Motorola has quickly replaced outgoing Semiconductor Products Sector (SPS) chief Fred Shlapak with Scott Anderson.

Shlapak announced his decision to quit his post as SPS' president just a couple of weeks ago. He took the job on in September 2000, replacing interim president Fred Tucker who himself took over from Hector Ruiz following the latter's move to head AMD.

Shlapak has worked for Motorola for 33 years. Anderson is an insider too - of 25 years' standing. He current runs the company's Transportation and Standard Products Group. As part of SPS, the Group sells chips to the automotive industry. Indeed, according to Motorola, it represented nearly half of the Sector's $5 billion 2002 sales.

Anderson has an insider's understanding of the chip unit - and the problems it faces, not least of which is the effect on morale of so many different chiefs, with different strategies and priorities, in recent years. Equally, he may lack the objectivity that an outsider would bring to the Sector.

Anderson starts his new job on 1 July. ®