Speaking sessions with customers and industry experts tackle ways operators can keep a competitive edge in the AI era
At ITW, taking place May 18-21 in National Harbor, Md., Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) will participate in speaking sessions focused on key building blocks for network infrastructure to support AI workloads and ways operators can use AI to drive network automation. Ciena experts will also be available at Suite #4-101 to discuss how the company’s optical and software networking expertise and industry-leading technology, such as WaveLogic 6 coherent optics and Navigator Network Control Suite, can help operators support the demands of AI.
Speaking Sessions
Tuesday, May 19
- 2:30 p.m. (Global Connectivity Stage) – “Al Comes of Age. Are Telcos Keeping Up? Evolving the Playbook for a New Era” keynote featuring Kevin Sheehan, CTO, Americas & VP, Sales Engineering, Ciena and Maria Koller, Associate VP, Product Strategy and Commercialization at Verizon.
- 4:00 p.m. (Woodrow Wilson Stage) – “The New Geography of AI: From Core Hubs to Edge Clusters and the Network Consequences” featuring Kevin Sheehan, CTO, Americas & VP, Sales Engineering, Ciena; Ciaran Delaney, COO, EXA Infrastructure; George Nolis, CEO, Balkan Gate Greece; Maneesh Gauba, Industry Executive Director, Telecommunications, Oracle; and Luke Fox, CCO, Midgard Infra (formerly Altibox Carrier).
Wednesday, May 20
- 4:00 p.m. (Woodrow Wilson Stage) – “Powering the connectivity behind the AI race” panel with Will Rhodes, Head of EMEA Partners, Ciena; Franck Morales, SVP Marketing & Business Development, Orange Wholesale; Owen Rogers, Senior Research Director of Cloud Computing, Uptime Institute; and Liam Donnelly, Group Chief Business Officer, Digicel Business.
For more information about Ciena’s participation at ITW 2026 or to schedule a meeting, visit this link or contact pr@ciena.com.
About Ciena
Ciena is the global leader in high-speed connectivity. We build the world’s most advanced networks to support exponential growth in bandwidth demand. By harnessing the power of our networking systems, interconnects, automation software, and services, Ciena revolutionizes data transmission and network management. With unparalleled expertise and innovation, we empower our customers, partners, and communities to thrive in the AI era. For updates on Ciena, follow us on LinkedIn, or visit the Ciena Insights webpage and Ciena website.
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