Keyvan Esfarjani

Neil Armstrong Distinguished Visiting Fellow (2025-2027)

Keyvan Esfarjani is a global business, technical, and operations leader with more than 30 years of experience in strategy and execution in the high-tech industry.

In his most recent role, Keyvan served as Executive Vice President and Chief Global Operations Officer at Intel, overseeing worldwide manufacturing, operations, and large-scale infrastructure buildouts, including fabs, data centers, supply chain and procurement, advanced packaging, assembly, testing, technology transfers, and corporate services such as facilities, construction, and quality. His leadership and expertise played a key role in advancing Intel’s technology, manufacturing, and operational efficiencies. Keyvan is committed to people-centered leadership, emphasizing collaboration, results-driven performance, and creating an environment where teams can thrive and succeed together.

Keyvan is currently actively driving strategic investments, advising, and forging partnerships to accelerate transformative changes and sustainable success in AI infrastructure, technology adoption, and scaling growth for both startups and established companies. He is deeply passionate about education and giving back to communities.

Keyvan began his career as a summer intern in the automotive industry, building automation systems and robots for TMM manufacturing in Indiana. In 1996, he joined Intel Technology Development and Manufacturing group in California, where he advanced through engineering leadership and factory management roles focused on flash, logic, and chipset technology development and transfer. He later became co-CEO of the Intel-Micron joint venture (IMFT), led Intel's global memory manufacturing operations, and later on expanded his role to oversee all of Intel's global manufacturing, supply chain, and operations as the Chief Global Operations Officer leading an organization of more than 35K engineers and technicians around the world.


Keyvan is hosted by the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering and the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

During the Spring 2025 semester, Keyvan collaborated with the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering (IE) on initiatives advancing semiconductor education. He collaborated with several departmental faculty members and joined Dr. Ramses Martinez, Hall Family Rising Star Associate Professor, in refining the curriculum for the new Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering bachelor's degree concentration in Semiconductor Manufacturing, Logistics, and Supply Chain. Keyvan also spent time partnering with Dr. Mohamed Salama, Visiting Assistant Professor, enhancing course design, content, and case studies for IE 49000 - Semiconductor Manufacturing and Supply Chain.

Keyvan delivered an engaging campus-wide seminar, titled Emerging Industry Trends & Opportunities in Technology, which attracted faculty and students from across multiple colleges and schools. Additionally, he hosted mentorship sessions for students alongside Ms. Aliya Scott, Graduate Program Administrator. Beyond the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering, he collaborated with Dr. David Janes, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of Project Track Master's Program, restructuring the Purdue Undergraduate Certificate in Semiconductors and Microelectronics, a course open to all undergraduate majors across the College of Engineering. He continues to serve as Board Co-Chair of the Purdue Semiconductor Degrees Leadership Board, providing strategic guidance in shaping Purdue’s semiconductor educational programs.

Lectures