In fresh days, Lip-Bu Tan, 1 of the key figures in the semiconductor manufacture and until late a board member, has been the focus of attention. Intel.
The case picked up pace after a letter from Senator Tom Cotton and a public call to resign from pages of president Donald Trumpwhich casts a shadow on the relation between Silicon Valley and Washington in the context of tensions with China.
The allegations afraid Tana's investment ties and his venture capital fund with Chinese technology companies, which, in the opinion of politicians, was expected to pose a threat to US national security.
Political force sparked an immediate marketplace reaction – Intel's stock listings saw a noticeable, albeit short-term decline.
In consequence to accusations, Lip-Bu Tan wrote an open letter to employees, besides published on the company blog.
In this communication he powerfully defended his integrity and his long-standing commitment to the improvement of the American technology industry.
He stressed that the United States has been his home for more than 40 years and that managing the company at specified a crucial minute he considers as a privilege and mission.
Tan assured his full support from the board of directors and stressed that his actions had always been in line with the highest ethical and legal standards. In his message Intel was presented as a company of strategical importance to the US economy and national security.
He besides noted the company's advancement towards launching mass production of advanced chips in the United States, which is simply a key component in the strategy of independency from Asian suppliers.
The full event fits into a wider trend of increased control of American technology companies and their leaders in terms of relations with China. Although Lip-Bu Tan in the meantime, in 2022, resigned to sit on Intel's supervisory board to focus on his own Walden Catalyst fund, his case remains symptomatic.
It shows how business and investment decisions can become subject to political force in a time of rivalry, influencing the stableness and strategy of the biggest players in the IT industry.
