QUEBEC CITY, Canada, Sept. 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EXFO Inc. (Nasdaq:EXFO) (TSX:EXF) announced today the appointment of Darryl Edwards to its Board of Directors.
Mr. Edwards has more than 30 years of international experience in the telecommunications industry in which he has held a number of senior executive leadership positions.
His most recent position was as Chief Executive Officer of AIRCOM International where he led the company through a successful business sale process which concluded earlier this year. AIRCOM is a UK-based provider of software tool solutions and services to global mobile network operators.
Prior to AIRCOM, Mr. Edwards worked for 17 years at Nortel Networks, rising to the position of President of Global Sales (Carrier and Wireless Networks). He was also Nortel's President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and held a number of senior executive sales leadership positions across EMEA which included overseas assignments. Mr. Edwards has held a number of chairs including Chairman of the Board of Nortel's interests in Turkey, Nortel Netas, which was listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. He also was a member of the Advisory Counsel to the Turkish government between 2004 and 2008, and previously served on the UK Government Broadband Stakeholders Group and the Information Age Partnership.
Mr. Edwards began his career with GEC Telecommunications (later GPT), where he spent 13 years in a number of management positions across engineering, quality assurance and international sales.
The appointment of Mr. Edwards raises the number of people on EXFO's Board of Directors to six, including five independent members. Former board member Andre Tremblay opted not to seek another term in fiscal 2011.
"Mr. Edwards brings a vast amount of strategic experience and business acumen, especially in the global wireless sector, and will certainly be an invaluable addition to EXFO's Board of Directors as we continue to grow our strategic presence in the global telecom test and service assurance industry," said Germain Lamonde, EXFO's Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.
"I am delighted to join EXFO as a member of its Board," said Darryl Edwards. "EXFO is recognized as a leader and one of the most dynamic companies in the telecommunications industry. I look forward to working closely with the Board and management team to expand on the current success and seize the opportunities that exist for EXFO."
Mr. Edwards has a Higher National Certificate from Birmingham Polytechnic in the UK.
About EXFO
Listed on the NASDAQ and TSX stock exchanges, EXFO is among the leading providers of next-generation test and service assurance solutions for wireless and wireline network operators and equipment manufacturers in the global telecommunications industry. The company offers innovative solutions for the development, installation, management and maintenance of converged, IP fixed and mobile networks — from the core to the edge. Key technologies supported include 3G, 4G/LTE, IMS, Ethernet, OTN, FTTx, and various optical technologies (accounting for an estimated 35% of the portable fiber-optic test market). EXFO has a staff of approximately 1800 people in 25 countries, supporting more than 2000 telecom customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.EXFO.com.
EXFO Brand Name
The corporate name of the company is EXFO Inc. The company requests that all media outlets and publications use the corporate name ("EXFO Inc.") or abbreviated name ("EXFO") in capital letters for branding purposes. EXFO would like to thank all parties in advance for their cooperation.