Alcatel-Lucent appoints EMEA head

Vendor unveils IBM and Sun veteran to lead newly formed division

Communications vendor Alcatel-Lucent has recruited former Sun and IBM executive Adolfo Hernandez to head up its newly formed EMEA division.

Hernandez will be responsible for driving sales and overseeing all of the vendor's operations across the region and will report to chief executive Ben Verwaayen. He will also become a member of the Alcatel-Lucent's management committee and will be based at the firm's Paris headquarters.

Hernandez joins from Sun Microsystems where he worked for six years, most recently as senior vice president of its global services practice. Prior to that, he spent six years with IBM and also founded and ran his own mobility software company.

He said: "I am extremely honoured and delighted to be joining Alcatel-Lucent. This is a company that has the talent and the enthusiasm to win and succeed over the longer term. I am committed to contribute to this success and I am looking forward helping our customers to grow.”

Verwaayen added: "We are very pleased to have Adolfo join our team. He is a seasoned executive with international experience and an in depth industry experience in the services business. His proven leadership and professional track record will bring new emphasis to our initiatives regarding customer care and improved profitability. He understands our customers' priorities and our company’s challenges. We are looking forward to his personal contribution to better serve our customers in the region.”