SANTA CLARA, CA: Laura Anderson, VP of global marketing and communications and GM of the global communications group for Intel, has exited the company after nearly two decades.

"It was a privilege to have led the global team for the last two years, and I’m so proud of all the team has learned and accomplished, while executing with high integrity," Anderson said in a statement. "I learned so much during my 20 years at Intel and will take with me so many memories of amazing professional and personal experiences, fun and friendship."

Corporate communications VP Mike Fay and Tara Smith, director of business group communications, are co-leading the function while Intel conducts an internal and external search for a replacement.

Anderson said she informed the communications team and agency partners about her exit in October and stayed on to support Intel’s leadership change. Former CFO Robert Swan became CEO, replacing Brian Krzanich, before Anderson left the company on March 1.

Besides a brief stint at Ketchum, Anderson has spent most of her career at Intel. After graduating from college, she was hired as an intern, then became a full-time employee as a media relations specialist, according to her LinkedIn account. Anderson returned to Intel after attending graduate school and working at Ketchum.

She was named senior director of corporate relations and took over as acting leader when Terry Anderson left the company to join Slack in February 2017. Three months later, Laura Anderson was named communications and events team lead, managing a global organization of 150 staffers in 20 countries.