OTTAWA -- Nakina Systems Inc. ("Nakina"), a provider of multi-vendor security and element management solutions to network operators worldwide, today announced that Marco Pagani, former President of Nortel Networks' Metro Optical and Optical Ethernet divisions, has been appointed Chairman of Nakina's Board of Directors.

Marco Pagani has recently served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at a number of telecom high-tech companies, including Nimcat Networks, where he helped steer the company towards its eventual acquisition by Avaya in 2005.

Prior to his current work as an Executive Consultant, Mr. Pagani served in an illustrious career at Nortel Networks over a 20-year period. His most recent position at Nortel was President of Optical Ethernet and Storage Solutions, in which his leadership fueled the division's rapid growth.

Previously he held various senior positions, including President - Metro Optical Division, President - Core Networks, and General Manager - Carrier Data Networks, where his leadership skills drove Nortel to a position of market leadership.

"Nakina is forging a new path for telecom service providers - it is helping them streamline the way they manage their networks by eliminating a confused mess of software we call the element management layer," remarked Mr. Pagani. "Nakina's model has already gained important traction with two of the three largest service providers in North America, as an example. In my experience, that's a key benchmark indicating potential for significant and rapid growth."

"Marco's served an important role on the Board to date, helping to bridge the gaps that sometimes exist between the executive management team and investors or independent board members. His appointment to the position of Chair I believe signals the unequivocal recognition of the important role he's played in our success to date," explained Dave Vicary, co-founder, president and CEO of Nakina. "I'm looking forward to our continued work together to make Nakina a truly outstanding company."

Nakina Systems Inc.