World Economic Forum Names Avaya's Jorge Blanco A Young Global Leader 2006

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avaya Inc. , a leading global provider of business communications applications and services, announced that Jorge Blanco, the company's vice president of Strategic Marketing, has been named a Young Global Leader 2006 by the Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum. Blanco is one of 41 North Americans to become a Young Global Leader in 2006 and joins a global community now comprising 410 leaders from all regions and stakeholder groups.

As vice president of Strategic Marketing, Blanco leads market intelligence, marketing strategy and planning for Avaya globally. He began his career in 1990 as an account executive in product management with AT&T Business Communications Systems and was a national account manager in the Sales and Service division. Subsequently, he held a number of product management positions, including Director of Strategy for the division of Avaya accountable for the company's transition to IP Telephony. He holds a BA from the University of Michigan.

"Jorge has been a strong leader since joining Avaya and fits perfectly with the other members of the 2006 class," said Don Peterson, Chairman and CEO of Avaya. "His expertise and talent in technology, marketing and global branding are key to Avaya's success, as they will be for the Forum of Young Global Leaders and its important mission."

The Forum of Young Global leaders is a unique, multi-stakeholder community of the world's most extraordinary leaders who are 40 years old or younger, and who are prepared to dedicate time and energy to develop a better future. They are engaged in the 2020 Initiative, a broad program aimed at understanding current and future trends, risks and opportunities, both at a global and regional level. The initiative's goal is to formulate a positive vision of the world in 2020, while developing concrete strategies to translate this vision into action.

Each year a new class of approximately 200 Young Global Leaders is selected for a five year membership, ultimately resulting in a community of 1,111 by 2009. The 2006 class was chosen from among 3,500 candidates by the Forum of Young Global Leaders' Nomination Committee, consisting of 28 international media leaders from countries such as the U.S., Sweden, the U.K. and China. The Committee is chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

More than 60 business leaders, over 30 government leaders, and dozens of scholars, media and nongovernmental organization officials make up the 2006 class of Young Global Leaders. They come from 50 countries ranging from Argentina to Zimbabwe. Past Young Global Leaders include Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google; Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia; Kumi Naidoo, Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of Civicus: World Alliance for Citizen Participation; and Michelle Guthrie, Chief Executive Officer of Star Group.

For more information and a detailed list of all Young Global Leaders, please visit http://www.younggloballeaders.org/.

About The Forum of Young Global Leaders

The Forum of Young Global Leaders is an independent, Geneva, Switzerland-based foundation whose mission is to build a unique, multi-stakeholder community of the world's most extraordinary leaders under the age of 40 and give them a platform to collaborate and shape best practices for the future of the world.

About Avaya

Avaya Inc. , a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R). Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services.

Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications -- and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services -- Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: http://www.avaya.com/.