François Locoh-Donou is a seasoned executive with a significant track record in the technology and business world. Currently, he serves as the President and CEO of F5, a prominent company specializing in application security and delivery solutions, with headquarters in Seattle, Washington.
EDUCATION
François’s education includes a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Optical Communications from Télécom Paris, and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) / Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Physics Engineering from Centrale Méditerranée.
CAREER
François has been at the helm of F5 since April 2017, where he holds the roles of President, CEO, and is a member of the Board of Directors. He brings nearly two decades of experience in enterprise technology, where he has led various product development initiatives, teams, and operations across the globe.
In addition to his role at F5, François serves as a Board Member at Capital One since March 2019, contributing his insights and expertise to the financial industry.
Aside from his corporate endeavors, François is a Co-Founder and Chairman of Cajou Espoir, an enterprise based in Togo. Cajou Espoir operates as a cashew-processing facility, employing a significant number of individuals in rural Togo, with a strong emphasis on female employment. The company exports over 400 tons of cashew kernels annually to the United States and Europe.
Before his current role at F5, François had a lengthy and impactful tenure at Ciena, a networking systems, services, and software company.
His positions at Ciena included:
– Chief Operating Officer from November 2015 to March 2017: François was appointed as COO to lead a vast organization consisting of global Sales and Services, R&D/engineering, supply chain and procurement, product line management, and quality/customer advocacy teams, accounting for approximately 90% of Ciena’s global workforce. During his first year in this role, he orchestrated the acquisition of Cyan, a leading provider of software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) solutions, positioning Ciena as an early advocate for the importance of software programmability and virtualization in network management.
– Senior Vice President, Global Products Group from 2011 to October 2015: François was responsible for Ciena’s global technology and product innovation engine, encompassing R&D, product line management, supply chain, procurement, and quality. He was instrumental in increasing Ciena’s global market share in optical networking and reducing R&D expenditure while driving design and supplier cost reduction efforts.
– Vice President and General Manager, Europe Middle East & Africa (EMEA) from 2005 to 2011: François oversaw Ciena’s operations in the EMEA region, achieving substantial growth in revenue and profit, as well as expanding the organization’s size and improving cross-functional alignment across functions such as Sales, Services, Marketing, Finance, IT, and Legal.
– Vice President, International Sales in 2004: François was responsible for Ciena’s business in Europe and Asia, significantly boosting international revenue while reducing operational expenses.
– Vice President, Global Marketing from 2002 to 2004: François played a crucial role in rebranding Ciena and enhancing its web marketing efforts. He also contributed to Ciena’s portfolio expansion strategy through partnerships and acquisitions.
Throughout his career, François Locoh-Donou has exhibited a remarkable ability to drive innovation, operational excellence, and growth in the technology and networking industries. His leadership has left a lasting impact on the organizations he has been a part of, and he continues to play a pivotal role in the tech sector as the CEO of F5.
