CXO INSIGHT
I ’ ve also been focusing on strengthening our leadership in EMEA . Not only in terms of cementing our commitment to deliver the latest networking solutions , but also in areas like 5G , Edge Cloud , network virtualisation and optical IP convergence . I ’ ve also been working with the team to drive more collaborative conversations with customers . To ensure we go beyond just selling products , we take a targeted approach that allows us to work together to create new strategies that will support the key initiatives to help our customers to remain highly competitive . Digitisation , automation and adaptable networks are front and centre in these conversations . We are working diligently with our customers to deliver a ‘ cloud-like subscriber experience ’, even when we are talking about the core connectivity which a service provider supplies to the end-users ( B2B and B2C ).
What is the company ’ s approach to management and people ?
Effective management starts from the top down and Ciena has a strong leadership team . In fact , one of the things that attracted me to the company last year was the people . I have an amazing team around me , seasoned professionals and newcomers , who are all passionate and determined – it might sound like a cliché but one of the best things about my job is the people .
Ciena attracts some of the best talent in the industry and the company offers a number of initiatives all designed to support and empower employees with each voice heard . There are also several employee programmes that foster learning , development and mentoring . We also have a company-wide goal to ‘ go do good ,’ and an employee matching programme for donations and volunteer hours to support the communities where our employees and customers live and work . The focus on people and management is one of the core values and mission statements of Ciena . helping to shape future networks to be able to adapt to changing and unexpected demands .
Furthermore , we are also focused on driving digital inclusion and expanding technology access and connectivity opportunities for underserved students in our communities . We do this by mobilising our global workforce , leveraging our innovative leadership and working with customers , suppliers and other partners to enable greater digital connectivity . Ciena recently committed to fund US $ 10 million over a five-year period on programming that promotes digital inclusion through greater connectivity , access to technology and digital skilling , with a goal of expanding opportunities for 100,000 underserved students in our global communities . I ’ m looking forward to supporting the company in this effort .
What kind of clients and market do you serve ?
Ciena ’ s technology is designed to help customers transition to service-driven networks to offer increased capacity , lower latency and support for today ’ s bandwidth hungry applications . With this in mind , our focus is on working with both enterprises and services providers . We have over 1,700 customers worldwide and along with supporting some of the world ’ s largest services providers such as AT & T , Telefonica , BT and Deutsche Telekom just to list a few , we also serve numerous enterprises in the healthcare , finance , transportation and retail industries .
What has your career path looked like ?
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CLEAR VIEW ON THE MARKET AND YOUR CUSTOMERS SO YOU CAN MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS THAT WILL ADD BUSINESS VALUE .
Can you tell us a bit more about Ciena ’ s vision and goal ?
Ciena is a key enabler of the underlying technology that powers the world ’ s communication networks . As mentioned previously , demand for connectivity surges , thanks to the need for more cloud-based communications , streaming video , 5G , the Internet of Things and more . Ciena focuses on doing everything it can to ensure that our customers – network providers and operators – can deliver that connectivity to users in the most efficient and seamless way possible . We ’ re also
I have worked in the telecoms and networking space for over 20 years now . Prior to joining Ciena , I worked at Pacific Broadband Networks , ARRIS Group and Technetix . In my younger days , I was working as an Engineer in a service provider while completing a master ’ s degree in business administration and economies in Austria .
What always excited me about the telecommunication industry is its global reach , its multi-faceted technology challenge and its importance and impact to society . Having spent four years in the US , I learnt about the different approaches to business and technology in this
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