Reed leads Cabletron into the telecoms era

Networking company replaces president and CEO Levine with ex-Nynex man to herald its move into growing vertical market

Bob Levine has passed the mantle of president and CEO of Cabletron Systems to former Nynex senior officer Don Reed, as the US company attempts to break into the burgeoning telecoms market.

Levine, who co-founded Cabletron Systems with Craig Benson, will be retiring at the beginning of December, leaving Reed to lead the networking company into the telcoms arena.

Ray Sangster, UK MD of Cabletron Systems, said: ?Neither Bob nor Craig have the experience to take the company further.? He added: ?Cabletron?s research has shown that telcos are the way forward.?

The networking firm, which has already set up a team to develop the market in the US with companies including AT&T, MCI and Nynex, is looking to develop the same strategy within the UK. ?It is the only vertical market we are building a team around,? said Sangster.

However, he conceded that Cabletron had yet to discuss the move with its distributors.

Levine, who co-founded the company in 1983, is retiring at the age of 39. Widely believed to be one of the richest men in the US, Levine will continue to be a major shareholder of Cabletron.

His successor, Reed, has been involved in the communications industry for 29 years and as worked in various of roles, including a range of marketing positions at New England Telephone.

Reed was employed at Nynex in 1986 as VP of government affairs, and also held the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer at New England Telephone in 1991.

In May, changes took place within Cabletron Systems as Ray Sangster returned to the channel as its UK MD.

The same month saw the networking company rebuild its channel strategy when it took on the distributor Persona, adding to Data Translation which was appointed in November 1996.