Dr McCourt, 42, has 20 years experience in the Telecom sector, including several years focused on Asian markets. As Vice President for Corning Cable System’s Project Services business, and over his career, Dr McCourt has held leadership roles in R&D, Sales and Marketing, Operations, Strategy and M&A. Dr McCourt will be based in Singapore, where he is re-locating with his wife and two boys. „“It is great to be joining Gemplus. I have learned from experience that proximity to customers is key, especially in Asia. Having lived previously in Shanghai, I am looking forward to moving back to the region. With Asia already consuming half the worldwide volume of smart cards, this is a strategic region for Gemplus,““ said Dr McCourt. „“With income levels increasing across the region, there remains huge untapped potential. I am looking forward to developing the business in markets such as India, where interest is high but deployment is still relatively low.““ Alex Mandl, President and CEO, Gemplus, said „“Asia is a fascinating market place for us because of the sheer diversity of regions and projects. The offices in Singapore were the first that we opened outside of France, over 15 years ago, and this foresight has borne fruit. However, the vast differences that we see throughout the region need a strong and steady hand at the helm. I welcome Dr McCourt to this challenge.““ Dr McCourt has an MBA from INSEAD, a Ph.D in Integrated Optics from the Institut National Polytechnique in Grenoble and a Bachelor of Electronic Engineering from University College Dublin. janet.loh@gemplus.com www.gemplus.com