Mr Frank McCabe has announced he is to retire as general manager of Intel Ireland. He will also stand down as vice-president of technology and manufacturing for Intel worldwide.
Mr McCabe (62), who has headed the Irish operation since 1994, has said his successor will be appointed in the next four to six weeks following an open process of recruitment. Sources close to the company have indicated the new general manager will be drawn from the Irish management team, where there are at least three candidates in the running for the position.
Mr McCabe told The Irish Times the decision to leave came after more than 40 years in the semiconductor industry. "While there's never a perfect time to retire, this year I was responsible for the acquisition of the Digital semiconductor operation in the US, and in Ireland we rolled out new technology across the site. We now have an outstanding team in place which sustains outstanding performance."
Intel officially opened its latest global microchip fabrication plant - Fab 14 - in Leixlip, Co Kildare, in May, bringing to $2.5 billion (£1.7 million) Intel's cumulative investment in Ireland since it located here in 1991.
As a peer of Intel's founder, Mr Andy Grove and chief executive officer, Mr Craig Barrett, Mr McCabe played a major role in attracting the latest Intel investment to Ireland. His successor may not automatically be appointed a company vice-president - a title which would go some way towards allaying fears in Ireland at the loss of an influential decision-maker within the company. The global semiconductor industry is facing difficulties owing to the dual pressures of the Asian markets crisis and competitive pricing. However, Mr McCabe is confident Intel's future in Ireland is secure. "All Intel Ireland's goals have been consistently met or exceeded. Intel in Ireland will continue to be very successful," he said.
Mr McCabe has made no definitive plans about his future and says he will wait until the end of the year to consider the next step. "I quite frankly don't have any plans now. My number one goal is to transfer smoothly to my successor, and I have made a firm decision to remain in Ireland." Mr McCabe set up the first semiconductor plant in Ireland in 1966 for General Electric. He was parttime chairman of Shannon Development from 1975 to 1985, and served on various boards at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), RPI and Clarkson University. He was recently awarded an honorary fellowship by the Institution of Engineers in Ireland in recognition of his commitment to the development of engineering and technological education in Ireland.
