Render appoints global telco executive Craig Stephens to fuel ANZ growth

Render Networks has today announced the appointment of Craig Stephens as Director, Business Development for Australia and New Zealand. 

Stephens joins Render with three decades of experience working in the telecommunications industry across a combination of both global and local companies including Calix, NEC Australia and Telstra.

While primarily based in Melbourne, his work for global firms has supported projects in over a dozen countries across the Asia Pacific region. At Calix, Stephens was part of the original team that transformed the Californian company into a global leader in fixed-broadband solutions. 

Stephens also helped grow Tellabs, a telecommunications solution company, from a lean start-up in Australia into an organisation with over 30 staff. The company went on to participate in an overhaul of part of Telstra’s core network transformation.

Render Networks CEO Sam Pratt said: “Render’s innovation journey started in Australia before expanding to the United States where demand for connectivity and rapid infrastructure deployment has never been higher. Craig’s joining represents an opportunity to support and engage with Australia and New Zealand based operators that are now actively planning and building the next generation of communications networks. Craig’s experience in the Asia Pacific telecommunications market is significant and we’re excited for him to replicate some of our overseas success here in ANZ.”

Incoming Director, Business Development ANZ, Craig Stephens said: “A lot of my career has been spent helping US companies break into the Asia Pacific. It’s both refreshing and exciting to work for an Australian company that has already cracked the US market and is looking to refine and build its presence closer to home.”

“My philosophy for business building has always been to connect the right people in each organisation to the right partners and outcomes. At Render, I am excited to introduce the same improvements in field productivity and delivery schedules that Render’s technology is achieving across the US to the Australian and New Zealand market.”

Stephen’s appointment is the latest in a chain of key executive hires from Render over the past three months. The company appointed telecommunications executive Paul Gutteridge as its Chief Financial Officer in July and former Nokia's Cloud and Network Services executive Don Wadas as its Chief Revenue Officer in June.