and was with the company for three and a half years in total.
Intel is a semiconductor company, supplying the processors and infrastructure behind PCs, cloud computing and a wide range of enterprise and industrial applications. The company generated approximately $53.1 billion in revenue in 2024 and is undertaking one of the most ambitious reinvention efforts in its history. As part of this push, Intel has also received significant investment from the U.S. government under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and reinforce America’s technology supply chain.
“The CIO role has become increasingly strategic for Intel as we modernize our legacy systems, strengthen our operational backbone, and build deeper partnerships with AI platform companies,” Tan noted. “Cindy is a proven enterprise technology leader whose expertise in large-scale digital transformation will be instrumental as we build Intel’s foundation for long-term success.”
Stoddard brings more than 25 years of experience leading global IT organizations through major modernization efforts. She joins Intel after nearly a decade as chief information officer Adobe, where she ran global IT and cloud operations and played an essential role in the company’s cloud migration and data strategy. Her earlier leadership roles at NetApp, Safeway, APL (American President Lines), and Consolidated Freightways further shaped her expertise in complex logistics environments and enterprise-scale operations.
In her new capacity, Stoddard will oversee the next phase of Intel’s digital overhaul, focusing on modernizing core systems, elevating the quality and accessibility of enterprise data and enabling faster, more secure decision-making across the company. A key priority will be advancing Intel’s use of AI internally as the organization seeks to lead in AI innovation broadly.
“Intel’s commitment to engineering excellence and innovation creates tremendous opportunities to leverage technology in transformative ways,” Stoddard said. “I’m excited to join the team and help build the digital infrastructure that will support Intel’s next chapter of growth.”
Her appointment signals Intel’s continued resolve to strengthen technology capabilities, improve operational rigor, and accelerate its strategic transformation under Tan’s leadership—momentum further reinforced by the government’s investment and the company’s focus on rebuilding U.S. semiconductor leadership.
Peter High is President of Metis Strategy, a business and IT advisory firm. He has written three bestselling books, including his latest Getting to Nimble. He also moderates the Technovation podcast series and speaks at conferences around the world. Follow him on Twitter @PeterAHigh.