Western Digital's CEO announces retirement

Steve Milligan, chief executive officer and a member of the Western Digital Board of Directors, announced plans to retire. A search is underway for a successor.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Steve for his significant contributions and dedicated years of service to Western Digital,” said Matthew Massengill, chairman of the Board. “Since his appointment as CEO in 2013, Steve has led Western Digital’s transformation from a storage component provider to a diversified enabler of data infrastructure. ”

“Western Digital has significantly evolved since I first joined in 2002, and it has been an honor to lead this talented team through critical and transformative periods – not only for our company, but for the entire industry,” said Milligan. “We are currently at an inflection point in the semiconductor cycle and, as we prepare for a cyclical upturn, now is the right time to begin the transition to Western Digital’s next phase of leadership. Together, we have built a powerful platform and resilient business model that has remained nimble despite challenging market conditions. Importantly, I am confident in our team’s ability to build on our momentum to drive long-term growth and value creation.”