Corporate venturing industry insiders billed Arvind Sodhani “a leader” and “titan” after it emerged he would be stepping down as leader of Intel Capital.
Praise for Sodhani’s accomplishments as head of the corporate venturing unit of the semiconductor company was effusive. Brian Krzanich, Intel chief executive, said: “Arvind transformed Intel Capital into the most successful technology venture capital group in the world.”
Claudia Fan Munce, head of IBM Venture Capital, the corporate venturing unit of the US-based technology company, said: “In the last decade Arvind has been the leader that best represented the corporate venture community with his business performance, his passion for entrepreneurs, and his generosity in lending his lustre and network to other members of the corporate venture community. He is always inclusive, like his famed annual Intel Capital Global Summit where he gives an open invitation to all corporate venture professionals.”
Tracy Isacke, head of corporate venturing relationships at SVB, said: “Arvind is a titan in the industry and has managed an amazing program over his long tenure at Intel Capital. In the last 10 years the M & A and IPO exits delivered rank Intel Capital at the top of the charts and Arvind has been at the helm throughout that time. He is a very genuine and sincere professional and has been a strong partner to Silicon Valley Bank for many years. I am sure he will enjoy the next phase of his life and look back on a phenomenal legacy.”
Fan Munce added: “Intel Capital is a top performance financial venture group, while serving the strategic venture mission of a corporate venture group. Arvind has built a high calibre investment team and I know he prides himself about his team more than anything else. I want to thank Arvind for his leadership and friendship.”
The move to merge the venturing group and the mergers and acquisition group under the leadership of Wendell Brooks was perceived as positive by Fan Munce. She said: ”The consolidation of Intel’s venture group with the M&A group under Wendell further demonstrates the critical strategic mission of corporate venture groups in their role in large corporations to drive the inorganic growth strategy.
Isacke said of Brooks’ appointment to head the venturing group: “Having just delivered the biggest ever acquisition for Intel [the $16.7bn acquisition of semiconductor company Altera] – I am sure he will have ambitious plans for Intel Capital.”
Sodhani expects to remain an active investor. He said: “You may be wondering as to my personal plans; I have been a financial investor all my professional life, and that will most likely not change.”
Sodhani’s fireside chat at the Global Corporate Venturing Symposium last month can be viewed here.