As Alcatel-Lucent undertakes a complete overhaul of its business and strategy with ‘The Shift Plan’, will company be successful in becoming an IP Networking and ultra-broadband specialist’ in three years time? Here’s the details of Alcatel-Lucent’s ‘The Shift Plan’
Alcatel-Lucent aims to refocus to manage for growth its IP Routing, IP Transport and IP Platforms businesses and associated services. Alcatel-Lucent also plans to focus its Wireless and Fixed Access businesses on Ultra-Broadband access and manage these businesses – as well as its Other businesses Segment – for their ability to generate cash under the plan.
The Shift Plan reflects fast-changing trends in the telecommunications industry, where service providers and large-scale Internet concerns handle ever-expanding volumes of data as the market migrates from networks built largely for voice communications. Under the Plan, Alcatel-Lucent is adapting to the evolving market by placing its IP, cloud and ultra-broadband portfolio at the center of its operations. This will include WDM, 100G, IMS and customer experience product lines, as well as the ‘FTTx’ group of fiber-based connectivity technologies serving homes, businesses and other types of premises, vectoring, the 4G LTE mobile wireless access and small-cells.
Alcatel-Lucent’s Bell Labs will serve as the innovation engine to facilitate growth in these key areas. Research and Development (R&D) will be concentrated on IP Networking and Ultra-Broadband Access, with an 8% increase in R&D from 2013 through 2015, these areas representing 85% of R&D investment in 2015. Exits from legacy technologies are to be accelerated in close cooperation with the relevant customers. The Company also plans to focus on in-house start-ups, as well as on partnerships and co-developments (such those as in cyber-security).
Customer focus
Alcatel-Lucent’s new product and platform emphasis is expected to enable it to target a wider range of customers beyond its traditional base of large telecommunications operators.The company plans to redesign its sales and marketing strategy to take advantage of the new portfolio focus, identifying new and profitable market segments where Alcatel-Lucent’s leading-edge innovations in IP and cloud will allow it to better address Tier 2 to Tier 4 service providers, benefit from all-IP networks transformation with MSOs (Mobile Service Operators) and address the telecommunications needs of web-scale customers and extra-large enterprises.
The company expects that successful implementation of The Shift Plan will improve Alcatel-Lucent’s go-to-market approach, resulting in a business that is better leveraged. Targeted improvements will be made in key metrics such as the number of sites and an increased ratio of sales through channels.
Path to financial sustainability
By refocusing on Core Networking, Alcatel-Lucent aims to deliver – in 2015 – revenues of more than Euro 7 billion from these businesses with an operating margin exceeding 12.5%. The Access segment (including patent licensing and managed services) and Other businesses segment (including Enterprise) are expected to generate a positive segment operating cash flow of more than Euro 250 million by 2015.
Alcatel-Lucent aims at reducing its fixed-cost base by Euro 1 billion between 2013 and 2015 through the adoption of direct-channel operations, additional consolidation of SG&A (sales, general and administration) functions, and by refocusing its R&D capacity. Other actions will be undertaken to reduce the company’s real estate footprint, and drive efficiencies in project delivery, back-office IT systems, supply chain management, manufacturing and procurement.
Further exceptional cash inflows of at least Euro 1 billion are expected from the selective monetization of assets, including potential disposals, over the period of The Shift Plan.
Following the establishment of a dedicated profit center for Alcatel-Lucent’s intellectual property portfolio, the company also plans to adopt an entrepreneurial approach to licensing in order to develop a solid revenue stream from its library of more than 30,000 patents and 16,000 applications.
On a cash basis, The Shift Plan is expected to be self-funding over the 2013-2015 period.
The Plan also includes a Euro 2 billion reprofiling of the company’s debt over 2013-2015 by actively capitalizing on attractive international debt market opportunities. Once the Company has clearly demonstrated the successful execution of the Shift plan, it plans to seek a reduction of its debt by approximately Euro 2 billion including through further asset disposals or through access to the equity markets in order to support its long-term strategic goals.
The outlook and objectives for Alcatel-Lucent included in The Shift Plan replace the outlook referenced in the section 6.8 of the company’s 2012 Document de Référence.
New Management and Operational structure
The Shift Plan implementation entails the reorganization of Alcatel-Lucent, subject to relevant information and consultation processes applicable in certain countries.
As part of this new organization, the Company will be managed by a new Leadership Team headed by CEO Michel Combes. The team will be organized as follows:
Business Lines
– Basil Alwan, IP Routing & IP Transport
– Andrew Mcdonald, IP Platforms
– David Geary, Wireless
– Federico Guillen, Fixed Networks
Transversal functions
– Philippe Guillemot, Operations
– Philippe Keryer, Strategy & Innovation
– Robert Vrij, Sales
Corporate functions
– Nicole Gionet, Human Resources
– Tim Keller, Legal
– Paul Tufano, CFO of Alcatel-Lucent, will step down from his role once implementation of The Shift Plan is under way.
“Paul has played a pivotal role in the Company’s financial stabilization. We are extremely gratefulfor his dedication as CFO over close to five years. Paul has chosen to move on for personal reasons, and we wish him the success he deserves in doing so. In the meantime, we will work closely together to ensure a smooth succession to a new CFO,” said Michel Combes,CEO, Alcatel-Lucent.
“The Shift Plan redefines Alcatel-Lucent’s industrial identity and clarifies its role in the technology ecosystem. The goal is now set, and we can focus, with all the Alcatel-Lucent employees, on its delivery and on finally fulfilling the Company’s potential to create substantial and enduring industrial, social and financial value for all stakeholders,” added Combes.
