David Hildenbrand, a key figure in Linux kernel development, is departing Red Hat after a decade of contributions. His work on memory management, virtualization, and VirtIO has significantly shaped the Linux ecosystem. His recent move to kernel.org signals his departure, though his new role remains undisclosed.
Hildenbrand had been employed by Red Hat the past decade in Munich working on QEMU/KVM virtualization, Linux kernel memory management, VirtIO, and related low-level areas. Just this year alone so far in 2025 he’s authored or been mentioned on more than one thousand mainline Linux kernel patches.
His contributions to the Linux kernel’s core memory management code, including HugeTLB, s390 KVM, memory management reclaim, and the Get User Pages (GUP) framework, have been instrumental in enhancing system performance and resource optimization. As an upstream maintainer for several critical subsystems, Hildenbrand has played a vital role in the ongoing evolution of Linux technologies.
Red Hat’s loss of such a prominent engineer is notable, especially given the company’s reliance on open-source innovation. The Linux community will be monitoring his next move to see where his expertise will be directed in the future.
While Red Hat has not commented on Hildenbrand’s departure, the company continues to invest heavily in Linux kernel development and virtualization technologies. His departure may prompt a shift in focus for Red Hat’s engineering teams as they navigate the complex landscape of open-source contributions.