San Diego, California, United States December 2024 – Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced the appointment of Dr. Baaziz Achour as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., effective February 3, 2025. Dr. James Thompson, who has served in this role for over three decades, will retire on the same date.
“As CTO, Baaziz will lead Qualcomm’s R&D and engineering organizations, driving our technology strategy and execution. Baaziz will continue to extend Qualcomm’s leadership in wireless communications, computing, and AI. I look forward to partnering with Baaziz in his new role,” said Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated. “I want to thank Jim for his 33 years of considerable contributions to Qualcomm. During his time as CTO, Jim not only advanced Qualcomm’s wireless technology leadership but also expanded our capabilities in advanced processors and AI. Jim has played a key role in creating one of the industry’s broadest technology portfolios, instrumental to our leadership in mobile, automotive, PC, industrial, XR, networking, and more.”
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Dr. Achour has served as Deputy Chief Technology Officer since 2023, having first joined Qualcomm in 1993 as a Systems Engineer. Over his tenure, Dr. Achour has held numerous leadership roles and contributed to the development of nearly every generation of wireless technology. A pivotal figure in the accelerated launch of 5G, he will now lead Qualcomm’s efforts in evolving cellular technology toward 6G.
Dr. Achour holds a B.S. in Physics from the University of Algiers and master’s and doctorate degrees in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University. He has been awarded 24 U.S. patents in wireless communications, underscoring his technical expertise and innovation.
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm relentlessly innovates to deliver intelligent computing everywhere, helping the world tackle some of its most important challenges. With nearly four decades of industry leadership, Qualcomm powers groundbreaking technology across AI, high-performance computing, and unrivaled connectivity. Through its Snapdragon® platforms, Qualcomm transforms consumer experiences and drives transformation in industries like automotive, PC, industrial, and XR. Together with its ecosystem partners, Qualcomm enables next-generation digital transformation to enrich lives, improve businesses, and advance societies globally.
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