LONDON -- Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced that Charles Matthews has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel in the UK and Ireland. He will oversee Alcatel's UK and Ireland business portfolio from submarine networks to satellites, telecom networks to end-user equipment. Charles Matthews's first responsibility will be to oversee the restructuring of Alcatel's businesses in the UK, to deliver maximum growth and profitability in the current market. During the last 15 years, Charles Matthews has held a number of senior commercial and legal positions within Alcatel's submarine networks and optics groups in Europe and Asia Pacific. Most recently, he was General Counsel for Alcatel's Optics Group. Alcatel, one of the world's leading telecommunications companies, has a significant presence in the UK. With over 2,000 employees, Alcatel operates from many sites throughout the country, including Greenwich where it manufactures submarine transmission systems, an industry in which it is the world leader. Alcatel is the UK's largest telecommunications exporter and is a two time winner of the Queen's Export Award. Alcatel's UK business has an annual turnover of around EURO 2.2 billion.Alcatel SA