Raj Yavatkar to replace Bikash Koley as Juniper Networks CTO
Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) has revealed that Raj Yavatkar, formerly of Google, will replace fellow Google alumnus Bikash Koley as chief technology officer (CTO). No reason was given for Koley’s departure, which the company revealed in a Form 8-K filing November 27. [It was subsequently revealed that Koley will return to Google as vice president and head of networking.] Yavankar is expected to join the company this month, while the 8-K states that Koley will depart January 3, 2020.
Yavatkar, an IEEE Fellow, led development of network virtualization infrastructure and products for cloud networking at Google, a job that entailed the delivery of network software products for Google Cloud customers. Prior to his recent tenure at Google, Yavatkar held leadership roles at VMware and Intel.
"Raj is a visionary who has been able to translate a deep understanding of customer and market needs into breakthrough products and solutions for the past 15 years. I’m truly pleased and honored to have Raj help us in our strategy to change networking for the cloud era," said Rami Rahim, CEO of Juniper Networks.
"In my career, I’ve always envisioned and improved upon how emerging technologies can be applied to creatively solve business problems ahead of the competition and have applied this knowledge to pioneer new product lines and cloud architectures. I look forward to joining the world-class team at Juniper and guiding their industry-leading portfolio of cloud networking solutions," added Yavatkar.
Koley joined Juniper Networks in 2017, after serving as Distinguished Engineer and the head of Network Architecture, Engineering and Planning at Google (see “Bikash Koley to leave Google for Juniper Networks CTO gig”).
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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