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> Option Home > Company > Option the Team >> Option the Management Team   JAN CALLEWAERT, FOUNDER AND CEO Prior to founding Option in 1986, Jan Callewaert gained IT experience with BULL and Telecom experience with Ericsson where he worked on office automation systems, integrating modems, data networks, fibre optics and videotext. Jan Callewaert is a qualified Commercial and Managerial Engineer in Management Informatics and has a Baccalaureat in Philosophy from the University of Leuven. A regular speaker on mobile computing at industry conferences, Jan Callewaert is a recognized figure in the mobile data communication industry. Jan Callewaert chairs the Executive Management Team. DAVID WHELAN, VICE PRESIDENT GLOBAL OPERATIONS David Whelan´s career in the Telecommunications & Media sector spans over 20 years. His extensive experience has been gained from launching and running new start-up operations in Europe, Unites States and the Middle East. Whelan has held Director positions with Sonera Zed in the UK and with Aerial Communications, a GSM Start up, based in the USA. Prior to this, David held senior management positions at Mercury One2One (now T-Mobile), in the UK. Before entering the telecommunications industry, David Whelan worked in the computer industry, where he held management positions with Epson UK and Wang Ireland. Prior to his Vice President position at Option, David was first responsible for development of improvements to Option´s critical business processes, operations and the organization. David Whelan is a member of the Executive Management Team of Option. FILIP BUERMS, VICE PRESIDENT GLOBAL SALES & DISTRIBUTION Civil Electronics Engineer Filip Buerms brings extensive sales and marketing experience to Option. Working in an international environment for the last 15 years, including roles with publicly-traded US and British companies, his experience embraces building powerful sales organisations, implementing growth strategies and extensive sales and delivery channel expertise. Prior to his most recent role at BSI, Filip was European Director of Distribution at Intel where he was responsible for a €1 billion business encompassing microprocessors, motherboards, servers and networking products. Up to the acquisition of Xircom by Intel in 2001, Filip was Vice President Sales and Marketing, with P&L responsibility for Xircom´s EMEA operations where he managed 170 employees in sales, marketing, operations, finance, quality, human resources and information systems. Filip Buerms is a member of the Executive Management Team of Option. DOUGLAS ROS, VICE PRESIDENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Educated in the UK with a Higher Diploma in Electrical & Mechanical Engineering sponsored by the Racal Decca Group, Douglas Ros joined Option in February 2000 from World Telecom Labs where he was Director of Sales and Marketing. Previously, he was Managing Director at Micro-Integration Europe and General Manager of Thorn EMI where he served for over 14 years in a variety of technical, sales, business development and management positions. Douglas Ros is a member of the Executive Management Team of Option. BERNARD SCHABALLIE, VICE PRESIDENT ENGINEERING Bernard Schaballie graduated as a civil electronics engineer at the University of Leuven in 1982. He started his career at the Leuven University as a research assistant specializing in digital signal processing and silicon compilers. During 15 years he was employed by Telindus, where he assumed positions as development engineer, team leader and R&D director, heading a team of 60 researchers. Before joining Option in May 2001, he was responsible for business development of own products in Telindus, initiating alliances with major players in the industry. Bernard Schaballie is a member of the Executive Management Team of Option. PATRICK HOFKENS, GENERAL COUNSEL & VICE PRESIDENT STRATEGIC ALLIANCES Patrick Hofkens holds a Master Degree in Law from the Catholic University of Louvain and a Master Degree in Corporate Law from the Catholic Universities of Brussels and Louvain, was previously Senior Legal Counsel for the Borealis Group, a petrochemical company with interests in Europe, Brazil and in the US and advocate with Loyens & Loeff, a Benelux based international law firm. He returns to Option having previously served as General Counsel to the Company between April 1998 and December 2002. Patrick Hofkens is a member of the Executive Management Team of Option. JOHN P. ZIEGLER, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER John P. Ziegler is a seasoned international executive with 20 years of industry, investment banking and investor relations experience. From 2000 until 2005, Mr. Ziegler was a Managing Director in the Investment Banking group of ING in London focused on Telecoms, Media & Technology. In 2005 he founded BGC Capital, a London based boutique financial advisory and consulting firm. Prior to moving into corporate finance, Mr. Ziegler spent 9 years in the telecommunications industry. From 1991 to 1997 he held senior roles in corporate development and international strategic planning with MFS Communications in the US and MCI/WorldCom International in Belgium. From 1998 until 1999, Mr. Ziegler was a co-founder of Winstar International in Belgium, the fixed wireless subsidiary of US based Winstar Communications. He is a key member of the Executive Management Team and reports to CEO, Jan Callewaert JAN VERCRUYSSE, VICE PRESIDENT TECHNOLOGY Jan Vercruysse holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Leuven and a degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Leuven. For 6 years as Project and R&D Manager he pioneered the engineering department to become a centre of excellence. Jan Vercruysse worked for Sparnex as HDSL Development Engineer and Team Manager. At Telindus he had won his spurs in the design of PCBs and ASICs for data products. Jan Vercruysse joined Option in January 1997. ANDY KINSELLA, VICE PRESIDENT MANUFACTURING Andy Kinsella graduated in Electronic Engineering at Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland, and holds a Diploma in Business Administration form the Irish Management Institute and Henley Management College London. After engagements over the previous 10 years as RF Design Engineer and Project Manager at Maxon and M/A-COM, he joined Option in December 1997 with responsibilities for the manufacturing and logistics operations in Ireland. In the course of 2004, Andy Kinsella became Vice President of the Company.