Sonus Networks has appointed Richard N. Nottenburg, the former EVP and chief strategy and technology officer of Motorola, as the company’s new president and CEO, succeeding Hassan Ahmed.
Nottenburg will join Sonus Networks in mid-June, reporting to the board of directors.
“Rich is a truly unique leader with strong relationships with many of the world’s top operators,” said Ahmed, the current chairman, president and CEO of Sonus Networks. “He worked closely with senior executives from operators across the globe during his tenure at Motorola. Rich’s strong focus on customers, along with his strategic sense and business acumen, make him the right leader to profitability grow Sonus into the next decade. I look forward to working with Rich in this next phase of our partnership to advance Sonus’ position in the industry.”
At Motorola, Nottenburg was responsible for shaping the company’s overall corporate strategy and technology agenda. During his tenure, Nottenburg oversaw acquisitions, divestitures, venture investments and business intelligence, and he played a major role in new initiatives centered on broadband and fourth-generation (4G) wireless, fiber-to-the home (FTTH) and next-generation video.
Prior to joining Motorola in 2004, Nottenburg was VP and GM of Vitesse Semiconductor Corp. after its merger in 2003 with Multilink Technology Corp., a publicly traded provider of advanced mixed-signal and VLSI solutions for optical networks. Nottenburg was the co-founder and CEO of Multilink. Nottenburg was also influential at AT&T Bell Laboratories and is listed as a Lucent pioneer of the 1980s.
“Joining Sonus Networks is an honor and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead a company that is changing the way people communicate around the globe,” Nottenburg said. “The potential for Sonus is clear, and I am excited to lead this remarkable company into its next phase of growth. Hassan is an extraordinary mind who led the beginning of a profound change in the communications paradigm. We are the beneficiaries of his incredible breadth of industry knowledge and deep commitment to nurturing Sonus’ growth. I value Hassan’s guidance and experience and know that we will continue to build on the strong foundation he and the Sonus team have established.”
Over the last decade, Ahmed has grown the company to annual revenues of more than $300 million. Sonus is now regarded as a leader in carrier-grade IP voice communications and counts each of the world’s five-largest operators as Sonus customers.
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