Gelsinger 'categorically denies' VMware exit

VMware CEO reaffirms commitment to running the company once parent firm EMC is acquired by Dell

VMware's chief executive Pat Gelsinger has strongly denied he has plans to leave VMware once EMC is acquired by Dell.

Earlier this week, reports surfaced claiming Gelsinger (pictured) is planning to leave the company he has run since 2012 once the largest tech merger in history closes.

But on an analyst audioconference, he insisted this is not the case.

"I categorically deny it, EMC categorically denies it, and Dell categorically denies it," he said. "So there's absolutely no merit or substance to the rumour whatsoever and my intention is to stay here."

He said Michael Dell also wants him to continue to lead the company and added that the duo were actually sitting together when he first heard the rumour.

"I got a text from him [a VMware PR person] and I handed my phone to Michael and said 'Michael, is there something I don't know?'. I handed it to him and we got a laugh out of it. But there's absolutely no basis to it whatsoever."

EMC World took place last week in Las Vegas, at which Michael Dell gave an update on the merger, which he insists is progressing as planned. At previous EMC World events, VMware and other members of the EMC Federation, such as Pivotal, have been given time in the spotlight, but at this year's gathering, this was not the case.

Analyst Quocirca told CRN that Gelsinger's absence at EMC World was "remarkable" and "a little telling".

Elsewhere at the analyst conference, Gelsinger admitted that there has been "a lot of scepticism about VMware" in relation to changes in its executive line-up.

In March, the vendor's chief operating officer Carl Eschenbach announced plans to stand down, although he remains in an advisory role to the firm. Gelsinger said this move had been discussed for the last two years because Eschenbach wanted to spend more time with his family.