Ciena Appoints Marc D. Graff as New Chief Financial Officer

Ciena Corporation has appointed Marc D. Graff as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective August 1, 2025. Graff will report to President and CEO Gary B. Smith and will lead the company's global financial strategy and operations. Graff brings extensive financial expertise and industry knowledge, particularly in data center-related technologies. His appointment comes at a pivotal time as AI and cloud computing fuel growing demand for high-speed connectivity.

Ciena Corporation (NYSE: CIEN), a leading provider of high-speed connectivity solutions, has appointed Marc D. Graff as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective August 1, 2025. Graff will report directly to President and CEO Gary B. Smith and will oversee the company's global financial strategy and operations.

Graff brings nearly three decades of extensive financial expertise and industry knowledge, particularly in data center-related technologies. Prior to joining Ciena, he served as Senior Vice President and CFO at Altera Corporation, where he played a crucial role in the company's majority sale to Intel Corporation. Before Altera, Graff held the position of CFO and Chief Operating Officer for Intel’s Data Center and Artificial Intelligence Group. His appointment comes at a pivotal time as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing fuel growing demand for high-speed connectivity.

Graff will succeed James E. Moylan, Jr., who is retiring effective August 28, 2025. Moylan will assist in the transition until his retirement date. Graff expressed enthusiasm for joining Ciena, emphasizing his commitment to enhancing shareholder value through new opportunities in AI and data center demands.

Ciena's recent financial performance has shown mixed results. The company reported its fiscal second-quarter 2025 earnings, surpassing revenue expectations with $1.13 billion but falling short on earnings per share (EPS) at $0.42. Analysts from Needham, UBS, Stifel, and Raymond James have weighed in on these developments, with varying opinions on the company's prospects.

Ciena has raised its fiscal 2025 revenue growth guidance to 14%, driven by strong demand across its portfolio, though it faces challenges with product mix and tariff costs impacting margins. The appointment of Graff underscores Ciena's strategic focus on leveraging AI and cloud computing to drive growth in high-speed connectivity solutions.

References:
[1] https://in.investing.com/news/company-news/ciena-names-marc-graff-as-new-cfo-effective-august-1-93CH-4881374
[2] https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2933969/ciena-appoints-marc-d-graff-as-senior-vice-president-and-chief-financial-officer-cien-stock-news
[3] https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ciena-taps-marc-graff-as-cfo-0bb8f44b