Qualcomm announced Tuesday that chief executive Steve Mollenkopf will retire in June after 26 years with the company. Current Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon has been selected to replace Mollenkopf, who has served as CEO since 2014, upon his exit.
Mollenkopf is credited with leading the charge on a number of corporate milestones for Qualcomm, including its rise as a smartphone technology supplier — most notably for Apple. As CEO, Mollenkopf also led Qualcomm’s expansion into new industry segments, including Internet of Things and automotive.
“I am immensely proud of all that we have accomplished at Qualcomm and the position the company currently enjoys as the world’s leader in wireless technologies,” Mollenkopf said. “With our business model clearly validated and our leadership in 5G, this is the right time for Cristiano to assume leadership of the Company and preside over what I see as the single largest opportunity in the company’s history.”
Amon joined Qualcomm in 1995 as an engineer and rose to the role of president in 2018. He’s been responsible for leading Qualcomm’s semiconductor business, as well as its product roadmap and M&A strategy, the company said.