Qualcomm finance chief Akash Palkhiwala to take on added COO role

Chip designer Qualcomm said that finance chief Akash Palkhiwala's role will be expanded to include responsibilities of the Chief Operating Officer position. Palkhiwala's appointment will be effective immediately and will now also oversee the global go-to-market organization and operations, as well as information technology.  

Palkhiwala joined Qualcomm in 2001 and has held various positions in the San Diego-based company. 

Palkhiwala has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2019. Previously, he was Senior Vice President and finance lead for QCT, Qualcomm’s semiconductor business. He also held several finance leadership roles including Treasurer, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Corporate Development. Palkhiwala holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from L.D. College of Engineering in India and an M.B.A from the University of Maryland. 

"I’m pleased to expand Akash’s CFO role to include that of Chief Operating Officer as Qualcomm executes on its growth and diversification strategy," said Cristiano Amon, president and CEO of Qualcomm. "Akash has played a key role in the execution of our business strategy as Qualcomm has expanded into new end markets, and is ideally positioned to further align the company’s operations to capture future growth opportunities. I am thrilled to congratulate Akash on this expanded role." 

Chips designed by Qualcomm are widely used in smartphones and virtual reality headsets, among other devices made by companies such as Samsung Electronics and Alphabet.