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Alcatel-Lucent Picks Philippe Camus, Ben Verwaayen as a new Chairman and CEO

By Amarendra Bhushan for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:September 2, 2008

Alcatel-Lucent’s board (the world’s largest French-U.S. telecommunications-equipment company) chose Philippe Camus, a former European aerospace company EADS co-CEO and partner at French media group Lagardere, its new chairman, and Ben Verwaayen, the former CEO of BT Group PLC, its new chief executive. Alcatel-Lucent suffered and struggled financially from internal cultural tension as well as stiff competition from Asian rivals and decided in late July if you remember current chairman Serge Tchuruk and current CEO Patricia Russo needed to go.

Mike Quigley, who currently serves as “president of science, technology and strategy,” had been rumored as the likely candidate for CEO.

Philippe Camus
Director at
Schlumberger Limited

Title: Co-CEO
Organization: European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS)
Country: France
Date of Birth: 28/06/1948
Place of Birth: Paris, France

PHILIPPE CAMUS, 59; Co-Managing Partner, Societe Lagardere, a French media and technology company, since March 1998, and Senior Managing Director, Evercore Partners Inc., an advisory and investment firm, since January 2006; co-Chief Executive Officer of the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Company, an aerospace and defense contractor, from July 2000 to July 2005, New York, New York.

Education:

1970 BA, Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris
1971 BS, École Normale Supérieure
1980 Actuarial sciences degree

CV:

1972-1982 Controller, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, financial management department,
1982-1992 Chairman, finance committee, Matra Group,
1992-1993 Chairman, supervisory board, Banque Arjil,
1993-1998 Chairman and managing director, finance committee, Lagardère Group,
1998 General partner, Lagardère SCA,
1999 co-CEO, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS)

Ben Verwaayen
CEO/Director at
BT PLC ADS

Title: Chief Executive
Organization: BT Group PLC
Country: Netherlands
CV:

1997 Joined Lucent as Executive Vice President, International and became Chief Operating Officer the following month.
1999 Vice Chairman of the Management Board of Lucent Technologies
2002 Chief Executive of BT Group PLC

Ben Verwaayen has been Chief Executive of BT Group PLC since February 1, 2002. Mr. Verwaayen was formerly Vice Chairman of the Management Board of Lucent Technologies in the USA from October 1999. He joined Lucent in September 1997 as Executive Vice President, International and became Chief Operating Officer the following month. Mr. Verwaayen was appointed to the Board of Directors of BT Group PLC on January 14, 2002. Mr. Verwaayen is a Dutch national.

Ben Verwaayen was appointed to the Board on 14 January 2002 and became Chief Executive on 1 February 2002. He chairs the Operating Committee. Ben was formerly vice-chairman of the management board of Lucent Technologies in the US from October 1999. He joined Lucent in September 1997 as executive vice-president international and became chief operating officer the following month. Prior to joining Lucent, Ben worked for KPN in the Netherlands for nine years as president and managing director of its telecoms subsidiary, PTT Telecom.

From 1975 to 1988, he worked for ITT in Europe. In 2006, he was created an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau and appointed a Chevalier de la Legion d”Honneur. He was appointed an honorary KBE in 2007 in recognition of his services to the communications industry. He is a non-executive director of UPS.

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