April 19, 2005 Murray Hill, NJ -- Lucent Technologies today announced that it is simplifying operations by combining its mobility and wireline businesses into a single group. The company's services business will remain as a separate group. According to the company, changes enable it to more quickly and cost-effectively capture market opportunities created by the growing demand for blended lifestyle services.
"In an increasingly dynamic industry this is a logical next step," remarks Patricia Russo, Lucent's chairman and CEO.
Cindy Christy, former president of the company's Mobility Solutions business, will head the combined business, which will be called the Network Solutions Group. According to the company, under Christy's leadership, the business expects to strengthen its global CDMA positioning, and to gain momentum in deploying 3G networks, including the company's first UMTS deployments. According to the release, in her new role, effective immediately, Christy assumes responsibility for the overall business management of the company's complete portfolio of products and applications.
Janet Davidson, former president of the company's Integrated Network Solutions (wireline) business, has become the company's head of corporate strategy and business development. According to the company, in this position, Davidson will work with the company's senior leadership team to evolve strategy in a rapidly changing industry. She will also lead the company's intellectual property and network operations software businesses.
Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS), headed by John Meyer, will remain a separate group, providing professional, deployment, operations, and maintenance services for multi-vendor networks.
Additionally, according to the release, Jeong Kim has rejoined Lucent as president of Bell Labs. Kim originally joined Lucent in May 1998, when the company acquired Yurie Systems, a provider of data networking access technology. After joining Lucent, Kim became president of the company's Broadband Carrier Networks division, where he oversaw planning, administration, R&D, global marketing, as well as sales and operations for the company's carrier ATM and IP router product lines. Before leaving in 2001 to pursue other business, entrepreneurial, and academic interests, Kim was head of the company's Optical Networking Group, responsible for the development, marketing, and manufacturing of the company's optical networking systems.
Kim succeeds Bill O'Shea, who is retiring after 33 years of service.
"I also have asked Jeong to lend his expertise and relationships with a variety of government agencies to help us grow our sales opportunities with the U.S. government," notes Russo.
O'Shea will continue to provide strategic counsel to the company's leadership team, and will retire after a transitional period.