Nortel makes Aussie MD redundant

Troubled network hardware maker Nortel Networks today said it had made the role of its Australia and New Zealand chief Mark Stevens redundant and he would not be replaced.

Former Nortel Australia MD
(Credit: Nortel)

Nortel confirmed it had made Stevens redundant as part of the company's restructuring effort beginning in November last year. Nortel announced at the time that it would make 1,300 job cuts.

Nortel had decided to ditch country heads in favour of regional leaders who are more closely aligned with specific business units, a company spokesperson told ZDNet.com.au.

Stevens was not available for comment at the time of writing.

Nortel has instead placed two existing regional executives as its local leads: Anthony McLachlan, head of Nortel's Asia-Pacific and Greater China carrier business; and Mark Fioretto, enterprise leader for the ANZ and ASEAN regions.

In January, Nortel Networks filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US and had placed itself under administration in the UK.

Nortel's McLachlan told ZDNet.com.au the day after it had filed for bankruptcy in the US that it had reached out to local customers to reassure them they wouldn't be affected by its status in the US or UK.

"Customers have been nervous. They're looking for reassurance as to what our plans are," he said at the time. "In Australia ... we see no change in the day-to-day operations," he added.