Alcatel-Lucent appoints ex EADS boss Philippe Camus as chairman, former BT chief Ben Verwaayen as CEO

The world's largest supplier of fixed-line phone networks, Alcatel-Lucent has former EADS co-CEO Philippe Camus as non-executive chairman fromand former BT Group CEO Ben Verwaayen as chief executive officer and on the Alcatel-Lucent board.

The new appointments followed the resignations in July of non-executive chairman Serge Tchuruk and CEO Pat Russo, following the changes in the top management with the completion of the integration of the Lucent with Alcatel since they merged in 2006.

The two companies commenced combined operation in December 2006 and the merged Alcatel-Lucent has reported quarterly losses ever since.

Camus, 60, a French national and a US resident, is a seasoned business leader whose international experience spans several industries.  He was the Co-CEO at European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) and managed a large, global business in the high-tech industry. He is co-managing partner of international media group Lagardère, and a partner in New York-based investment and advisory firm Evercore Partners. 
 
Verwaayen, 56, is a Dutch national and has intensive telecommunications and IT experience spanning many years. He was CEO of BT from February 2002 to June 1, 2008. He was formerly vice-chairman of the management board of Lucent Technologies in the US, which he joined in September 1997. Prior to that, he worked with KPN in the Netherlands for nine years as president and managing director of its telecom subsidiary, PTT telecom.  Before that, Verwaayen worked for ITT, a predecessor of Alcatel.

Verwaayen is credited with turning around BT, which after hiving-off its wireles business had been grappling with declining revenue from fixed-line calls and regulatory scrutiny of its pricing and rising competition from other high speed internet providers. To counter falling sales he slashed 5000 jobs a year, a task analysts say he wil have to repeat in his new assignment.