14 DAY TRIAL // There is no doubt that AMD has had a tough year, which reflected in over $1.5 billion US loss and multiple delays in releasing the company's first quad-core processor. The Intel competitors always seemed one step ahead of them, while they were busy taking up the ATI business. The recent unveiling of the Phenom processor caught AMD by surprise when the 9700 series had to be pulled off the shelves due to an issue with TLB errata related to the L3 protocol. The tough luck doesn't end here.
Rumor has it that Chief Executive Officer Hector Ruiz is heading towards resignation in early April 2008. Ruiz's leaving wouldn't be a first ever in the post-ATI fusion era, as the former executive, David Orton fled in July after Chris Evenden left the company. The list of "deserters" goes on with names like Richard R. Heye (ATI Vice President between 2003-2006), Paul Dal Santo (who quit when AMD assimilated ATI) and Peter Edinger.
Ruiz started his career at AMD in January 2000 as chief operating officer in the Athlon era. Two years later, Hector Ruiz was named chief executive officer in April 2002, just before AMD revealed the Opteron and Athlon 64 series. It is true that Ruiz managed to increase the AMD market share from 18% to approximately 23%, but this was the result of the technology developed under the "reign" of the former chief executive, Jerry Sanders. AMD has always had trouble respecting the deadlines and they have made a habit of delaying the delivery of new technologies, but it was supposed that Ruiz would manage to give the company a firm direction in this respect.
Although AMD refuses to comment on these aspects due to the nature of the rumors, The Street Journal has reported that Dirk Meyer, the chief operating officer and president, is willing to pull Ruiz out in April next year - once his contract ends.