Alcatel CTO to step down

French telecom equipment maker Alcatel confirmed on Wednesday that its chief technical officer, Niel Ransom, is planning to step down in the next few months after nearly three years in the position. Olivier Baujard, Alcatel's vice president of corporate strategy, is expected to assume Ransom's role, according to company spokesman Charles Guyer.

Ransom became CTO of Alcatel in 2002 after a stint as CTO of the company's U.S. operations. Baujard, a 16-year veteran, has run Alcatel's enterprise solutions and switching systems divisions.

Ransom's departure was first reported by Light Reading.