Sea Fibre Networks Announces Board Additions
Board appointments in advance of 9th December Launch
Dublin, Ireland –4th December, 2011 – Sea Fibre Networks (SFN), owner and operator of CeltixConnect, Europe’s most advanced sub-sea telecoms network, today announced the appointment of a new Board following its successful $15m investment. Noel Meaney, Stephen Martin, John Lazerow and Cliff Holtz will join the existing Executive Director, Diane Hodnett, on the Board with an effective date of 2nd November 2011.
Noel Meany joins the Board as Executive Director and will take up the position of Executive Chairman. Noel is also Chairman and CEO of Citadel100 Datacenters which he founded in 2002. Formerly Noel was CEO and Chairman of euNetworks, a company which he founded following his acquisition of the European fibre assets of Metromedia Fibre Networks (MFN). Under Noel’s direction, euNetworks grew to become one of Europe’s largest metropolitan fibre optic infrastructure providers. EuNetworks owns and operates 13 fibre-based metropolitan networks across Europe connected with a high capacity intercity backbone. In 2004, Noel floated euNetworks on the Singapore stock exchange. Noel also holds a number of non-executive roles including Non-Executive Director of Alternative Energy Limited (AEL); a London AIM listed Company, and is Chairman of Fort Technologies. Prior to this, Noel held a senior executive management role with AboveNet (Formerly MFN).
Cliff Holtz joins the Board as Non-Executive Director. Cliff has held number of senior level public company corporate positions, including President Metro Markets at AT&T (leading a $4.5B business unit), SVP Consumer at Gateway (managing a $5B US consumer business), EVP Business Markets Group at Qwest Communication (leading a $5B business and government unit with over 5,000 employees) and President North American Enterprise Sales at Nortel Networks (responsible for growing $1.3B of revenue and margins across data, voice, applications and optical product and associated services portfolios). Cliff brings 25 years of enterprise sales and marketing experience and a deep knowledge of the telecom industry to the Board. Cliff received a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York at Albany and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago.
Stephen Martin, Joint Managing Director of CC Equity Investors LLC, the majority shareholder in Sea Fibre Networks, joins the Board as Non-Executive Director. As an experienced lawyer, Stephen has held corporate legal and compliance positions in major telecom/communications companies, including WorldCom, Qwest and Adelphia. Previously, Stephen served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice’s United States Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. and as an Assistant Attorney General with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office in Jefferson City, Missouri. Stephen received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Denver, a Juris Doctorate degree from Creighton University, a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Denver.
John Lazerow, Joint Managing Director of CC Equity Investors LLC joins the Board as Non-Executive Director. John currently serves as President of EJL Asset Management, an investment adviser registered in New York and Washington, D.C., providing asset management services to wealthy individuals. John also serves as General Partner of LazGas LLC, a fund created to invest in Power Transport Systems, a gasoline transportation company. John is also a Founder and Managing Member of Lazerow Ventures LLC, a venture capital fund created to invest in internet and internet-related businesses and investments and boasts significant experience in investment management, private equity and venture capital. John also sits on the Board of Power Transport Systems. Prior to these ventures, John managed public market assets for wealthy individuals and small institutions at Zirkin-Cutler Investments, a registered investment adviser in Bethesda, Maryland. John received a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University.
CeltixConnect is the first system of its kind in Europe for over a decade, with 72 fibre pairs, which can send over 2 years worth of music every second each.
Diane Hodnett, Chief Executive Officer, Sea Fibre Networks, said, “I am delighted to welcome these additions to the Board in advance of our launch on the 9th of December. These appointments mean that the board has a wealth of experience within the telecoms industry and a diverse skill set, which positions Sea Fibre Networks strongly to drive business now and in our future development.”
About Sea Fibre Networks
Sea Fibre Networks is a carrier neutral, subsea telecoms provider, owner and operator of CeltixConnect, Europe’s most advanced sub-sea telecoms network. CeltixConnect, the shortest subsea link between Ireland and the UK, delivers the lowest latency and most resilient route.
CeltixConnect interconnects with the shortest backhaul to all major telecoms networks in Ireland and the UK, delivering the highest levels of security and lowest costs. CeltixConnect is the only cable to land directly in the heart of Dublin’s business district at East Point Business Park and the Irish Financial Services Centre (IFSC). From these enterprise centres, it connects to the T50, Dublin’s integral metropolitan network that links all key business districts, data centres and business parks.
Sea Fibre delivers customers the option to lease or acquire dedicated dark, managed and white (lit) fibre on the sub-sea cable or alternatively, lease high capacity managed services on this uniquely designed route.
Sea Fibre Networks is a privately owned Irish company funded by US private equity and Investec, a specialist infrastructure financier.
