PARIS -- Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced that Joëlle Gauthier is appointed Vice President, Research & Innovation of Alcatel replacing Christian Grégoire, recently appointed Vice President and CTO, Asia Pacific. In her new position she will report to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Her mission is to manage the development of advanced and innovative technologies or product concepts in order to contribute to Alcatel future solutions and next generation products.Joëlle Gauthier has been with Alcatel since 1994 and held a number of strategic marketing and business positions within the company. She was Vice President of Data Marketing for the e-Business activities and formely Vice President of the Enterprise Data Business Unit. In her various positions in Alcatel, Joëlle Gauthier contributed to the definition of the Next Generation LAN Switch known as Omniswitch 7000 & 8000, to the introduction of Alcatel enterprise voice offer in the US as well as to the acquisition of Packet Engines and Xylan.Prior to joining Alcatel, Joëlle Gauthier notably contributed to the creation of the ATM Forum in Europe as part of NET and held various marketing positions in Hewlett-Packard. Joëlle Gauthier is graduated (MBA) from the ESSEC, a French school of business, and from the ENSIEG (engineering degree) a French engineering school.Alcatel SA