Wireless Bytes: Shakeouts

LR Mobile News Analysis Light Reading 4/6/2005

The revolving door at some of the wireless industry’s hottest startups and incumbent vendors has been in full swing this week, Unstrung has learnt.

The Chips Are Down
First up, we bring news that the CEO of Marconi Corp. plc's (Nasdaq: MRCIY; London: MONI) wireless business unit, Clifford P. "Chip" Wagner, Jr., has resigned. Based in Dallas, Wagner held the position since August 2002. “He is looking to pursue other opportunities,” comments a Marconi spokesman [ed note: Hmmm, that’s original].

Arieso Swaps CEO
At the other end of the vendor scale, U.K.-based network-optimization minnow Arieso Ltd. appears to have had an executive swapout (see Arieso Shouts Off and O2 Chooses Arieso). According to the company’s Website, original CEO and founder, Shirin Dehghan, is now listed as CTO. The CEO position is credited to a Mr. Robert Blair. Arieso is unable to comment on Blair’s appointment at present or provide details of his credentials. A Web search shows that Mr Blair once worked for location services software firm SignalSoft, acquired by Openwave Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OPWV) in May 2002.

PicoChip Mulls IPO?
Meanwhile, wireless processor startup PicoChip Designs Ltd. has announced the appointment of Iain Silvester as CFO (see PicoChip Appoints CFO). In a statement, the company is eager to point out Silvester’s experience at managing IPOs. So, is PicoChip prepping itself for a potential public offering?

“We are an ambitious player,” says VP of marketing, Rupert Baines. “It is not a short-term plan but we do intend to be a major player.”

Other shufflings to have caught Unstrung’s attention this week include:

— Justin Springham, Senior Editor, Europe, Unstrung