LUCENT FEATURE: Patricia Russo is president and chief executive officer of Lucent Technologies.

She was one of the founding executives who helped launch Lucent in 1996 and has spent 20 years of her career managing some of Lucent's and AT&T's largest divisions and most critical corporate functions.

Before returning to Lucent in January 2002, Ms Russo served as president and chief operating officer of Eastman Kodak Company, overseeing the day-to-day operations of Kodak's operating divisions and serving as the CEO's strategic partner in pursuing new business opportunities.

Prior to this appointment, Ms Russo was chairman of the board of Avaya Inc, one of the world's leading enterprise communications businesses.

From 1999 to 2000, she served as executive vice president and CEO of Lucent's Service Provider Networks Group and had responsibility for $24 billion in sales, distribution, installation and development of products and systems for Lucent's service provider customers worldwide.

Ms Russo also served as executive vice president, Corporate Operations at Lucent from 1997 to 1999.

She was responsible for the executive management and oversight of strategy and business development as well as human resources development, public relations, investor relations, advertising, government affairs, global procurement and real estate services.

From 1992 through 1996, Ms Russo was president of AT&T's Business Communications Systems unit (now Avaya Inc).

She led the business through a successful restructuring and financial turnaround, making it the second largest global business when Lucent was spun off from AT&T.

Ms Russo led the global sales and service operations in Business Communications Systems before becoming president.

She is a member of the board of Lucent Technologies, Schering-Plough Corporation and Georgetown University.

She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University in 1989.