Top Nortel Networks executives admitted Thursday that past financial problems had slowed the company’s growth, but said the new management team had a clear strategy to turn the telecommunication equipment maker’s fortune around.

“Accounting scandals and other problems has made it very difficult for Nortel to concentrate on more contemporary issues of business,” said Nortel CEO Mike Zafirovski.

He said those issues left a leadership void and affected Nortel’s ability to keep on top of industry trends.

"This cannot be fixed overnight," the Nortel chief said, adding that his management team is aware of the challenges ahead and has "a plan to win."

Zafirovski was addressing a press conference at the company’s new headquarters in Toronto.

His views were echoed by another top Nortel official.

“We were not able to concentrate on the present like other companies who managed to change with the industry,” said John Roese, chief technology officer (CTO) at Nortel.

Roese said that, unlike other tech-based companies, Nortel was not able to concentrate on testing methodology and establishing best practices.

But, he said, “there is no lack of talent and innovation” in the company.

On Wednesday, Zafirovski marked his first year at the helm of Nortel. He also had to face shareholders that same day who have seen their investments decline by as much as 35 percent in 2006.

Among his top priorities, Zafirovski said, is to increase Nortel’s operating margin, which is at 1 percent today, to 13 percent by 2008.

To achieve this, Nortel has to hike its gross profits to 43 percent from the current 38 percent, said Zafirovski.

Nortel sees opportunities in providing voice-over-IP (VoIP) equipment to business clients and its alliance with Microsoft.

Zafirovski said the Microsoft tie-up would combine Nortel’s communication and services with the software company’s leadership in the application space.

Roese said the alliance was a realization that voice applications were going to undergo a major shift and Nortel had to align itself with the technology’s key players. The partnership, he said, placed Nortel in a leadership position for the next breed of voice applications.

Another aspect of Nortel’s recovery strategy is a focus on products addressing mobility and convergence, enterprise transformation, and services and solutions.

The company’s goal is to streamline internal processes and reach US$1.5 billion in operating margin by 2008.

To achieve this, Nortel is consolidating more than 100 operational sites. So far the initiative has created two so-called centers of excellence in Mexico and Turkey. Zafirovski said these facilities would provide technical support services to Nortel clients.