[February 21, 2006] George Riedel Named Chief Strategy Officer for Nortel Networks Tweet By PATRICK BARNARD TMCnet Associate Editor Nortel Networks announced today that it has appointed George Riedel, formerly of Juniper Networks, as its chief strategy officer. As CSO, Riedel will be responsible for leading the Nortel’s corporate strategy, including business development and mergers and acquisitions. In addition, he will focus on emerging technologies, market opportunities and strategic partnerships, and will drive all related key decision-making processes. He will report directly to Nortel’s President and CEO Mike Zafirovski. “This appointment marks my commitment to maintaining Nortel's technology and innovation leadership,” Zafirovski said in a company news release. “George’s extensive knowledge of telecom and technology combined with his business acumen, strategic orientation and M&A experience will complement our strong leadership team and position the company for a successful future as we simplify our business, develop next-generation products and solutions, and focus on long-term, profitable growth.” Riedel is formerly vice president, strategy and corporate development, for Juniper, where he joined in 2003. He is also a former director at the management consulting firm McKinsey and Company, where for 15 years he co-led telecom and high-tech practices in North America and Asia. Prior to McKinsey, he was an engineering manager at Exxon Co. USA. Riedel holds a master’s degree from the Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s of science in mechanical engineering, with distinction, from the University of Virginia. His appointment is effective Feb. 28, 2006, and he will be based at Nortel’s headquarters in Toronto. For more information about Nortel Networks visit www.nortel.com. Patrick Barnard is Associate Editor for TMCnet and a columnist covering the telecom industry. To see more of his articles, please visit Patrick Barnard’s columnist page. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]