IDT Appoints Ken Kannappan to Its Board of Directors; Newest Member Brings Technology Management and Financial Leadership to Communications IC Market Leader

Business Wire, Nov 17, 2000

Business/High Tech Editors

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 2000

IDT (Nasdaq:IDTI), a leading communications IC provider, today announced the addition of Ken Kannappan, president and CEO of Plantronics, Inc., to its board of directors.

Kannappan brings high-level management and a strong financial business background to play an important role in driving the company's strategic market and business direction.

Kannappan replaces Carl E. Berg, partner of Berg & Berg Industrial Developers and president and CEO of Mission West Properties, Inc., as a class III director of IDT effective November 15, 2000. Berg, who served 18 years on IDT's board of directors, resigned his position to devote more time to his real estate interests.

"Ken is a valuable addition to IDT's board of directors, bringing to IDT strong CEO-level management experience and familiarity with the investment banking community," said Jerry Taylor, president and chief executive officer. "We are confident Ken's knowledge and counsel will support IDT's goals to expand its business and investigate strategic business opportunities that further IDT's leadership in the communications infrastructure markets."

About Ken Kannappan

Kannappan has worked at Plantronics, the world leader in communications headsets, for the past five years. In March 1998, Kannappan was promoted to president and chief operating officer, and has served as chief executive officer and member of the Plantronics board of directors for nearly two years. He has held a variety of executive-level positions at Plantronics, including vice president of sales, managing director of the Plantronics Limited subsidiary in England and senior vice president responsible for Plantronics' worldwide operations. Kannapan is also a director of Mattson Technology, Inc., a supplier of advanced process equipment for the semiconductor industry. Prior to joining Plantronics, Kannappan was senior vice president of investment banking for Kidder, Peabody & Co. Incorporated.

About IDT

IDT enhances the global network with semiconductor solutions for communications companies that lead innovation and drive convergence in voice, data and wireless networks. Communications-industry leaders choose IDT for its high-performance products that accelerate time to market and boost bandwidth in the network infrastructure. IDT's communications memories offer the broadest selection of FIFOs and multi-ports; its communications ASSPs include ATM switches, TSI/TDM switches, high-speed PHYs and embedded processors; and the product mix also incorporates high-performance logic; clock management products; and high-speed SRAMs.

Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., the Company employs approximately 4,900 people worldwide and has manufacturing facilities in California, Oregon, the Philippines and Malaysia. IDT stock is traded on the Nasdaq stock market under the symbol "IDTI." Additional information about IDT is easily accessible at www.idt.com or CD-ROM by calling 800/345-7015. The investor hotline is 408/654-6420.

All brands or products are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. IDT disclaims any proprietary interest in the trademarks of others.