DZS Appoints Scott St. John as Chief Customer Officer

DALLAS, April 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DZS (Nasdaq: DZSI), a global leader of broadband networking and AI-driven cloud software solutions, today announced it has appointed Scott St. John as Chief Customer Officer, reporting directly to CEO Charlie Vogt.

Mr. St. John will be responsible for leading global sales for DZS and will be focused on driving accelerated revenue growth across the Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Australia/New Zealand (ANZ) regions. Communication service providers (CSPs) in these regions continue to undergo a multi-year broadband networking upgrade cycle with a shift towards open and software defined networking, supported by “broadband everywhere” initiatives led by multiple government-funded stimulus projects and private investments that are taking place around the world. DZS’ enhanced broadband networking and AI-driven cloud software portfolios are ideally suited to address this opportunity following three years of targeted innovation and three strategic acquisitions that have created a truly differentiated network edge focused portfolio ready to position CSPs for services agility and future success.

“Scott was instrumental in leading ADVA’s significant sales growth during his more than five-year tenure leading up to the ADVA/Adtran merger,” said Mr. Vogt.” DZS will benefit from Scott’s experience and 20-plus years of sales leadership knowledge and trusted relationships with service providers and channel partners across the Americas, EMEA and ANZ, complementing the momentum we have created over the past two years. The timing of Scott’s arrival aligns well with our recently released and differentiated 50G-ready OLT platforms, optical edge ROADM, home broadband and cloud software solutions. We are active in numerous service provider optical transport, fiber access, network assurance, orchestration, and home broadband software management projects and I am confident that Scott will accelerate our team’s ability to convert these technology and solution trials into our next wave of growth as we progress through 2024 and enter 2025.”

DZS continues to gain traction with service providers in its strategic growth markets of the Americas, EMEA and ANZ, including recent wins with tier-one operators in multiple regions. Since 2022, the company’s vision, strategy and technology initiatives have led to the introduction of award-winning and category-defining optical, access and cloud software solutions. Complementing the company’s optical and fiber broadband focused innovation and aligned with the most demanding service provider requirements, DZS successfully acquired and integrated the core assets of ASSIA (AI-driven cloud software), RIFT (automation, orchestration and network slicing software) and Optelian (optical networking platforms).

“Under Charlie’s leadership, DZS has transformed into a market disruptor, and I am looking forward to joining his management team and accelerating the company’s growth as we capitalize on the significant network expansion opportunities ahead of us based on the normalization of service provider buying patterns fueled by government broadband stimulus programs and the more than 25 large scale service providers trials underway around the world,” said Mr. St. John. “Broadband has become a utility-like service and with the maturity and acceleration of artificial intelligence changing the way CSPs automate, optimize and analyze the performance of their networks, it’s an ideal time to leverage the company’s unique position in the industry, bolstered by best-in-class optical, access and cloud software technology. DZS is poised to take market share and grow top-line revenue and I am excited to lead that charge.”

Mr. St. John has an extensive track record over the past 25 years leading global sales teams and consistently driving revenue growth. Prior to DZS, he served as Chief Sales Officer for ADVA until the merger with Adtran where he managed a global team of over 450 employees and increased sales to approximately €700 million per year.

Gunter Reiss will continue to serve as Chief Marketing Officer and lead Business Development for DZS. reporting to the CEO.

“With the momentum DZS has across the Americas, EMEA and ANZ regions, the timing of Scott joining our leadership team is ideal, allowing me to focus 100% of my time on the numerous marketing and business development initiatives underway,” said Mr. Reiss. “Scott’s expertise in successfully implementing global go-to-market strategies and deploying complex networking solutions will serve our customers and channel partners extremely well as they upgrade their communications networks.”

About DZS Inc.

DZS Inc. (Nasdaq: DZSI) is a global leader of broadband networking and AI-driven cloud software 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 effects 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.

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