Key Highlights
- Manuvir Das joins Western Digital’s board of directors starting May 26.
- Das formerly led enterprise AI initiatives as Head of Enterprise Computing at Nvidia.
- His background includes leadership positions at Dell EMC and a 14-year tenure developing Microsoft Azure.
- Shares of WDC have skyrocketed over 900% in the last 12 months, approaching the 52-week peak of $547.
- The board expansion brings total directors to nine, with eight classified as independent.
Western Digital (WDC) announced Thursday morning that Manuvir Das will join its board of directors, with the appointment taking effect on May 26, 2026.
Western Digital Corporation, WDC
Das arrives with an impressive background in enterprise technology. Most recently, he served as Head of Enterprise Computing at Nvidia, where he spearheaded the company’s AI strategy for enterprise clients and orchestrated the rollout of the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform.
Prior to his tenure at Nvidia, Das managed Dell EMC’s unstructured data storage division, directing operations for the Isilon NAS and ECS Object systems. His career also includes 14 years at Microsoft, where he contributed to building Microsoft Azure.
Currently, Das holds a position as Operating Partner within Stonepeak Partners LP’s Digital Infrastructure division, a role he assumed in April 2025.
His academic credentials include master’s and doctoral degrees in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, along with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Bombay.
Martin Cole, Chairman of Western Digital, emphasized Das’s qualifications for the position. “His expertise in helping organizations deploy AI solutions at enterprise scale, paired with his extensive knowledge of data infrastructure and storage systems, will prove essential as WD expands the infrastructure enabling AI advancement,” Cole stated.
Remarkable Stock Performance
Western Digital has emerged as one of the market’s top performers recently. Shares have climbed more than 900% during the previous year and were hovering around $544 on Thursday, approaching the 52-week peak of $547. The corporation’s market capitalization has climbed to $183 billion.
This impressive rally has been driven partially by escalating demand for AI infrastructure, a sector where Western Digital’s storage solutions occupy a critical position.
Following Das’s appointment, Western Digital’s board composition now includes nine directors, with eight designated as external and independent members.
Strong Recent Performance
This board appointment comes on the heels of Western Digital’s impressive fiscal third quarter results for 2026. The company delivered earnings per share of $2.72, surpassing analyst expectations of $2.36. Revenue reached $3.34 billion, exceeding the projected $3.23 billion.
Evercore ISI upgraded its price target for WDC from $410 to $575 recently, reaffirming its Outperform rating. The investment firm pointed to heightened demand fueled by artificial intelligence applications.
Seventeen Wall Street analysts have adjusted their earnings projections upward in recent sessions.
Additionally, Western Digital revealed the implementation of post-quantum cryptography technology in its Ultrastar UltraSMR hard disk drives, incorporating NIST-certified quantum-resistant encryption protocols.
The storage company also completed exchange agreements with institutional shareholders to acquire its own equity in return for Sandisk Corporation shares, with the transaction scheduled to close in May 2026.
Shares of WDC advanced 2.62% on Thursday, reaching $544.49.
