MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Matisse Networks™, a stealth-mode start-up developing an entirely new approach to building enterprise networks leveraging optical technology to deliver unprecedented levels of bandwidth and reliability for data centers and campus environments, today announced the appointment of Silicon Valley icon Sam Mathan as its new CEO. Mathan, 59, is joining industry veterans Claude Hamou, Matisse’s founder, president and COO, and Timon Sloane, the company’s vice president of marketing, to form a highly experienced executive management team with a combined track record of major successes.

The company board of directors includes John Jarve with Menlo Ventures, G. Venkatesh with Texan Ventures, Danial Faizullabhoy with Walden International and Tom Shields with Woodside Fund, in addition to Sam Mathan and Claude Hamou. Matisse has raised over $21M in its Series A round of funding and has 45 employees in the U.S., India and Israel.

Mathan joins Matisse after an illustrious 25-year career in the telecommunications industry. Most recently as president & CEO of Amber Networks, he developed the company into the leader in fault tolerant routing, resulting in the sale of Amber to Nokia for $421M in July, 2001. Previously, Mathan was instrumental in establishing Ascend Communications as a dominant provider of infrastructure switching equipment to U.S. service providers. With the acquisition of Ascend by Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU) for some $24 billion, he served as senior vice president, Telco marketing and sales of the resulting Lucent Technologies Internetworking Systems division. Prior to Ascend, he directed product management and marketing for Pacific Bell’s first series of network integration products and services.

“After many years in the networking industry, it is rare to come across a technology company with the right combination of people, capital, technology differentiation and customer demand,” Mathan said. “Matisse has this powerful combination, and I’m very pleased to be joining an organization with such outstanding potential”.

Timon Sloane brings 20-years of high technology experience to Matisse. He has successfully developed numerous early stage technology companies, resulting in the acquisition of firms by Alliance Data Systems (NYSE:ADS), BMC Software (NYSE:BMC), Cisco Systems (Nasdaq:CSCO), Compaq Computer, Extreme Networks (Nasdaq:EXTR), and Network Equipment Technologies (NYSE:NWK). Most recently he was vice president of marketing at WebStacks, and then director of product management after WebStacks was acquired by Extreme in March of 2001.

Mathan and Sloane complement the industry experience of Claude Hamou, who was previously executive vice president and general manager of Terayon Communications' Data Cable Division. Prior to Terayon, he was vice president of engineering and operation at Apache Systems and director of engineering with Adaptec.