In this episode, Peter Brandenburger speaks with Josh Newman, Vice President at Intel, who led the creation of Project Athena and the subsequent launch of the Intel® EVO™ brand. Josh shares how the PC industry reached a moment where the old innovation approach no longer applied, and how he and his team stepped into that disruption with curiosity and a user-centered mindset.

Josh describes how Project Athena began with uncertainty and no defined path forward. By listening directly to users, the team uncovered the insight of why people turn to their PCs. This reframed the direction and led to a new vision for what laptops should become. This is a story of leading a disruption, one you create, with curiosity instead of control, partnering across a global ecosystem, and letting clarity emerge through connection and insight. It is also a reminder that even the most successful innovations begin with ambiguity and require leaders to act before they know exactly where the work will lead.

Learn more about Intel® EVO™ at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/systems-devices/laptops/evo.html l

Reference to Melissa Gregg's book Work’s Intimacy

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

01:18 Meet Josh Newman: What matters most

02:47 PC Innovation Initiative

05:15 Understanding PC User Behavior

09:50 Project Athena: Vision and Execution

18:52 The Rise of Freelancers and the Impact of COVID-19

22:34 Reflecting on Remote Work and COVID-19

23:16 The Power of Connected Minds in Innovation

25:00 Industry-Wide Collaboration and the Intel® Evo™brand

27:30 Challenges and Successes in the PC Ecosystem

36:56 The Future of AI and PC Innovation

42:58 Leadership Insights and Final Thoughts