Maher, Anthony T.

2014 Distinguished Alumni Award

For laying the groundwork for digital communication in the voice, data, and video networks that are ubiquitous today and significant leadership and entrepreneurship in the telecommunications industry.

Anthony began his professional career at Bell Laboratories in 1971 after spending two years in the U.S. Army. At Bell Labs, he contributed to designing the pioneering digital communication systems 4ESS and 5ESS. Based on these experiences, he was recruited in 1978 to create digital systems for Siemens in Munich, Germany. His activities at the company continued to expand into increasing tasks all over the world in system engineering, leading large development teams and marketing. The results of Anthony’s efforts culminated in 1996 with him becoming the COO of Siemens Telecommunications Division and overseeing the global efforts of 51,000 people.

While COO, he had established a corporate venture capital group called Mustang Ventures to focus on hi-tech in the Bay Area. Mustang made investments in more than 30 startups in four years. That engagement proved so intriguing that Anthony left Siemens in 2002 to join a venture capital partnership. Fifteen board seats on three continents and a cornucopia of experiences later, he remains active in this capacity as chairman of the board of a publicly traded company.

His hobbies include writing. He’s published two works of fiction and is currently working on a book on management principles.