CTO Christoph Glingener (pictured, left) is to become CEO at the same time, replacing Brian Protiva (pictured, right), who becomes vice chairman of the new Adva/Adtran holding company, Acorn HoldCo.
The two companies proposed the merger back in August 2021, and Adtran shareholders approved it in January.
Alabama-based Acorn HoldCo said this week that all conditions of the merger have been fulfilled, and all trading in Adva shares will cease next week.
Protiva was the longest serving CEO in the telecoms industry, said Adva. He co-founded the Munich-based company in 1994, 28 years ago, according to his LinkedIn profile, and has been CEO ever since. Glingener joined Adva a mere 16 years ago, having earlier worked for Siemens and then Marconi – both companies that have since left the industry.
Nikos Theodosopoulos, chairman of Adva’s supervisory board, said: “Working side-by-side with Brian for eight years, I was privileged to see one of the industry’s true leaders develop a world-class company. During his 25 years [sic] as Adva’s CEO, Brian helped define a whole new landscape of innovation and possibilities.”
After a transition period of several weeks, Protiva will assume the role of vice chairman of Acorn HoldCo, the holding company of Adtran and Adva.
