- Push-out Score determined
- After about a year and a half in the position
- Praise and thanks for Gopalan
- Responsibilities redistributed
- Search for a successor
- Gopalan said 100 words
(exechange) — San Jose, California, July 19, 2021 — Anand Gopalan, chief executive of Velodyne Lidar, leaves. As announced by Velodyne Lidar Inc. in a news release and in a regulatory filing published on Monday, July 19, 2021, Anand Gopalan leaves his post as chief executive officer at the manufacturer of lidar laser sensors after about a year and a half in the role, effective July 30, 2021.
Velodyne Lidar will undertake a search for a successor.
Following Anand Gopalan’s departure, the position of Chief Executive Officer will not be filled for the time being. Anand Gopalan’s responsibilities are being redistributed.
“The right time”
Anand Gopalan’s departure from the CEO post is explained as follows. Gopalan said: “I am honored to have led Velodyne through a pivotal time in the Company’s history, and believe that now, with it well positioned as a public company, is the right time to transition to the next phase of leadership.”
Precise information regarding Anand Gopalan’s future plans was not immediately available.
“Stepping down/resign”
Velodyne Lidar said: “Dr. Anand Gopalan has informed the Board of Directors that he is stepping down as CEO and a member of the Board, effective July 30, 2021.”
Velodyne Lidar further said: “On July 16, 2021, Anand Gopalan delivered notice of his intent to resign as Chief Executive Officer of Velodyne Lidar, Inc. (the “Company”) and from the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company, effective as of July 30, 2021.”
“Not a result of any disagreement”
“The resignation is not a result of any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices,” Velodyne Lidar said.
Share price decline since July 2020
The announcement follows a decline in Velodyne Lidar Inc.’s share price of 34% since July 2020.
In the position of CEO since 2020
Anand Gopalan became CEO of the Company in 2020.
Gopalan intends to continue supporting the Company in an advisory capacity following his departure.
Gopalan serves as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, President and a member of the Board.
Gopalan has served as Velodyne Lidar’s Chief Executive Officer since January 2020 and as a member of Velodyne Lidar’s Board since July 2019.
Prior to becoming Velodyne Lidar’s Chief Executive Officer in January 2020, Gopalan served as Velodyne Lidar’s Chief Technology Officer from May 2017 until January 2020 and Vice President of Research and Development from June 2016 until May 2017.
In his role as Chief Technology Officer, Gopalan was responsible for all the new technology and advanced product development at Velodyne Lidar.
He further worked alongside Hall on technology and business strategy and was the technical face of Velodyne Lidar with all its major customers.
Gopalan brings close to fifteen years of experience in electrical engineering, opto-electronics and semiconductors to the Company.
Previously, Gopalan served in various technology executive roles, most recently as Vice President of Engineering at Rambus Incorporated, a microchip interface and architecture company, from March 2013 until May 2016.
From June 2005 to March 2013, Gopalan served in various roles, including as Director of Research and Development and Mixed-Signal IP Development at Kawasaki Microelectronics, Inc., a microchip company.
Gopalan holds a B.E. in electronics from the University of Mumbai, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Microsystems from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Push-out Score determined
The Push-out Score™ determined by exechange gauges the pressure surrounding Anand Gopalan’s move on a scale of 0 to 10.
exechange reached out to Velodyne Lidar and offered the company the opportunity to comment on the score.
Read the full story in the exechange report 30.2021 ($).