Michel Canitrot appointed President for Gemplus Latin America

This appointment is part of Gemplus strategy to maximize the geographical opportunities for smart card development and enhance its regional presence. Michel, 58, brings many years of experience in Sales and Marketing management. He most recently held the position of Senior Vice President within the Telecom Business Unit, with particular responsibilities for Latin America, EMEA and key accounts. The Latin American market holds many opportunities for the smart card industry, with the launch and uptake of GSM networks for wireless, the migration to EMV in the banking sector and the development of smart card-based transport systems. Gemplus already has a strong presence with manufacturing facilities in Cuernavaca, Mexico, where production of Gemplus public telephony cards is centralized, and strong sales teams in Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo). Michel will be based in Mexico. Prior to joining Gemplus in 1998, Michel held senior positions notably within Matra group and Nortel.