TECHNOLOGY, FINALIST
Lee Chen is a born leader and entrepreneur, which he has demonstrated throughout his career. He has had a hand in forming three very successful companies — Foundry Networks, Centillion Networks and, most recently, A10 Networks. As the founder and CEO of A10 Networks, Chen is a hard worker who values his team and sets the tone for them by always looking forward.
Chen’s vision for A10 Networks is to have a unified, strong team in all areas of business, not just engineering. Although uncommon in most companies, Chen requires that his engineers be customer-facing, so that the walls between the product and customer services are broken down. Chen sets the example by constantly traveling to customer sites, soliciting feedback and helping to improve the product.
Chen has constructed his team at A10 Networks primarily through referrals, which helps ensure that A10 maintains a strong team of focused individuals who have similar goals and who place a high emphasis on entrepreneurship.
Chen’s philosophy is not to focus on the competition but rather to challenge his team from within. With a mentality of constant improvement, Chen aims to create an environment in which everyone is constantly striving for improvement. A10 Networks has achieved great success already, and it would be easy to sit back and focus on maintaining what Chen and his team have built since the company’s founding in 2004. However, Chen is constantly challenging his team to remain focused as entrepreneurs, take risks and maintain the frame of mind of a start-up company.
HOW TO REACH: A10 Networks, www.a10networks.com
