Western Digital unveiled key leadership appointments on Tuesday for its forthcoming separation of flash memory and traditional hard-disk drive (HDD) businesses, affirming that the split remains on schedule for completion in the latter half of 2024.
Irving Tan, currently serving as the executive vice president of global operations, has been designated to lead the standalone HDD company, which will continue operations under the Western Digital brand, the company confirmed.
Simultaneously, David Goeckeler, the current CEO of Western Digital, has been appointed as the chief executive designate for the flash memory business.
Last October, the renowned data storage products manufacturer announced its strategic initiative to spin off its memory business, paving the way for the creation of two distinct publicly traded entities. This decision came after negotiations to merge the memory unit with Japan’s Kioxia failed to materialize.
The planned division resolves years of uncertainty surrounding Western Digital’s flash memory unit, which was bolstered by its acquisition of SanDisk for $19 billion in 2016. This division primarily serves the smartphone and computer industries.
The separation of Western Digital was initially proposed by New York-based activist investor Elliott Investment Management, who advocated for a strategic review and the separation of the flash memory business from the core operations of the company, which includes traditional HDD products.
