AMD has announced a new operating model that centers the organization on four equally critical functions: products, technology, marketing and customers.  The new structure is designed to better optimize AMD’s operations to drive industry-leading performance graphics and microprocessors and further integrate the company’s x86 processor and graphics technologies. 

“We are tightening our focus on delivering the winning products and platforms our customers want based on AMD’s industry-leading microprocessor and graphics technologies,” said Dirk Meyer, AMD President and CEO. “The next generation of innovation in the computing industry will be grounded in the fusion of microprocessor and graphics technologies.  With these changes, we are putting the right organization in place to help enable the future of computing.”

Meyer organized the company around these four operating teams.  The rest of Meyer’s direct reports remain unchanged.

•           A products group led by Rick Bergman, 45:  This new group is responsible for delivering all of AMD’s platforms and products and aligning the graphics and microprocessor product development groups into a single unified organization. Jeff VerHeul, 50, will head the Processor Solutions Engineering team, to deliver AMD’s platform silicon and improve time-to-market and innovation for near-term roadmaps.
•           An Advanced Technology Group, led by Chekib Akrout, 51: This new group will focus on developing AMD’s future technology innovation.
•           A marketing group, led by Nigel Dessau, 44:  The singular marketing group will drive cohesive and consistent external messaging across all of AMD’s products and platforms.
•           A customer group, led by Emilio Ghilardi, 51:  The sales organization is responsible for expanding AMD’s customer relationships globally.

AMD announces another key appointment – that of Corporate vice President Ben Williams, as general manager of the Asia Pacific (APAC) region sales and marketing, based in Singapore. Countries under Ben’s responsibilities include Australia, New Zealand, ASEAN, India, Japan and Korea.

“I am excited to be given the opportunity to lead a dedicated team in this vibrant region,” said Ben Williams.  “Singapore offers an excellent business environment and is in close proximity to our customers in the region. This is a significant move as it illustrates our continued commitment to our customers in the region who continue to look to AMD to deliver the fusion of next generation of computing and graphics solutions at home, at work and at play.”

The company also announced that Randy Allen, senior vice president, Computing Solutions Group, has decided to leave the company.

“Randy has been an important engineering and business leader who has played a key role in many of AMD’s most significant achievements in recent years,” said Meyer.  “We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

The European Commission today found Intel guilty of abusing its dominant position in the global x86 microprocessor market, saying that “Intel has harmed millions of European consumers by deliberately acting to keep competitors out of the market for computer chips for many years. Such a serious and sustained violation of the EU’s antitrust rules cannot be tolerated.” The Commission also stated that “there is evidence that Intel had sought to conceal the conditions associated with its payments.” The EC decision requires Intel to change its business practices immediately and fines Intel a record EUR 1.06 billion (US $1.45 billion).

“Today’s ruling is an important step toward establishing a truly competitive market,” said Dirk Meyer, AMD President and CEO.  “AMD has consistently been a technology innovation leader and we are looking forward to the move from a world in which Intel ruled, to one which is ruled by customers.” 

“After an exhaustive investigation, the EU came to one conclusion – Intel broke the law and consumers were hurt,” said Tom McCoy, AMD executive VP for legal affairs.  ”With this ruling, the industry will benefit from an end to Intel’s monopoly-inflated pricing and European consumers will enjoy greater choice, value and innovation.”

The EC decision stated specifically that:

•                      “Intel gave wholly or partially hidden rebates to computer manufacturers on condition that they bought all, or almost all, their x86 CPUs from Intel”.
•                      “Intel made payments to major retailer Media Saturn Holding from October 2002 to December 2007 on condition that it exclusively sold Intel-based PCs in all countries in which Media Saturn Holding is active.”
•                      Intel “interfered directly in the relations between computer manufacturers and AMD. Intel awarded computer manufacturers payments – unrelated to any particular purchases from Intel – on condition that these computer manufacturers postponed or cancelled the launch of specific AMD-based products.”

Intel has so far failed to convince any antitrust enforcement agency that its business practices are lawful and pro-consumer. 

In 2008, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) issued a 26 billion won fine (approximately $25.4 million USD) saying that Intel’s abuse of its dominant position included coercing and paying customers millions of dollars on the condition that they use only Intel chips, delay launches of AMD products, and/or not develop any new products with AMD chips.   The KFTC also found that, “South Korean consumers had to buy PCs at higher prices as domestic PC makers were forced to buy Intel’s pricier CPU.”  In addition to a fine, the KFTC ordered Intel to stop the practice of offering payments to PC makers conditioned upon them not doing business with AMD.  Intel is in the process of appealing the ruling. 

In 2005, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ruled that Intel had violated the country’s anti-monopoly laws by illegally forcing full or partial exclusivity with five Japanese PC makers.  Intel did not appeal the ruling.

In the United States, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and New York Attorney General’s office are investigating Intel for abuse of its monopoly position.  In 2005, AMD filed private litigation in the US District Court of Delaware, which is scheduled for trial in spring 2010.

AMD has announced that its top-to-bottom line of industry-leading ATI FirePro graphics accelerators are now featured in the new HP Z Workstations. Graphics professionals who use and demand interactivity with complex 3D models in engineering, digital content creation and scientific fields now can take advantage of the new ATI FirePro  V7750, as well as the ATI FirePro V3700 and ATI FirePro V5700 graphics accelerators in the new HP Z400, Z600 and Z800 Workstations.

Designed and engineered to operate in a wide range of professional operating environments, including Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux, ATI FirePro 3D graphics accelerators are thoroughly tested and certified based on industry standards at AMD test labs. HP Z Workstations with ATI FirePro graphics already have more than 35 application certifications by major applications such as SolidWorks 2009, 3ds Max 2009, and Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, and previous versions with many more certifications pending.

“AMD and HP together offer the workstation market exceptional tools for creative, scientific and engineering professionals,” said Janet Matsuda, senior director, Professional Graphics, AMD. “We are excited to pair our ATI FirePro graphics accelerators with HP Z Workstations to deliver flexibility and reliability backed by certified application performance.”

“HP Z Workstations provide customers with unprecedented performance, value and serviceability in a sleek new design,” said Jeff Wood, director of worldwide marketing, Workstations, HP.  “We look forward to working with AMD and using its ATI FirePro graphics accelerators to bring customers powerful solutions for their demanding graphics-intensive applications.”

The ATI FirePro V3700, ATI FirePro V5700 and ATI FirePro V7750 graphics accelerators are immediately available with new HP Z Workstations. Professionals can choose the right HP Z Workstation and the right ATI FirePro card to best meet their performance, expandability and affordability needs.

·         ATI FirePro V7750 delivers 1GB of frame buffer memory to handle large CAD models and complex animations with ease. Consuming a maximum of 76 watts, power users will appreciate the energy efficiency of this high performance accelerator.

·         ATI FirePro V5700 graphics accelerator delivers the perfect balance of price and application performance for CAD and DCC professionals. With the new card, users will experience increased performance for shader-intensive applications, up to two times more than the previous generation.

·         ATI FirePro V3700 establishes a new, low entry price for professional 3D graphics. For CAD professionals migrating from 2D, the ATI FirePro V3700 graphics card delivers the 3D performance and application certification these professionals deserve at an affordable price.

To hear what it takes to succeed in the workstation business, check out the testimonial video from Jon Peddie, Founder and President of Jon Peddie Research.

To hear more about the optimizations AMD and its ISV partners are making, check out new testimonial videos from Redway3d, MSC Software,Dassault Systèmes Solidworks, CEI and PTC.

Underlining the company’s leadership in developing hardware and drivers to support the Windows 7 operating system, AMD announced that its Windows 7 driver has received Windows Hardware Quality Lab (WHQL) certification on the first day of the certifying program. WHQL certification sets a high bar for quality and reliability, and is considered essential by many home and business users.

·         WHQL certification sets a high bar for quality and reliability, and is considered essential by many home and business users.

·         WHQL certification demonstrates AMD’s ability to deliver the stability, incredible 3D game performance and smooth multimedia playback needed in order to help bring th

e new features of Windows 7 to life.

·         As a testament to its ongoing commitment to reliability and stability, AMD is the only graphics hardware company in the world delivering monthly WHQL-certified graphics driver updates.

For users of ATI Radeon HD 2000, HD 3000, and HD 4000 series products, the ATI Catalyst software suite delivers:

·         Industry-leading driver stability and reliability.

·         Full WDDM 1.1 WHQL certified support under Windows 7. 

·         Scheduled performance and new feature innovation every month.

·         Enablement of ATI Stream technology for general purpose GPU (GPGPU) computing on supported graphics cards.

“By delivering a WHQL certified driver for the Windows 7 operating system at the earliest possible opportunity, AMD has once again demonstrated its driver leadership,” said Ben Bar-Haim, corporate VP, Software Engineering, AMD. “AMD is working closely with Microsoft to ensure superior performance and a reliable Windows 7 experience throughout our line of graphics processors.” 

Microsoft WHQL certified graphics drivers for Windows 7 are scheduled for release on the AMD site on May 5, 2009, and a fully unified WHQL-certified driver supporting Windows Vista and Windows 7 is planned for the release of ATI Catalyst 9.5 later in May. 

To learn more about the first AMD WHQL certified graphics driver for Windows 7, please visit www.amd.com.