Alcatel-Lucent names new CEO, Chairman

Alcatel-Lucent said Tuesday it has named Philippe Camus as non-executive Chairman and Ben Verwaayen as CEO.

With the move Alcatel-Lucent has put the not so-glorious reign of CEO Patricia Russo behind it. Telecommunications equipment company Alcatel-Lucent, which was formed by the merger of Alcatel and Lucent, has struggled amid cultural clashes, shaky financials and competition from Cisco Systems and Nortel. In July, the company ousted chairman Serge Tchuruk and Russo.

According to a statement, Camus had been the co-CEO at European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS). He is also co-managing partner at Lagardere, a media group, and Evercore Partners, a New York investment firm.

Verwaayen had been CEO of BT from Feb. 2002 to June 2008. He knows the telecom industry well from the buying side of the equation. Verwaayen is also familiar with Lucent before the Alcatel merger. Verwaayen was vice chairman of Lucent Technologies management board beginning in 1997.

Verwaayen, a Dutch national, will operate out of Paris.