SVP, Chief Strategy Officer
David M. Rothenstein is a Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, and Corporate Secretary at Ciena Corporation (NYSE: CIEN), a global leader in high-speed networking systems, software, and services.[[1]](https://fintool.com/app/research/companies/CIEN/people/david-m-rothenstein)[[3]](https://www.ciena.com/about/leadership/david-m.-rothenstein)[[5]](https://www.datacloud-usa.com/speakers/david-rothenstein) He joined Ciena in 2001 as in-house counsel, progressed to VP & Associate General Counsel (2001–2008), and served as SVP & General Counsel from 2008 to 2023, managing worldwide legal matters, compliance, ethics, government relations, and key transactions like the Nortel MEN acquisition.[[1]](https://fintool.com/app/research/companies/CIEN/people/david-m-rothenstein)[[3]](https://www.ciena.com/about/leadership/david-m.-rothenstein) Appointed Chief Strategy Officer on January 24, 2023 (acting from March 2022), he now leads strategic planning, M&A, partnerships, venture investments, sustainability, enterprise risk management, and corporate real estate, contributing to FY2024 revenue of $4.01B and strategic acquisitions like Benu Networks and Tibit Communications.[[1]](https://fintool.com/app/research/companies/CIEN/people/david-m-rothenstein)[[3]](https://www.ciena.com/about/leadership/david-m.-rothenstein)
Rothenstein holds a J.D. with honors from The George Washington University Law School and a B.A. magna cum laude from Tufts University.[[1]](https://fintool.com/app/research/companies/CIEN/people/david-m-rothenstein) Before Ciena, he was a trial lawyer and partner at Paley Rothman, specializing in corporate, employment, technology law, and litigation for tech startups and M&A.[[1]](https://fintool.com/app/research/companies/CIEN/people/david-m-rothenstein)[[3]](https://www.ciena.com/about/leadership/david-m.-rothenstein) As a corporate insider, he recently sold 2,500 shares on January 9, 2026, at $219.28 under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, retaining direct ownership of approximately 202,194 shares (including unvested RSUs and PSUs).[[2]](https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/CIEN/form-4-ciena-corp-insider-trading-activity-e99e19b9a028.html)[[4]](https://www.investing.com/news/insider-trading-news/ciena-svp-rothenstein-sells-548200-in-shares-93CH-4445910) His ownership aligns with Ciena's guidelines, supporting skin-in-the-game.[[1]](https://fintool.com/app/research/companies/CIEN/people/david-m-rothenstein)
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