Intel's chief executive heir apparent, Sean Maloney, has suffered a stroke at his home and will take several months' medical leave.

The firm said the executive vice-president and general manager of the Intel Architecture Group's prognosis for full recovery was “excellent”.

Analysts believe the company is grooming Maloney, 53, as a possible heir to 59-year-old chief executive Paul Otellini. They say the technology expert, who Intel puts forward as its public face at business conferences, has excellent credentials in marketing.

“I always thought of him as the heart and soul of Intel marketing,” said Wedbush Morgan analyst Patrick Wang.

“He had such a good grasp of technology and where the market was going. And he knew how to convey the corporate message without sounding too corporate.”

Maloney will be replaced during his leave by Dadi Perlmutter, the other general manager of the Architecture Group.

Shares of Intel, the world's top computer chip maker, were halted in after-hours trade. They resumed shortly after the statement and have held steady at about $20.87 in post-session trades on Nasdaq.