Award Winning Solutions
Xena has won multiple global awards for price/performance and technical innovation. Learn more.
Copyright 2009-2021 Xena Networks.
International
Jacob Vestergaard Nielsen
Chief Executive Officer
Jacob Nielsen is an experienced entrepreneur with 20 years of international experience in the European and US networking and telecom industry. Prior to founding Xena, Jacob has held engineering and executive positions with companies in the networking and telecom industry, including NKT Elektronik, DSC communications, Vitesse Semiconductor, Enigma Semiconductor, and he is the founder of two technology companies. Jacob holds a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.
Claus Hoyer
VP Engineering
Claus Hoyer is an expert in advanced system architecture and design and has over 20 years of experience in the networking and communications industry. Claus has held engineering and senior management positions in international companies, including Cisco, Enigma Semiconductor, Texas Instruments, Marvell Technology. He has also been involved as co-founder and early initiator in several high-tech startups. Claus holds a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.
Thomas Schulze
Christopher Arlaud
VP Marketing
Christopher Arlaud has over 20 years’ international experience in marketing and communications, and has been responsible for all of Xena’s marketing and branding activities since 2011. Originally from Australia, Christopher has been based in Denmark since the mid-90’s, working with global brands like Dell, Microsoft and Cisco and later co-founding an innovative security software company with venture capital funding. Christopher combines a solid understanding of business and channel marketing with a flair for design in both online and traditional media. He has a Bachelor’s degree in PR from the Queensland University of Technology.
Liv Jensen
Director of Operations
Liv Jensen manages Xena’s global financial and HR operations. With over 10 years’ experience in the Scandinavian IT industry, Liv is driving the adoption of a comprehensive range of modular ERP platforms within Xena to maximize the company’s operating efficiency. Liv is responsible for all the day-to-day financial and operational aspects of our Copenhagen based headquarters, as well as our USA, Chinese, and Indian subsidiaries. To stay in touch with industry trends, she is also an external examiner at the Niels Brock Business School in Copenhagen.
Jacob M. Christensen
VP Product Management
Jacob M. Christensen (JMC) has more than 10 years of experience working in senior leadership positions within the telecommunications industry. Before joining Xena, Jacob worked as VP of Product Management at Procera Networks, specializing in Active Network Intelligence Solutions for the Telecom, Government and Enterprise markets. Prior to that Jacob served as VP of Strategy at Cobham SATCOM where he was responsible of the overall product strategy of the SATCOM group. Jacob holds a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.
Per Ødum Nielsen
Production & Purchasing Manager
Per Nielsen has extensive (40+ years) experience in the international telecom industry working as a manager in many parts of organizations like NKT Elektronik, DSC Communications, Nettest, Anritsu and Silicom. He joined Xena after having implemented local production departments, including organizing of outsourcing, in the Danish branches of Silicom and Anritsu where he combined a thorough knowledge of production technology with hands-on experience. Per holds a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Aalborg University..
North America
Craig DuFrenne
Director of Sales, USA
Craig DuFrenne manages Xena’s sales activities across the US. He has 25 years’ experience in the IT industry, and has worked extensively in both test & measurement (with Nettest Inc. and later Anritsu), and with leading providers of advanced networking solutions. Craig has a BSEE, Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
China
Owen Chen
General Manager, China
Owen Chen has been the leader of Xena APAC and Xena China since November 2016. With over 16 years in the test & measurement industry, he is a highly experienced professional with hands-on experience of both network testing and business development. Owen came to Xena from Spirent where he played multiple roles from pre-sales service engineer, product specialist, tech support, to business manager of multiple business units throughout APAC, helping Spirent to remarkable sales successes in that period. Owen has a Bachelor’s degree in computer science from the Beijing University of Post and Telecommunication.
India
Mohammad Fahad Abbasi
General Manager, India
Mohammad Fahad Abbasi heads the sales for Xena in India, SAARC and Middle East. He has over 13 years of experience in technology (QA and development) and sales, and an extensive background in test and measurement and networking product sales. Fahad holds an Engineering degree in Computer science, and an MBA in Innovation Management from Grenoble Graduate School of Business, France.
EMEA
Tim Cruddas
Director of Sales
Tim Cruddas manages Xena’s sales activities across the Europe, Middle East & Africa region. He has many years’ experience working in the Test and Measurement space, largely with Spirent where he held various European positions including Inside Sales Management, Sales Development Management, Direct and Indirect Territory Management during his 18 year tenure. Technically capable and a true people’s person, Tim has a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in Electronic Systems from Kingston University in the UK.
Board of Directors
Lars Pedersen
Chairman
Lars Pedersen has led and grown technology companies around the world, from California to Copenhagen, and has more than 20 years of experience across the fintech, wireless, telecommunications, management consulting, and offshore sonar equipment industries. Leading up to joining Creditcall as CEO in 2014, Lars was CEO of CommProve, a Dublin-based telecom software company; CEO of InnovFocus, a New York-based management consulting and M&A firm; CEO of RESON Inc., a California-based sonar equipment company; President of the Anritsu Instruments Group based in New York; and Deputy CEO at NetTest A/S. Originally from Denmark, Dr. Pedersen holds a PhD in Photonics and a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering both from the Technical University of Denmark. Lars holds patents in optical test equipment and in sonar equipment.
Henrik Hvidtfeldt
Henrik Hvidtfeldt is a serial entrepreneur and turnaround specialist working with startup companies and larger companies that are struggling. Henrik is Chairman of cBrain, and has been board member / investor of RESON a/s (divested to Terradyne), Chairman / Investor of AudioAsic A/S (divested to Analog devices), CEO and founder COCOM A/S (divested to CISCO), CEO / board member TENFORE a/s (divested to Morningstar), and board member OLICOM a/s (public). Henrik Hvidtfeldt holds a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor in Business Administration with major in International Trade, Mergers and Acquisitions. Henrik holds patents in data communication and pattern recognition.
Jacob Vestergaard Nielsen
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Jacob Nielsen is an experienced entrepreneur with 20 years of international experience in the European and US networking and telecom industry. Before Jacob founded Xena Networks, Jacob has held engineering and executive positions with companies in the networking and telecom industry, including NKT Elektronik, DSC communications, Vitesse Semiconductor, Enigma Semiconductor, and he is the founder of two technology companies. Jacob is a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.
Michael Brock
Since 2012 Michael Brock has been actively engaged as a Board Member for a number of hi-tech companies including Xena Networks. Prior to that, he worked with innovation and business development at Brüel&Kjær in Denmark, where he was the key driver and innovator for developing and commercializing the technology. He subsequently held CEO positions in the medical businesses – first in GN Otometrics and later as CEO for BK Medical – the global leader in the field of diagnostic ultrasound systems for urology. Michael Brock has a Master Degree in Electronics engineering from Danish Technical University in 1979.
Bill Mortimer
A native of Canada, living in Germany, Bill Mortimer has held senior executive positions with some of the biggest companies in the telecommunications industry on both sides of the Atlantic. He spent six years as Executive Vice President with Spirent and seven years as Vice President & General Manager at JDSU. Prior to JDSU, he was Vice President & General Manager at Hewlett Packard (10 years) and Agilent Technologies (5 years). He brings a deep first-hand knowledge of the industry and its key players and an impressive track record for success in the fields of strategy, innovation, acquisitions, and digital marketing. Bill joins Xena as a full Board Member and will be actively sharing his expertise with Xena on strategic corporate growth.