Serial entrepreneur brings market experience in key oil
and gas vertical market to Redline's board
TORONTO, Dec. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - Redline Communications
(www.rdlcom.com) Group Inc. (TSX: RDL), a leading provider of
broadband wireless solutions and machine-to-machine (M2M)
communications for oil and gas and other industrial markets today
announced the appointment of Nizar Jaffer
Somji to its board of directors, replacing Skuli Mogensen who is leaving the board to focus
on his role as CEO of WOW Air.
"We welcome Nizar to the Redline Communications board of
directors," said Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien, Redline's chairman of
the board. "Nizar's entrepreneurial experience will contribute
greatly to the board's effectiveness, particularly in Redline's key
vertical - the oil and gas industry. Redline has made substantial
strategic personnel and operational changes as we exit 2013, and
adding Nizar to the board of directors is another element of our
formula for success in 2014."
Nizar is a serial entrepreneur, corporate executive and board
director with a proven track record of growing businesses. He is
the founder and former president and chief executive officer (CEO)
of Matrikon Inc., a recognized leader in industrial intelligence
for the oil and gas industry. Nizar grew Matrikon from a one person
operation to a publicly traded, multinational company employing 600
people, which serves customers on six continents and produces
revenues in excess of $90 million.
Under Nizar's leadership, Matrikon enjoyed 22 years of growth,
profitability and international expansion, all with a strong,
debt-free balance sheet. Matrikon was acquired by Honeywell in
June 2010 for $144 million.
Nizar founded and currently serves as president and CEO of
Jaffer Inc., a real estate, investment and hospitality company with
assets in Canada and the
USA. Nizar is also chairman of the
board of Zafin Inc., an award-winning supplier of relationship
banking software solutions to the financial services industry. Most
recently, Nizar was appointed to the Board of Governors at the
University of Alberta.
Nizar holds a Master of Science in chemical engineering from the
University of Alberta and a Bachelor of
Science in electrical engineering from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
In addition to Nizar, Redline's board of directors consists of
chairman Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien III, CEO of Telemedia Ventures
Inc; Eric Demirian, president of
Parklea Capital; Rob Soni, Matrix
Partners; and Robert Williams, CEO
of Redline Communications; John
Wilson, president and CEO of Quantapoint Inc.
About Redline Communications
Redline Communications (www.rdlcom.com) is the innovator of Virtual
Fiber™, a specialized wireless broadband solution used to
cost-effectively deploy and extend secure networks, enable M2M
applications, connect digital oilfields and smart grids, facilitate
and enhance public safety networks, and bring Internet access
wherever and whenever it's needed - regardless of terrain or how
remote. For more than a decade Redline has delivered powerful,
versatile and reliable wireless solutions to governments,
militaries, oil and gas companies and telecom service providers
through its global network of certified partners. For more
information visit www.rdlcom.com.
SOURCE Redline Communications Group Inc.