Tarkan Maner Nexenta Chairman and CEO, Nexenta

Nexenta Systems, Inc. announced the appointment of Tarkan Maner as chairman and CEO.

An accomplished entrepreneur, executive leader, investor, advisor and philanthropist, he brings over 20 years of experience working with disruptive technology solutions that lead to better living in a better world. He succeeds Mark Lockareff who has served as Nexenta’s interim CEO since February 2013.

"I am excited to join the Nexenta family, the leading market-disrupting software-defined storage company with a super passionate team, loyal customers and inspired partners. I look forward to working with our extended global team to bring the most innovative solutions and unmatched quality experience and success to our customers and partners all around the world," said Maner.

"With his extensive industry knowledge, technology vision, global business network, leadership and business execution skills, deep experience in fast-growing disruptive technologies and passion for innovation through collaboration, Tarkan Maner is the right leader to take Nexenta and software-defined storage segment to the next level. We couldn’t be happier to have him on board, and look forward to accelerating the growth of our business under his leadership," said Evan Powell, co-founder and chief strategy officer, Nexenta. "Mark Lockareff did a wonderful job for Nexenta during his time as interim CEO, from closing our series D round of financing to overseeing continued product innovations, as well as strengthening our key alliances with VMware, Dell and Cisco. We thank him for his distinguished service and welcome him to our board of advisors."

 Maner brings to Nexenta a resume of experience with technology companies, as a global executive operator as well as an investor and advisor. His operational and investment areas of focus include infrastructure software, social media, mobility, virtualization, converged infrastructures, contextual intelligence and cloud computing. He had executive roles at Dell, Wyse, CA, IBM, Quest, and Sterling Software. He is the founding chairman of TechAmerica‘s cloud computing commission. He has been serving on the boards of the Bay Area Council, World Economic Forum’s Cyber-Security Alliance, Silicon Valley Education Foundation, and Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a coalition of senior executives to improve the quality of life for all citizens of the region and the world through its advocacy around public and private policy issues, from the mecca of innovation and progress; Silicon Valley. He is involved in advising and fund-raising for several global not-for-profit organizations and programs around economic development, poverty elimination, entrepreneurship, education and social justice including; Ernst & Young Entrepreneurship, Strategic Growth and Innovation Programs, Americas Society/Council of Americas (AS/COA), MIT’s Collaborative Infrastructure Initiatives, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), Project Skolkovo (Russia), and eLearning Africa. He has been an advisor to several IT start-up companies and boards. He is the winner of the 2012 and the lead judge of the 2013 Ernst &Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Programs in California and a frequent speaker, commentator and author on current business, economic and social issues in the media and academic circles.

He graduated from Istanbul Technical University in Turkey with a B.S. degree in Engineering Management. He received an MBA degree at Midwestern State University in Texas. He also attended Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

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