Boss who revived ARM to stop down

Warren East is credited with transforming Cambridge-based ARM Holdings, with its technologies used by semiconductor customers in nearly nine billion chips last year.

It is estimated that during his tenure the company has received royalties for more than 40 billion ARM-based chips.

When Mr East became chief executive in 2001, ARM had one processor product line found mainly in mobile phones. He will retire from the company in July and will be replaced by Simon Segars, who joined the ARM board in 2005 and is currently ARM president.

Investors showed their disappointment over Mr East’s departure yesterday as shares in the FTSE 100 Index company fell by 3 per cent to just under 900p. However, the stock stood at below 250p in October 2001, when Mr East took charge in the aftermath of the bursting of the dotcom bubble.

He joined ARM in 1994 to establish a consulting business and later became vice president of business operations.

The company now employs around 1,000 people in the UK and is considered the foremost designer of chip intellectual property in the world, providing technology for nearly all mobile phones and many other electronic devices.

ARM chairman John Buchanan said: “Warren has transformed ARM during his time as chief executive.”