More efficient, apparently
Intel has announced it will be disbanding its channel platform group and re-integrating the various bits of it into the most relevant parts of the rest of the company.
The channel platform group is headed up by VP Tom Rampone and is responsible for products designed to seed the channel when a major product launch occurs, such as the Smackover motherboard.
Here's what Intel had to say about the move:
Later in Q1 2009, Intel plans to re-integrate channel product development into our respective mobile, desktop and server business groups. This is merely an internal organization change, and how we've run our channel efforts for most of the past 30 years.
Having a separate channel group helped us jump-start several tailored products for the channel. By integrating development with our business groups, we will speed decision-making, accountability and focus to our channel customers. It's also more efficient for us.
We are as committed as ever to the channel. This change only covers how product development teams for our worldwide channel are organized. The emerging markets team we formed (classmate PC, etc.) remains as-is and headquartered in Shanghai.
Our customer facing channel team, RCO (Reseller Channel Organization), is also not affected and remains an award-winning group formed about 20 years ago.
