Alcatel reshuffles top tier global management

By Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 12 April 2006 18:01

IT Industry - Strategy

Alcatel has announced a number of appoints at the top level of its global organisation but, rather surprisingly, has made no comment as to how these dovetail into its planned merger with Lucent Technologies, or indeed if they have even take into account this development.
Etienne Fouques, an Alcatel executive vice president, has been appointed president of Europe and South. He was previously President of Alcatel's mobile communications activities. Alcatel did not expand on what it meant by 'South'. The current holder of this position, Jacques Dunogué, is leaving the company to "pursue other opportunities".

According to 'Light Reading' "reports from inside Alcatel suggest [Dunogué] was hoping to get the role of COO in the newly merged Alcatel/Lucent, but that post was handed to his chief internal rival, Mike Quigley, a decision that left Dunogué little choice but to leave."

Quigley had been picked to succeed soon-to-retire CEO, Serge Tchuruk, but has lost out to Lucent CEO Patricia Russo who will head the merged Alcatel/Lucent. There has also been speculation that Quigley, having missed out on the top job, might not stay.

Fouques has been replaced as president of the mobile communications activities by Marc Rouanne, who has also been appointed an executive vice president. He was previously the COO of these activities. He joined Alcatel in 1998 as VP, operations for mobile networks.

Hubert de Pesquidoux has been appointed an executive VP and president of Alcatel activities in North America. He joined Alcatel in 1991 as corporate treasurer and in 1998 was appointed CFO for Alcatel in the USA. Subsequently, he was appointed COO for Alcatel North America and CEO of Alcatel Canada.

Michel Rahier has been made an EVP and president of fixed communications activities. Before this he was COO for this segment. He joined Alcatel in 1980 in the Alcatel Bell Research Centre in Belgium after which he held several worldwide technical management positions for enterprise and fixed networks. From 1997 to 2001, he managed the mobile networking business of the Group.

Olivier Picard, who is President of Alcatel's activities in France, Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, also joins the Executive Committee. He was appointed VP for South East Asia in 1999 and EVP for France in 2001. He joined Alcatel in 1997 as director in charge of space international relations.