“We Need to Recruit More Abroad”: Amnon Shashua on Mobileye’s Future After His Departure
The surprising announcement by Prof. Amnon Shashua regarding his intention to step down as CEO of Mobileye caught the market off guard. The company is initiating a search for a successor with strong commercialization skills, and Shashua suggests the next leader may not necessarily be Israeli.
The surprising announcement by Prof. Amnon Shashua last week regarding his intention to step down as CEO of Mobileye caught the market unprepared. Shashua, who led the autotech giant over the last decade and is credited with turning it into an international network, leaves behind a significant management void and the question of who will step into his shoes.
On Monday, Shashua addressed the matter in a conversation with employees. He stated that the company will significantly expand its operations abroad and open R&D (research and development) centers overseas, particularly in the USA. "I think we should open these doors, and if we have robotaxis in the USA — we should be there. I believe we need to change the balance and recruit more abroad, that is my personal opinion," he said.
Regarding his future path, Shashua noted that he wants to focus on the field of robotics rather than automotive, though he will continue to be involved with the company. He also mentioned there is a possibility that the next CEO will not be Israeli.
A CEO with Commercialization and Marketing Skills
According to the company, the Mobileye board of directors will hire an external executive search firm to carry out a comprehensive selection process. It is expected that Mobileye will seek a CEO with commercialization and marketing skills capable of scaling the business—taking existing technology to market and expanding it. A leader with significant market understanding, as well as operational and logistics capabilities, will be required.
One of the key challenges will be the company's independent entry into the robotaxi market. Mobileye plans to reach an ambitious goal of a 17,000-vehicle fleet. This will be achieved in combination with suppliers and partners, making the ability to build collaborations a vital trait for the new CEO. In a conversation with analysts on Thursday, Shashua detailed that "the next leader needs to present an operational profile to increase opportunities and lead the company to its next stage," while he will continue to contribute on the technology side.
Where Will the CEO Come From?
The company's center of gravity remains in Israel; as of the end of 2025, it had 4,200 employees, 3,900 of whom were in Israel. As long as this remains the case, it is reasonable to expect that a CEO, even if not Israeli, will manage the company from Israel.
There is no specified target date for Shashua's departure, so there is no immediate urgency, and the process will continue until the board finds a suitable candidate.
Shashua's expected departure follows the recent acquisition of Mentee Robotics, a company he co-founded, for 900 million dollars. Mentee develops AI-based humanoid robots, expanding Mobileye's activity into physical AI. These robots, designed for tasks like lifting and sorting, are expected to launch in 2028.
Addressing criticism regarding the deal, Shashua stated: "The acquisition of Mentee is part of the infrastructure Mobileye is building and is a very serious pillar for the future. How many companies in the physical AI field have both autonomous vehicle activity and humanoid robot building? Only Tesla and Mobileye. This puts us in a very good position." According to him, the integration of Mentee is already complete and running smoothly.
Analysts Are Divided
Mobileye recently "changed direction" by announcing an independent entry into the robotaxi market while establishing a humanoid robot arm. Meanwhile, the traditional ADAS (driver assistance systems) business is expected to generate annual revenues of around 2 billion dollars and an adjusted operating profit of about 400 million dollars.
Analysts covering Mobileye are divided. According to the Wall Street Journal, 13 investment firms are positive, 15 are neutral, and one is negative. Oppenheimer maintains a positive "outperform" recommendation with a target price of 27 dollars, reflecting a 235% premium.
Oppenheimer economists noted that Shashua's departure creates short-term uncertainty, though they remain positive on the robotaxi and humanoid robot prospects. Conversely, Jefferies maintains a negative "underperform" recommendation, lowering its target price to 6.95 dollars.
"An Even More Ambitious Decade"
Shashua founded Mobileye with Ziv Aviram in 1999 and has served as CEO since 2017, the year Mobileye was acquired by Intel for 15.3 billion dollars. In 2022, the company went public on Nasdaq at a valuation of about 17 billion dollars; today, its value is 6.6 billion dollars.
"Our next decade may be even more ambitious than the last 27 years, and that is why I believe it is a good time to look for a new CEO," Shashua explained.
