DZS Appoints Tom Carter Chief Customer Officer, Americas and EMEA

DALLAS, Jan. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DZS (NASDAQ:DZSI), a global leader of access, optical and cloud-controlled software defined solutions, today announced that it has appointed Tom Carter Chief Customer Officer for the Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa (AEMEA). Carter previously led global sales for Blue Planet, Ciena's software business unit. Carter joins DZS following a period of extraordinary transformation since Charlie Vogt was named CEO in August of 2020. During this time, the company has secured more than 200 new customers, accelerated its market growth in North America, EMEA and Southeast Asia, and acquired two cloud-controlled software defined networking businesses and a metro optical transport innovator. Over the past two years, DZS has doubled its presence among the world's 50 largest communications service providers with more than 30 valued marquee customers today.

DZS continues to accelerate its innovation and growth strategy that is aligned with a generational fiber broadband and mobile investment cycle underpinned by government and private investments that have surpassed $100 billion.

"Tom has been a respected industry colleague of mine for nearly 15 years, and he brings to DZS an entrepreneurial, customer-first, disruptive and relentless approach to winning that aligns with the DZS culture," said Charlie Vogt, President and CEO, DZS. "Service providers are searching for innovative and trusted technology partners. With an extensive line of true next-generation, future-proof access and optical edge solutions complemented with a multi-vender cloud-controlled, software defined networking portfolio, Tom is uniquely prepared to accelerate our AEMEA sales at a market-defining inflection point for DZS."

The company's recent acquisitions have strategically positioned DZS in two of the fast-growing segments of the communications industry – the metro optical edge and cloud-controlled software. During the second quarter of 2022, DZS acquired the AI-driven software portfolio and team of experts from ASSIA, which complement the orchestration and automation software portfolio acquired from RIFT during the first quarter of 2021.

Building on its acquisition of optical edge pioneer Optelian in 2021, DZS introduced the industry's first environmentally hardened coherent optical ROADM platform, the Saber 4400 during the third quarter of 2022. Also, DZS recently introduced the Velocity V6 fiber access system, which delivers world-leading broadband access performance and density, as well as an in-place upgrade path to 50Gigabit (G) Passive Optical Networking (PON).

"Charlie is an industry visionary and extraordinary operational leader who has quickly transformed DZS into a disruptor," said Carter. "I am thrilled to join the company at such a pivotal time and be part of the world-class senior leadership team he has assembled. With its extensive portfolio of next-generation network and cloud software technology, DZS is powerfully positioned to deliver the integrated systems and software solutions to address the numerous fiber broadband and mobile use cases delivering positive outcomes for our service provider customers. I intend to accelerate the current DZS momentum and capitalize on the generational opportunity underway around the world."

Prior to joining DZS, Carter served as Vice President of Global Sales at Ciena/Blue Planet. Before joining Ciena, he served as Senior Vice President of Global Sales for Sandvine. He previously led Worldwide Sales for Carrier Service Providers at F5. Mr. Carter holds a business degree from the University of Alberta.

To learn more about DZS, visit https://www.dzsi.com.

About DZS

DZS Inc. (NASDAQ:DZSI) a global leader of access, optical and cloud-controlled software defined solutions.

DZS, the DZS logo, and all DZS product names are trademarks of DZS Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders. Specifications, products, and/or product names are all subject to change.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and our future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect the beliefs and assumptions of the Company's management as of the date hereof. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. The Company's actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, those risk factors contained in the Company's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including without limitation, the Company's annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings.  In addition, additional or unforeseen affects from the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic climate may give rise to or amplify many of these risks. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. DZS undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.

For further information see: www.DZSi.com.

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