Cisco Systems' Ghazi Atallah Receives Telecom Industry Leadership and Lifetime Achievement Award

Award given to industry leaders at the Arab Telecom and Internet Forum 2006

Dubai, June 19, 2006 – Ghazi Atallah, Cisco Systems' Managing Director, Service Provider for Global Emerging Markets, has received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership and achievements in the field of Information Technology and Communications (ICT). Presented by His Excellency, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Harthy, Minister of Transport & Communications, Sultanate of Oman at the Arab Telecom and Internet Forum 2006, the award recognizes Atallah's outstanding leadership in the industry as well as lifetime contribution to the development of the IT and telecom industry in the Middle East. Atallah is one of a few Arab leaders in the ICT industry that leads international operations for a multinational company while based out of the Middle East.

"I believe strongly in the link between a strong ICT foundation and the overall economic prosperity of the region, this is a platform from which we can develop next generation leadership for the ICT industry and overall business as we have been doing in the region. I am delighted for this recognition, I will of course continue both on a professional and personal basis to support the development of this critical sector in the region." said Atallah.

As Cisco Systems' Managing Director, Service Provider for Global Emerging Markets, he is responsible for defining the strategy and Go-To-Market plans for Service Providers business-both fixed and mobile operators- in a region that includes Latin America, Middle East and Africa, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Eastern European Countries. Ghazi also participates in Cisco's Corporate Service Provider Business Council that is tasked with shaping Cisco's Service Provider technology strategy worldwide.

Previously Ghazi was the General Manager for Cisco Systems Middle East, where he was responsible for leading and defining Cisco's strategy and investment in the region. He was also responsible for Cisco's Service Provider business in the Middle East and North Africa, Atallah also served as the country manager for Cisco in Saudi Arabia where he was responsible for growing Cisco's presence and business in the country.

While in Canada, prior to moving to the middle east, Atallah was chief Architect in Teleglobe's network planning group, subsequent to that he was the product development manager for ATM technologies in General Datacom's Multimedia R&D labs in Canada.