In industries with small numbers of players like semiconductor design non-compete clauses have been held almost completely unenforceable; there may even be such a clause but it's unlikely Intel could do anything.
Can be if "trade secrets" can be proved. In other words, if a high level manager/executive leaves for a direct competitor, but if they can't prove that he holds any trade secrets it's not likely to be enforced. There are of course other requirements to be able to actually enforce a non compete clause, like a reasonable time frame (i.e. cannot work at a competitor for 1-2 years after leaving)
All that said, even if they had a case, it would be a fairly high profile one as both companies have the resources and legal teams required to drag the case out, so by the time it would reach court any trade secrets would already be handed over and any "reasonable" time frame would be expired.
He's been with LSI and Axxia for the recent past. In this field the knowledge you might have from a few years back in another company is already expired by now. Meaning it's not cutting edge so it wouldn't offer the competition any advantage.
He was hired for his experience not his knowledge of Intel secrets. That may be just a bonus.
That would be a non-disclosure agreement, and I am sure he signed one when he got hired at Intel, and another when he got hired at AMD. THOSE are entirely enforceable, as they cover actual IP.
Most of these tech companies are HQ'ed in California where I would expect these executives to be living and working. Good luck with non-compete clauses there.
You cannot be serious. Unless he is proven to have stolen trade secrets of IP design, he is free to switch jobs to any company that works in the semi-conductor space. Are you suggesting people who either lose their job or leave their job for whatever reasons have to stay unemployed for 3-4 years because they aren't allowed to seek work in any other semi-conductor/computing firm? Maybe you should think 5 seconds about how the real world works before implying such a NC agreement to be enforced.
Yeah, even that wiki article discusses how it is incredibly difficult to enforce a broad non-compete, usually meaning one lasting longer than two years and/or one preventing a person from working in their field/industry. Enforceable NCCs usually run along the lines of "you can't try to steal our clients for a year".
And this is ignoring that CA explicitly bans most NCCs.
The threat's often enough. Where I work, there have been several people not hired because of non-competes. Not because they're actually enforceable, but because the company I work for doesn't want to pay the lawyers.
Then again, I'd imagine AMD would pay for the fight. Guessing this guy wasn't under a non-compete, as Intel probably pays their legal team more than AMD's entire revenue in a year.
If AMD or ARM or anyone else knew four years ago what is public about Intel now I'm not certain it would have made much measurable difference.to their products.
Except of course for specific details about their foundry processes - that would have been worth something. And details of potential acquisitions are always worthwhile to shareholders!
A long, long time ago in an agreement not all that far away, Intel and AMD agreed to share technology. From this article - http://www.anandtech.com/show/2873
Moving on, it’s the 3rd concession that’s the biggest for AMD. Although the Intel/AMD x86 cross-licensing agreement is private, it’s well-known that the agreement stipulated that AMD needed to produce the majority of their x86 processors in-house. With the formation of Global Foundries, AMD was applying a new interpretation to that requirement, one that Intel disagreed with and lead to a side-suit between the companies.
As part of this settlement, the in-house production requirement has been dropped from the cross-licensing agreement. AMD is no longer required to produce x86 CPUs, and as of today AMD has begun immediate preparation to go fully fabless.
I love AMD, especially with their history in the early '00's when I started building computers more frequently. However, after the Core iX processors launched, every headline with "AMD" made me cringe involuntarily. Now, anything but rumors/news of an aquisition of a larger/more capable/fab-owning firm is just... not terribly encouraging. Hopefully zen and Anderson can help them regain market share, but I have little faith at this point.
As long as he didn't steal a foundry and take it with him then Intel doesn't have to much to worry about. The strategic planning could be good as a more reliable and better forecasted release schedule from AMD would be welcome, especially with Zen maybe providing the company another chance to finally be competitive.
Look at that poor guy, well, not monetarily as AMD will no doubt waste millions on this guy, I meant look at his face, that tells it all: He's afraid, it's a fake smile, and he's been setup for failure, but he just couldn't stand the crap at Intel.
Loser and tears is his next gig. Sure AMD will spoil him rotten for taking on such a downer.
Meh. Show for investors. One or two guys don't save the day. They need many more engineers and driver developers to execute ideas of people like Mr. Anderson. And AMD fairly lacks those people after mass layoffs..
So he worked for Intel, left them for LSI. LSI was acquired by Intel, so he left for AMD. Either he has a beef with intel, or he's softening up the competition for them on the sly. Or if he's pbbbt at his job, maybe both.
Hey all you intel bigots, did you ever think that perhaps having a healthy labor market where people can switch jobs if their career gets blocked or if they get unhappy, makes companies (even Intel) STRONGER at what they do? The management at Intel has to keep people happy and well fed, otherwise they walk. A non-compete clause would just result is less innovation from everyone, imho. This is great news for the health of all companies in the industry.
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Morawka - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
Man, Intel really needs a Non-Compete Clause for at least 3-4 years lol.BillyONeal - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
In industries with small numbers of players like semiconductor design non-compete clauses have been held almost completely unenforceable; there may even be such a clause but it's unlikely Intel could do anything.tgirgis - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
Can be if "trade secrets" can be proved. In other words, if a high level manager/executive leaves for a direct competitor, but if they can't prove that he holds any trade secrets it's not likely to be enforced. There are of course other requirements to be able to actually enforce a non compete clause, like a reasonable time frame (i.e. cannot work at a competitor for 1-2 years after leaving)All that said, even if they had a case, it would be a fairly high profile one as both companies have the resources and legal teams required to drag the case out, so by the time it would reach court any trade secrets would already be handed over and any "reasonable" time frame would be expired.
close - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
He's been with LSI and Axxia for the recent past. In this field the knowledge you might have from a few years back in another company is already expired by now. Meaning it's not cutting edge so it wouldn't offer the competition any advantage.He was hired for his experience not his knowledge of Intel secrets. That may be just a bonus.
extide - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
That would be a non-disclosure agreement, and I am sure he signed one when he got hired at Intel, and another when he got hired at AMD. THOSE are entirely enforceable, as they cover actual IP.Gaugamela - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
I bet Intel made him sign an NDA. He can perform perfectly at AMD without disclosing the work that he saw being developed at Intel.toothpickana - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
Most of these tech companies are HQ'ed in California where I would expect these executives to be living and working. Good luck with non-compete clauses there.RussianSensation - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
You cannot be serious. Unless he is proven to have stolen trade secrets of IP design, he is free to switch jobs to any company that works in the semi-conductor space. Are you suggesting people who either lose their job or leave their job for whatever reasons have to stay unemployed for 3-4 years because they aren't allowed to seek work in any other semi-conductor/computing firm? Maybe you should think 5 seconds about how the real world works before implying such a NC agreement to be enforced.Wreckage - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clauseTimbrelaine - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
Yeah, even that wiki article discusses how it is incredibly difficult to enforce a broad non-compete, usually meaning one lasting longer than two years and/or one preventing a person from working in their field/industry. Enforceable NCCs usually run along the lines of "you can't try to steal our clients for a year".And this is ignoring that CA explicitly bans most NCCs.
Samus - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
Seriously, how else would AMD have gotten Hector Ruiz to save their butts back in the 90's with non-compete? Motorola fell apart after he left.fluxtatic - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
The threat's often enough. Where I work, there have been several people not hired because of non-competes. Not because they're actually enforceable, but because the company I work for doesn't want to pay the lawyers.Then again, I'd imagine AMD would pay for the fight. Guessing this guy wasn't under a non-compete, as Intel probably pays their legal team more than AMD's entire revenue in a year.
Dmcq - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
If AMD or ARM or anyone else knew four years ago what is public about Intel now I'm not certain it would have made much measurable difference.to their products.Dmcq - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
Except of course for specific details about their foundry processes - that would have been worth something. And details of potential acquisitions are always worthwhile to shareholders!wiyosaya - Thursday, June 4, 2015 - link
A long, long time ago in an agreement not all that far away, Intel and AMD agreed to share technology. From this article - http://www.anandtech.com/show/2873SeanJ76 - Thursday, August 27, 2015 - link
Not going to save AMD.... AMD is already a has been......ChefJeff789 - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
I love AMD, especially with their history in the early '00's when I started building computers more frequently. However, after the Core iX processors launched, every headline with "AMD" made me cringe involuntarily. Now, anything but rumors/news of an aquisition of a larger/more capable/fab-owning firm is just... not terribly encouraging. Hopefully zen and Anderson can help them regain market share, but I have little faith at this point.Wreckage - Monday, June 1, 2015 - link
"Jim had in turn been with Intel for the last 7 months"althaz - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
Did anybody else find it strange that this article referred to Jim Anderson as "Jim"?Nagorak - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
Yeah that is kind of weird.mr_tawan - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
What about .. "Mr.Anderson" ?Dmcq - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
You mean like Mr Smith kept saying it?, yeah now that was kind of weird ;-)gijames1225 - Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - link
As long as he didn't steal a foundry and take it with him then Intel doesn't have to much to worry about. The strategic planning could be good as a more reliable and better forecasted release schedule from AMD would be welcome, especially with Zen maybe providing the company another chance to finally be competitive.FlushedBubblyJock - Wednesday, June 3, 2015 - link
Look at that poor guy, well, not monetarily as AMD will no doubt waste millions on this guy, I meant look at his face, that tells it all: He's afraid, it's a fake smile, and he's been setup for failure, but he just couldn't stand the crap at Intel.Loser and tears is his next gig. Sure AMD will spoil him rotten for taking on such a downer.
andychow - Wednesday, June 3, 2015 - link
I'd love to be setup for failure and get paid a couple million in the process. Then I could just retire!Klimax - Thursday, June 4, 2015 - link
Meh. Show for investors. One or two guys don't save the day. They need many more engineers and driver developers to execute ideas of people like Mr. Anderson. And AMD fairly lacks those people after mass layoffs..PaulBags - Thursday, June 4, 2015 - link
So he worked for Intel, left them for LSI. LSI was acquired by Intel, so he left for AMD. Either he has a beef with intel, or he's softening up the competition for them on the sly. Or if he's pbbbt at his job, maybe both.daftshadow - Thursday, June 4, 2015 - link
I'm sure he had a nice big fat salary working for Intel but can't say never to a bigger and fatter paycheck.systemBuilder - Saturday, June 27, 2015 - link
Hey all you intel bigots, did you ever think that perhaps having a healthy labor market where people can switch jobs if their career gets blocked or if they get unhappy, makes companies (even Intel) STRONGER at what they do? The management at Intel has to keep people happy and well fed, otherwise they walk. A non-compete clause would just result is less innovation from everyone, imho. This is great news for the health of all companies in the industry.SeanJ76 - Thursday, August 27, 2015 - link
Not going to save AMD.... AMD is already a has been...