When the U.S. government takes a 10% stake in your company, it's probably smart to have someone on speed dial who knows how Washington actually works. Intel Corp. (INTC) announced Monday that it's hired Robin Colwell, a deputy assistant to Donald Trump and deputy director of the National Economic Council, to run its government affairs office. It's the latest sign that Intel's turnaround strategy involves staying very close to federal power.
The appointment comes as CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who stepped into the top job in March, continues overhauling Intel's leadership ranks. And he's not being subtle about how important this hire is. Tan called Colwell's experience "invaluable" and praised her "rare ability" to navigate shifting policy landscapes while delivering results that work for businesses, policymakers, and the communities caught in between.
Washington Connections Run Deep
Colwell isn't the only new face in Intel's executive suite. The company named James Chew as vice president of Intel Government Technologies, where he'll oversee business with U.S. government clients. Chew replaces longtime executive Christopher George and comes from Cadence Design Systems, where Tan previously served as CEO. If that sounds like Tan is bringing in people he knows and trusts, well, that's exactly what's happening.
Intel also brought on Annie Shea Weckesser, a former Cisco Systems (CSCO) executive who also worked at AI chip startup SambaNova Systems, as chief marketing and communications officer. And Pushkar Ranade, Tan's chief of staff, stepped into the interim chief technology officer role after former CTO Sachin Katti left to join OpenAI.
Strategy Shift: Keeping the Network Business In-House
Earlier this month, Intel reversed course on plans to spin off or sell a stake in its Network and Edge Group. The company decided to keep the business under one roof instead, saying tighter integration across silicon, software, and systems would beef up its artificial intelligence, data center, and edge computing offerings. As part of that decision, Intel reportedly ended discussions with Ericsson about a potential investment in the unit.
It's a meaningful pivot. Spinning off units to raise cash or streamline operations had been floated as part of Intel's broader restructuring. But Tan seems to be betting that holding onto key assets and rebuilding from within makes more sense than selling off pieces of the company.
The Government As Strategic Partner
During Intel's third-quarter earnings call, Tan made it clear just how central federal support has become to the company's recovery. He publicly thanked the Trump administration and the federal government, saying Washington views Intel as a strategic asset. And he's not wrong about why: Intel is the only U.S.-based semiconductor company with leading-edge logic research and manufacturing capabilities still operating domestically.
Tan credited accelerated government funding, along with investments from companies like Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) and SoftBank Group (SFTBF) (SFTBY), as critical to Intel's turnaround. When your business depends on billions in federal chips act funding and you're competing with overseas rivals backed by their own governments, having someone like Colwell who understands the policy machinery becomes less of a nice-to-have and more of a strategic necessity.
The Numbers Show Progress
Intel reported third-quarter revenue of $13.65 billion and adjusted earnings of 23 cents per share, both topping Wall Street estimates. Revenue climbed 3% year over year, driven by gains in client computing, though data center and AI revenue edged slightly lower. The stock has surged more than 85% year to date, even as shares dipped 0.79% during Monday's regular session and another 0.37% in after-hours trading.
That's a remarkable recovery for a company that spent much of the past few years watching competitors eat its lunch in key markets. Intel's turnaround isn't finished, but the combination of new leadership, strategic reversals, and deep ties to federal policymakers is starting to show results. Whether that momentum holds depends on execution, but Tan is clearly assembling a team he thinks can deliver.
