Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive global Wi-Fi® success as CEO search begins
Austin, Texas – February 17, 2022 – Wi-Fi Alliance® announced today that Edgar Figueroa will retire as Wi-Fi Alliance President and CEO by 2023. Wi-Fi Alliance has initiated the execution of its succession plans, including a thorough search for the candidate best positioned to lead the organization in its next chapter. Edgar and the full executive team are dedicated to delivering a seamless transition and ensuring Wi-Fi Alliance continues to deliver its critical work for the industry. Wi-Fi Alliance is left in a strong position for continued growth and impact in driving Wi-Fi® success as a premier industry body.
Under Edgar’s dedicated leadership as chief executive since 2007, the Wi-Fi industry and Wi-Fi Alliance experienced extraordinary growth and positively impacted the daily lives of billions of people around the globe. Edgar established the Wi-Fi Alliance vision of connecting everyone and everything, everywhere, and oversaw the most profound growth in Wi-Fi technology and devices, including:
- The Wi-Fi industry grew yearly Wi-Fi shipments from 200 million to more than 4.4 billion
- Wi-Fi installed base grew from less than 500 million to more than 18 billion devices
- Wi-Fi Alliance membership grew from almost 300 companies to more than 900 companies
- Cumulative Wi-Fi product certifications grew from less than 3,000 to more than 70,000
Edgar established agreements and strategic alliances across industries, engaged with policy and legislative agencies worldwide, and spearheaded initiatives that aided Wi-Fi proliferation into mass markets such as mobile, consumer electronics, and IoT. Edgar expanded global operations to ensure scalability in program development, certification, and advocacy, efficiently serving a growing and vibrant Wi-Fi market that delivers more than $3.3 trillion USD in annual global economic value.
“On behalf of the Board I want to thank Edgar for his dedicated and visionary leadership. It has been a pleasure, personally, to have worked closely with Edgar in my role as Chairman of the Wi-Fi Alliance Board,” said Ian Sherlock, Chairman of the Wi-Fi Alliance Board. “Over the past 15 years, Edgar adeptly managed the growth of Wi-Fi Alliance into a preeminent industry body that fosters collaboration among the world’s most well-known and respected companies to deliver broad global impact. Edgar’s announcement provides ample time for a well-managed, smooth leadership transition to the next CEO.”
“It has been the capstone of my career to lead such a distinguished organization as Wi-Fi Alliance for fifteen years. Because of the vital role that Wi-Fi Alliance plays in catalyzing Wi-Fi growth and innovation, I know our industry will continue to transform the connected experience in ways that thrill our global community of Wi-Fi users,” said Edgar Figueroa. “I have benefited from consistent support from our Board and members and had the luxury of working with brilliant and committed colleagues. I am grateful for their support and confident that Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Alliance have a bright future.”
About Wi-Fi Alliance® | www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 70,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.
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Media Contact:
Michelle Panico
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com