Ben Verwaayen is one of telecommunications’ most prominent and dynamic leaders. Ben has – for 35 years - been at the forefront of the most dramatic changes in the industry’s history. Now, as CEO of Alcatel-Lucent, Ben is heralding the next wave of change, as voice telephony gives way to video, and broadband gives way to superfast, fixed-line and LTE wireless networks.

Ben’s professional career commenced in 1975 at ITT Europe in the Netherlands, where he built business understanding in a number of positions, including human resources, public relations and general management. In 1988 he joined PTT - then the Netherlands’ state-run operator - leading it through privatization and its emergence as KPN. While at KPN, Ben formed Unisource with Telia, Swisscom and Telefonica, launching Europe’s first telecoms collaboration serving the international enterprise market. Ben also served as chairman of the alliance between Unisource and AT&T.

In 1997 Ben was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Lucent Technologies. Five years later he became Chief Executive of BT, overseeing its transformation at the outset of the broadband revolution and the emergence of new technology-driven services. Ben initiated 21CN, BT’s ground-breaking IP architecture for the delivery of next-generation services, and positioning the company as a global force for innovation in network capability and service provision.

Ben was appointed CEO of Alcatel-Lucent in September 2008 and has since been instrumental in its own revolution, focused and building where its competencies and innovation strengths are served best. As fixed and wireless customers face the challenges of unprecedented data growth and consumer adoption of new, smart devices, Ben has concentrated Alcatel-Lucent on market application of its leading-edge capabilities, such as IP processing, small cell innovations and fiber-optics, as well as in serving strategic vertical industries like public transportation and public safety.