Lightera announced on April 1 the appointment of Holly Hulse as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. She takes over from Foad Shaikhzadeh, who will continue in his role as Chairman. This leadership change comes as Lightera completes its first year since integrating its global fiber and cable business under the Furukawa Electric Group.
The company said the integration began in 2024 to create a structure that allows for greater collaboration and more agile operations. This led to Lightera’s official launch on April 1, 2025, aiming to meet growing worldwide demand for unified solutions across industries such as data centers and communications networks.
During its first year, Lightera reported strengthening its operating model globally and expanding into key segments including connectivity infrastructure and specialty photonics. The company also shifted toward solution-based selling and surpassed operational performance targets set for the inaugural year.
Hulse previously served as Corporate Vice President of Furukawa Electric in 2025 before being named CEO. She said, “Lightera has built a strong foundation in its first year through global alignment, agility, and a clear market focus. We are well positioned to scale our impact in the market, deepen customer partnerships, and deliver high-performance solutions that support the next generation of digital infrastructure.” Shinji Asao, Corporate Senior Vice President at Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., said: “Foad’s leadership has been instrumental in establishing Lightera’s identity and strategic direction. His continued involvement as Chairman ensures continuity as Lightera enters its next phase of growth. We are confident in Holly Hulse’s leadership to drive the company forward, building on this strong foundation and accelerating Lightera’s global impact.”
Lightera is part of Furukawa Electric Group with headquarters in Norcross, Georgia. The group provides optical fiber solutions for various sectors including telecommunications and data centers.
The press release was distributed by PR Newswire which operates in more than 170 countries with support for over 40 languages according to the official website. PR Newswire aims to provide global reach through a network of newsrooms and influencers according to their site. Their team includes expert editors with more than ten years’ experience offering around-the-clock support along with SEO guidance as described online. The service collaborates with over half a million media outlets worldwide according to their information while providing distribution services enhanced by AI tools and social sharing features as outlined on their website.
As Lightera moves forward under new leadership it will focus on expanding high-value segments like data centers while advancing innovation across its portfolio.
