back to article Intel CEO Brian Krzanich quits biz after fling with coworker rumbled

Intel chief exec Brian Krzanich has quit after his “past consensual relationship” with an employee came to light. Staff flings are frowned upon in US corporate tech world. As such, Intel company policy bans bosses from having relationships with people who report to them, directly or indirectly. In a statement issued within …

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  1. SVV

    non-fraternization policy

    Sounds like he took "Intel Inside" a bit too literally.

    1. Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse
      Pint

      Re: non-fraternization policy

      Brilliant. Have a pint for making me spill my glass of water...

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Sammy Smalls

        Re: non-fraternization policy

        I wonder if he made the Intel chime at the critical moment...

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: non-fraternization policy

      with his little blue man.

    4. TReko

      Re: non-fraternization policy - Intel Insider

      The Intel "inside" was Insider Trading - he sold a $24M of his Intel shares when he heard about Spectre, but before Intel made it public to stockholders.

    5. Shadow Systems

      Re: non-fraternization policy

      Damn it, you owe me a new keyboard!

      *Lifts a tankard in toast of your excellent post*

      Cheers, you bastard! XD Hahahahahahhha...

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: non-fraternization policy

      Krzanich should’ve claimed he was merely executing a speculative action on the employee which he then rolled back when he realised he'd ‘taken the wrong branch’. Of course someone could’ve still found out about it because of Spectre. He’ll have definitely suffered from some cash leakage.

    7. stanimir

      Re: non-fraternization policy

      Bloody brilliant!

      Yet, I'd think it has way more to do with the fiasco 10mm process is... and the inside trading allegations due to dumping all the stock he possibly could by end of the last year. Again, an excellent pun.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Similar thing at HP

    I worked for a boss at HP who was (allegedly) caught shagging a member of staff who was under him. Both literally and on the org chart from the sounds of it.

    Must be an American thing, I'm sure an British company would hush it up.

    A French company would shrug.

    And Italian company would openly admit it.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      Must be an American thing

      What, shagging the workforce after approving a policy that says "no shagging the workforce"?

      If the relationship were an abuse of power that should be dealt with harshly under harassment policies; Anything else really ought to be left to the adults involved.

      1. fandom

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        As usual, real life is more complicated than that.

        Who can say if relationship is consentual because the underling feared being fired?

        Who can say if the underlings are trying to seduce their managers to get a promotion?

        This kind of policy is not there just to prevent the company from being sued but to try to protect both managers and the managed.

        1. BillG
          Mushroom

          Re: Similar thing at HP

          @fandom is right. These things are always a lot more complicated than the public is told. In huge companies some C-level exec is always screwing around with a subordinate. It's a pretty well-known secret and it's not only consensual, but it's usually initiated by the subordinate.

          My guess is there was either a lot more drama than we're being told, or someone wanted Krzanich out.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Similar thing at HP

            > It's a pretty well-known secret and it's not only consensual, but it's usually initiated by the subordinate.

            The subordinate is just asking for it, eh? Eh?

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Similar thing at HP

              Power is a well know aphrodisiac, ex deputy PM John Prescott is a prime example.

              Mind bleach time

          2. fidodogbreath

            Re: Similar thing at HP

            My guess is there was either a lot more drama than we're being told, or someone wanted Krzanich out.

            Not necessarily. Intel has a pretty conservative corporate culture.

          3. JohnFen

            Re: Similar thing at HP

            Or news of the relationship became public knowledge within Intel, and they had to be seen as being consistent in the application of the rules.

        2. Cynic_999

          Re: Similar thing at HP

          "

          Who can say if relationship is consensual because the underling feared being fired?

          Who can say if the underlings are trying to seduce their managers to get a promotion?

          "

          IMO it doesn't matter WHY it is consensual, so long as it genuinely is consensual. Or should we decide that any sex is rape if one of the parties hopes to gain some advantage or avoid a disadvantage from the relationship?

          If an employee reckons they were fired because they refused to have sex with the boss, then that's a matter that should be dealt with the same as any other allegation of unfair dismissal, and if proven THEN the boss in question should be fired (and face criminal prosecution).

          If they are doing it to gain approval & promotion, then it's no different than any other way of arse-licking (except in this case it might be literal).

          1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Re: Similar thing at HP

            Who can say if relationship is consensual because the underling feared being fired?

            I think Mrs Bezos and Mrs Gates appear content

            1. Gigabob

              Re: Similar thing at HP

              Neither Mr. Bezo's, nor Mr. Gates were married at the time. BK was.

              1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

                Re: Similar thing at HP

                Neither Mr. Bezo's, nor Mr. Gates were married at the time. BK was.

                That was the point, both of them married underlings.

                Presumably forcing them into a relationship by their oppressive position in the corporate male hierarchy

        3. Dodgy Geezer Silver badge

          Re: Similar thing at HP

          ..This kind of policy is not there just to prevent the company from being sued but to try to protect both managers and the managed....

          That's just what's wrong with modern life. Too many people trying to protect other people from something that they want to do on the grounds that it could be misused....

        4. Updraft102

          Re: Similar thing at HP

          Who can say if relationship is consentual because the underling feared being fired?

          The underling. If it was consensual (no t) and the underling changes his/her mind, that's the risk you take being an overling who consorts with underlings.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      >I worked for a boss at HP who was (allegedly) caught shagging a member of staff who was under him

      How do you know she wasn't on top ?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        How do you know she wasn't on top ?

        From the org(asm) chart....

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        > How do you know she wasn't on top ?

        How do you know it was a 'she'?

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        Intel folk are very particular about lining their stuff up with the notch.

        Probably had to add some thermal goo to keep things from getting too hot.

        1. Shadow Systems

          At the AC, re: the notch.

          Nah, the underling had a ZIF socket for that. ;-P

      4. Teiwaz

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        How do you know she wasn't on top ?

        Depends on whether 'caught' was meant literally. Some sort of red-handed and possibly red-cheeked fashion - precariously on a desk maybe (hope it was at least pre desktop PCs, or at least post CRT) the witness would know.

      5. This post has been deleted by its author

    3. Rainer

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      My brother works at a French University. At another department, a professor was screwing his secretary.

      It worked well, until someone reported it. Apparently, the French also have regulations against this (Mon dieu!) and the professor was sacked and the secretary is since then sick at home.

      Because the professor is suing the university, they couldn't hire a replacement and his department is/was headless for a while.

      So, it's not all "nudge-nudge wink-wink" in France either anymore.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      Perhaps he'll also get a job at Oracle.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        > Perhaps he'll also get a job at Oracle.

        I thought that advance wasn't appreciated. Nor was hiring someone because you wanted the chance to make advances.

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      At HP the rules weren't just to limit fraternisation between boss and someone who reports to her. The rules also forbade relationships between people in the same part of the organisation. When I left my former wife and shacked up with another engineer on the team we had to go and have a chat with our manager. Fortunately she decided to just ignore the rules and say "Can I trust to two to be adult about this". I know they also ran it past their bosses boss who was also OK with it. But we'd fully expected one of us to have to move to a completely different part of the company.

      Mind, later on teams in the US tried on more than one occasion to hire us over as a pair.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        >>later on teams in the US tried on more than one occasion to hire us over as a pair.<<

        Probably hoping that you want to stay together and won't be indulging in any repeats

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      > Must be an American thing,

      Exactly my thoughts. Sounds like a flimsy excuse to inflict some of that weird American puritanism upon the workforce.

      Surely if you cannot shag your co-workers because of "fraternization", going out for drinks / on those idiotic company weekends / etc., must be utterly out of the question too?

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        going out for drinks / on those idiotic company weekends / etc., must be utterly out of the question too?

        Following the #metoo some companies over here have gone crazy.

        One corp is supposedly banning men/women staying in the same hotel on trips or sharing a hire car

        .

      2. CarbonLifeForm

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        It's new puritanism thanks to feminism.

        The underlying thought isn't 'how dare you have sex' but rather 'how dare you abuse your power, white chauvinist pig' and yes, the scolds will call it rape due to the power imbalance.

        It's not rape legally or in any rational sense of course, but to the Politically Correct crowd, it essentially is viewed as rape.

    7. DiViDeD

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      An Italian company would openly admit celebrate it.

      There, FTFY

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Similar thing at HP

        A client of mine, Dutch multinational, used to be incredibly accommodating with these sorts of things. They would try to arrange it so that partners who were also employees would have time compatible work schedules, time off together, etc. Apart from that, when one partner was going somewhere interesting, I have seen them give the other partner time off and sort out visas for them too, even though just one of them was involved in doing business during the trip.

        It worked extremely well for everyone involved and shows how it is possible if you want it done.

        Also because I thought they were so decent I went the extra mile many a time for them, which I would not normally do for any other client.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Similar thing at HP

          At HP you certainly weren't allowed to shag fellow employees in the corporate jet. That was a bit of a no no. The pilots & flight staff objected to having to "wipe down" planes after certain executives used them in more ways than one ..... it wasn't in their job description. Yes. HP did have formal job grades and job descriptions for pilots. But that was in the old days. You notice I didn't say the good old days.

          1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Re: Similar thing at HP

            At HP you certainly weren't allowed to shag fellow employees in the corporate jet

            Political correctness gone mad.

            First the socialists want to ban shagging on the corporate jet, next they will want corporate jets for all

    8. kain preacher

      Re: Similar thing at HP

      A CEO Shagging an employee opens them up to sexual harassment suit.

  3. adnim

    For a Chief exec:

    "..the board has accepted Mr. Krzanich’s resignation."

    For a shop floor worker:

    "..the human resources department has dismissed Joe Blogs.

    How come management get to resign yet non-management staff are fired?

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Because to a manager you can say : resign or you will be fired for gross misconduct.

      They don't bother giving the choice to the worker because he can't afford to resign.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Over here in left-pondian land non-managers who want to leave normally ask to be fired.

        That way you get to claim medical benefits sooner

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        > "... he can't afford to resign."

        He can't resign because his job is just that, a job. The management are supposed to be similar to officers in the military, entrusted to handle company matters properly, and are considered to always be on probation. If they fail to maintain personal standards they are expected to walk away on their own.

        It's elitist, yes, but it's how society has arranged things forever, so I guess it works, sorta.

      3. David Nash Silver badge

        Can't afford to resign?

        Surely resignation looks better on the CV. How does resigning cost more than being fired for breaching policy?

    2. Anonymous Cow Herder

      Re: For a Chief exec:

      Agreed adnim,. have an upvote.

      "..the board has accepted Mr. Krzanich’s resignation." should read "..the board has accepted Mr. Krzanich’s resignation, which they asked him to write".

  4. Roj Blake Silver badge

    CV

    Time to dust off my CV then!

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