James Regan, CEO of integrated optics and transceiver vendor EFFECT Photonics since March 2012, has left the company. Current Chief Development and Strategy Officer Roberto Marcoccia will serve as interim CEO as EFFECT Photonics seeks a replacement.
EFFECT Photonics was founded in 2011 by Boudewijn Docter and Tim Koene as a spin-out from the Technical University of Eindhoven in The Netherlands. So Regan had been with the company for most of its history. He most recently presided over the opening of a new hub near Boston, MA (see “EFFECT Photonics positions new U.S. regional headquarters as platform for growth”).
“I am truly proud of where EFFECT Photonics stands today and how much we’ve grown since I first met Boudewijn Docter and Tim Koene, and worked with them to build a company out of exciting technology,” said Regan via a company press release. “The past decade has been hugely rewarding, and I have made many friends here, which makes the decision to leave very difficult. I feel, however, that the company now stands at the beginning of an important new phase in its development and that it is time for a fresh pair of hands to carry it forward on its journey.”
“We are forever grateful to James for his dedication and contributions to EFFECT Photonics throughout the years. His leadership helped us grow from a small startup to a global company with over 250 employees,” said Steve Turley, chairman of the board. “While we are saddened to see James leave, we are excited for the next chapter and look forward to our promising road ahead.”
Marcoccia joined EFFECT Photonics in January 2021 after just over 10 years at Juniper Networks, where he rose to the position of vice president engineering, silicon photonics. He also spent time with such companies as Opnext, Stratalight Communications, Calient Networks, and others. This is the second time he has served as an interim CEO, having held the same title at Stratalight from January through June 2006.
“I am honored to take on the interim CEO role at a pivotal time for EFFECT Photonics as we enter our next phase of growth,” he said. “I look forward to building on the company’s vision and success, and to working with the team to democratize integrated optics technology for telecommunications and beyond.”
For related articles, visit the Business Topic Center.
For more information on optical components and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.
To stay abreast of optical communications technology, subscribe to Lightwave’s Enabling Technologies newsletter.
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.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.