The Intel 2021 CEO transition was a board misstep — Pat Gelsinger was a mismatch.

When the Intel Corporation board rehired Gelsinger in 2021, it was framed as a homecoming.
— An electrical engineering expert trained at nearby Stanford University
— A successful 30-year career at Intel as CTO and a leader in Digital Enterprise
— More than a decade as President and COO at Dell, and CEO of VMware

Brilliant intellectual. Impressive background.
But past success doesn’t guarantee future fit — or future performance.

Leadership is situational.
What works in one company — or one decade — can fail in another.

Since this transition, Intel’s decline hasn’t been cyclical. It’s been structural:
— Strategy shifted without broad buy-in from the executive bench
— Execution misfired repeatedly
— Engagement and confidence eroded across key talent

Investors betting on a “fixer” got a CEO out of sync with where the business truly needed to go.

That’s why Eagle Talon evaluates CEOs the way others evaluate companies.
We look past reputations and résumés to what really matters to this market.

Not just credentials. Not just charisma.
It comes down to CEOs —
Alignment. Readiness. Judgment.

We invest where leaders’ expertise aligns with the company’s challenges — to create enduring value.