Recently, optical network system provider Infinera (infinera.com) pronounced that its CEO Jagdeep Singh was named Person of the Year in telecommunication news website Light Reading's (lightreading.com) Leading Lights Awards for 2007. The award recognized Singh's achievement in leading Infinera to become a technology innovator that has achieved commercial success in the highly competitive optical networking market.

According to Light Reading's editors, Singh earned the award because his leadership propelled Infinera to become one of the first optical systems companies in recent memory to gain significant market share and have a successful offering as a public company.

At a dinner ceremony in New York City, Light Reading's team of editors and analysts handed out 10 Leading Light Awards to companies and individuals in the next-generation communications market. In his acceptance speech, Singh attributed Infinera's success to the company's pursuit of a contrarian vision, its world-class team and a relentless focus on the business problems faced by service providers, rather than the "technology fashions" of the day.

"Jagdeep showed great leadership by shepherding his startup through a telecom recession, only to emerge from it as one of the strongest optical startups in many years," commented Scott Raynovich, Light Reading's editorial director. "The Infinera IPO in 2007 was a remarkable watershed event that burnished his credentials."