IF YOU ARE running a large company like, say AMD, you occasionally need to tell the troops about the changes going on over their heads. This is how you might go about it. µ

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TO: All Employees

FROM: Dirk Meyer, President and COO

RE: Allen Sockwell New Chief Talent Officer

The Chief Talent Officer at AMD is a key member of the Corporate Staff, focused on developing our leadership and technical talent to help AMD differentiate itself in the industry, and ultimately to win. In addition, this person is a key advisor and counselor to me and our senior executive team, especially during times of transformation. We are experiencing such a transformation as we are in the process of re-architecting AMD for sustained success.

I am therefore pleased to announce that Allen Sockwell has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Human Resources, and Chief Talent Officer. Michel Cadieux, our former Chief Talent Officer, has left AMD. I thank Michel for his many contributions over the years, first to ATI and then at AMD. We all wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Allen brings with him valuable talent management experience from top global technology companies, a passion to build winning teams, and an ability to focus and deliver on AMD’s most critical talent priorities. He has been a trusted advisor to me since our days of working together in the former CPG, when he was my executive HR partner.

Most recently, Allen has been leading the executive team through an important talent management process, where we are assessing the critical skill needs at the senior management and technical levels, determining where we have gaps and defining aggressive employee development or hiring plans to fill these gaps.

Allen will build and lead an HR team focused on executing on the cr itical priorities relevant to AMD’s business success and which will ultimately benefit all AMD employees.

I know I can count on your support of Allen and the global HR team.

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