Systems vendor
Luminous Networks Inc. has a new CEO who could be announced today, sources say.
Chris Stark will be taking the reins from founder Alex Naqvi, who gave up the CEO role in December (see
Headcount: Job Makers, Deal Breakers). Naqvi will remain chairman.
Sources didn't have much on Stark's credentials, but a bit of research reveals a Chris Stark who was
Alcatel SA's (NYSE: ALA; Paris: CGEP:PA) vice president of optical networks for North America. This would jibe with a tip that Luminous's Stark is moving to California from Plano, Texas.
Among Stark's duties would be solidifying Luminous's place in the market for multiservice provisioning platforms supporting
Resilient Packet Ring Technology. Luminous is among the startups that have pitched that technology for years, but the market remains the purview of
Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) and
Nortel Networks Ltd. (NYSE/Toronto: NT). Longtime competitor Lantern Communications Inc. bowed out recently, getting acquired by
C-COR Corp. (Nasdaq: CCBL). (See
Incumbents Grab RPR Mantle and
C-COR Extinguishes Lantern.)
Stark's appointment is supposed to be announced later today.
— Craig Matsumoto, Senior Editor,
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