François Locoh-Donou
Seattle, Washington,United States
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François Locoh-Donou is a distinguished global technology leader currently serving as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of F5, Inc. With a rich background spanning engineering, strategy, and executive management, he has been instrumental in steering F5's evolution from a hardware-centric company to a modern, multi-cloud application security and delivery software leader since taking the helm in 2017. Originally from Togo and educated in France and the United States, François is widely recognized for his 'human-first' leadership philosophy, championing a culture of empathy, diversity, and innovation. Before joining F5, he held several leadership positions at Ciena, culminating in his role as Chief Operating Officer. He holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and M.S. degrees in engineering from École Polytechnique and Télécom ParisTech.
Professional Summary
François Locoh-Donou's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:
Notable Achievements
Spearheading F5's Transformation to a Software Leader
Successfully orchestrated F5's strategic shift from its legacy in hardware-based load balancers to a dominant force in adaptive application software and cloud security. This transformation was accelerated by key strategic acquisitions, including NGINX, Shape Security, and Volterra, significantly expanding F5's portfolio and market reach.
Championing a 'Human-First' Corporate Culture
Cultivated an award-winning corporate culture at F5 centered on empathy, inclusivity, and employee well-being. This 'human-first' approach has enhanced innovation and collaboration, leading to F5 being consistently recognized as a top workplace by organizations like Fortune and Glassdoor.
Driving Significant Growth as COO at Ciena
In his previous role as Chief Operating Officer at Ciena, he was responsible for leading the company's product development, sales, and global strategy. His leadership was a key factor in Ciena's significant growth and its establishment as a market leader in the optical networking industry.
Co-founding Cajou Espoir Social Enterprise
Demonstrating a commitment to social impact, he co-founded Cajou Espoir, a cashew processing facility in his native Togo. The enterprise provides sustainable employment and economic empowerment to the local community, particularly for women.
Educational Background
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Stanford GSB - Year 2000
Master of Science (M.Sc.), Optical Communications
Ecole nationale supérieure des Télécommunications / Telecom Paris - Year 1994
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) / Master of Science (M.Sc), Physics Engineering
Ecole centrale de Marseille - Year 1991
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Company Overview
F5F5 is a global company specializing in application security and delivery. It provides a wide range of services designed to ensure that applications are always secure, fast, and available for any user, on any device, anywhere. F5's solutions span from load balancing and traffic management to advanced web application firewalls (WAF), DDoS protection, and multi-cloud application services, helping organizations create, secure, and operate adaptive applications that reduce costs, improve operations, and better protect users.
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