As the top executive at Asia Global Crossing, Legere will oversee the building of undersea cables and terrestrial networks in Asia and the introduction of web-hosting, co-location, and data-centric products and services in the region. "John Legere brings tremendous knowledge and experience to one of the fastest growing regions of the world," said Gary Winnick, Chairman of both Global Crossing and Asia Global Crossing. "Global Crossing has continued to show its ability to bring in top managers of unparalleled experience, forming the formidable leadership team that is needed to sustain our goals to grow around the world and to deliver shareholder value. Along with Bob Annunziata, Chief Executive of Global Crossing, and Leo Hindery, Chief Executive of GlobalCenter, we are now positioned to continue our leadership role in the evolution of global telecommunications."
Legere succeeds Jack Scanlon who will continue as Vice Chairman of Global Crossing and as a director on the boards of Global Crossing and Asia Global Crossing. Added Bob Annunziata, Chief Executive Officer of Global Crossing: "We have known John for a long time and have long admired his accomplishments. Jack Scanlon, who began our development in Asia, and I look forward to working with John in building an unprecedented datacentric provider for all of Asia. Working for Dell, John Legere changed the way computers were sold in Asia, with quarter-on-quarter unit sales growing close to 100% on average during his tenure. Asia Global Crossing is an equally dynamic enterprise and one of John Legere's key tasks will be to maximize the exceptional value of the joint venture."
Legere is leaving Dell Computer Corporation where he served as a Senior Vice President, and was President for Dell's operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reporting to the Office of the CEO. In this capacity he managed over 10,000 people and a business of nearly $6 billion. Legere previously served as President, Asia-Pacific for Dell, responsible for running Dell's operations in the Asia-Pacific region, including customer service, sales, and manufacturing. His previous experience also included 18 years with AT&T in roles of Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Asia/Pacific and head of AT&T Global Strategy and Business Development.
Dell's business in the Asia-Pacific under Legere's leadership grew to approximately $2 billion on an annualized basis. Prior to joining Dell, Legere was with AT&T for 18 years and had assignments in sales, marketing, service, network operations, information management and field service operations in both the telecommunications services and
telecommunications hardware/equipment markets, as well as in human resources and finance.
Legere was president and managing partner of AT&T Solutions' worldwide outsourcing practice, based in Florham Park, N.J. With more than 8,000 employees, revenue of $2.6 billion, and networking-management centers worldwide, the AT&T unit offers global clients outsourcing solutions for networking-based electronic commerce applications.
From April 1994 to November 1997, Legere was president and chief executive officer of AT&T's Hong Kong-based Asia-Pacific unit, with overall responsibility for advanced service offerings to businesses and consumers throughout the region, all relations with international carriers, and oversight of all business development activities, including GSM wireless business in India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In addition to his duties in Asia-Pacific, Legere spent most of 1997 directing AT&T's international strategy and business development as head of global strategy development.
Legere earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts in 1980; a master of business administration degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1985; and a master's degree in science, Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1993. He also attended the Harvard Business School Management Development Program in 1989.
He has been a member of the corporate advisory board of the School of Business and Management, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Government Relations Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong.
About Asia Global Crossing
Asia Global Crossing is a joint venture among Global Crossing (Nasdaq: GBLX), SOFTBANK CORP. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 9984), and Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT), created to provide the Asia Pacific region unprecedented access to a broadband, seamless global network through a combination of high-capacity city rings, terrestrial systems, and undersea cables. Asia Global Crossing offers businesses and consumers an array of advanced network-based telecommunications services including state-of-the-art telehouses, web hosting, and electronic commerce, as well as low-cost, high-quality telephony in competition with local incumbent carriers. Asia Global Crossing assets will include Global Crossing's 58% interest in Pacific Crossing-1, a subsea system connecting the US and Japan, and East Asia Crossing, a 17,000-km fiber optic subsea system that will link Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and China.
About Global Crossing
Global Crossing Ltd. (Nasdaq: GBLX) is building, and offering services over, the world's first global fiber optic network with 97,200 announced route miles, serving five continents, 24 countries and more than 200 major cities. The Global Crossing Network and its telecommunications and Internet product offerings will be available to over 80% of the world's international communications traffic. Global Crossing hosts more than 300 of the top Internet brands at its web hosting division, GlobalCenter. Among the brands are some of the largest and most densely trafficked sites on the Web, including Yahoo!, The Motley Fool, Ziff Davis, MP3.com and eToys. Global Crossing's operations are headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with principal offices in Los Angeles, California; London, England; Morristown, New Jersey; and Rochester, New York. Visit Global Crossing at www.globalcrossing.com on the Web.
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Statements made in this press release that state the Company's or management's intentions, beliefs, expectations, or predictions for the future are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. These risks, assumptions and uncertainties include: the ability to complete systems within currently estimated time frames and budgets; the ability to compete effectively in a rapidly evolving and price competitive marketplace; changes in the nature of telecommunications regulation in the United States and other countries; changes in business strategy; the successful integration of newly-acquired businesses; the impact of technological change; and other risks referenced from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.