James Allen, Partner, Analysys Mason
James Allen is Head of Regulation at Analysys Mason's Cambridge office. He has led projects dealing with a wide variety of telecoms topics, for clients spanning the telecoms industry - private equity, banks, equipment manufacturers, new entrant operators, incumbents, regulators, and policy makers. He has particular expertise in fixed and mobile network costing.
He has recently worked on a range of topics such as FTTx business cases; top-down regulatory cost models for DSL and fixed voice products; structural separation; pass-through of mobile termination rate cuts; the recent Commission recommendations on termination and NGA; the revision of the EU Framework; commercial due diligence on an incumbent telco; bottom up local loop cost modelling; cost modelling of voice in an NGN; price benchmarking and tariff design for FMC; and the regulation of VoIP in Europe.
He trained as a physicist and has a PhD (1991) from Durham University.
Giovanni Amendola, Head of Unit, European and Relevant Markets Regulation – Equivalence and Regulatory Affairs Dept, Telecom Italia SpA
Giovanni Amendola is Head of European and Relevant Markets Regulation at Telecom Italia. He is responsible for the definition of Telecom Italia’s regulatory strategy at both national and European level. Market analysis and European regulation are the main areas of his responsibility.
Before joining Telecom Italia in 2006, he worked as Head of Regulatory Strategy and International Affairs for Wind Telecomunicazioni.
He earned a Ph.D. in Science and Technology Policy Studies at the University of Sussex, and an M.A. in Statistics at La Sapienza University in Rome.
He has published extensively on issues related to technological change, industrial economics and regulatory policy.
Hande Bayrak, International and NGO Relations Supervisor, Avea Iletisim Hizmetleri AS
Hande Bayrak currently serves as the International and NGO Relations Supervisor at Avea Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Founded in 2004, Avea has a nationwide customer base of 11.7 million as of end of 2009. Reaching to 96.61% of Turkey's population through its next generation network, the company is growing fast both in the corporate and individual services while constantly investing in technology and infrastructure.
In her role as International and NGO Relations Supervisor, Ms. Bayrak works within the Regulatory Group and she is responsible for coordinating the relations of the company with International and National NGOs.
Jørgen Bang-Jensen, CEO, PLAY
Jørgen Bang-Jensen began his career as an IT entrepreneur and then joined Tele Danmark as the Division General Manager. In 1993, when the GSM technology was only taking off with a few thousand users worldwide, Mr. Bang-Jensen was one of the pioneers of the global development of mobile telephony and took up the challenge of developing Tele Danmark Mobil. With Mr. Bang-Jensen as the president of the company, Tele Danmark Mobil grew to become a highly effective and competitive mobile operator.
Following the success of Tele Danmark Mr. Bang-Jensen decided to pursue his career outside of Denmark and undertook the challenge of launching ONE - the third mobile operator in Austria. As the president of ONE Mr. Bang-Jensen has led the company from the start-up stage, through intensified growth, up to its sale in 2007.
Further to the sale of ONE Mr. Bang-Jensen applied his expertise in ICT sector companies holding board member positions and conducting independent consultancy advisory.
Mr Bang-Jensen was appointed the CEO of PLAY, the fourth Polish mobile operator, in May 2009.
Michael Bartholomew, Director, ETNO (European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association)
Michael Bartholomew is Director of the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO), the trade association for Europe’s largest e-communications operators. ETNO’s 41 members in 35 European countries account for a total turnover of more than 270 billion € and up to one million employees.
Mr. Bartholomew is a key interlocutor with European and International institutions for all policies impacting on the EU telecoms industry. As main spokesman for the industry, he is a frequent speaker on telecoms related regulatory and market developments at European and international conferences and events.
The ETNO Director runs the Brussels secretariat and coordinates the work of ETNO’s 20 expert groups, developing common industry positions on key issues such as economic regulation, spectrum management, fraud and security, data protection, sustainability, content related issues, Internet Governance and social dialogue. He represents these positions at the EU and international level.
Prior to joining ETNO, Mr. Bartholomew served as Director for European Affairs for the Motion Picture Association that represents the global interests of Hollywood’s major studios.
Earlier, Mr. Bartholomew also funded and managed for nine years a Brussels public affairs consultancy and worked with major EU and international clients in the audiovisual and publishing sectors.
Mr. Bartholomew is member of the Cercle Royal Gaulois, the Centre for European Policy Studies and former board director of the International Press Association. For the past three years, he is a member of the Jury for the annual World Communications Award and is listed in Who’s Who in the World and in Who’s Who in Science and Technology.
With a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University in Illinois, he began his career as a journalist and has worked for the Associated Press, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. His columns on European affairs have been published in the Wall Street Journal and other leading international newspapers.
Yves Blondeel, Managing Director, T-REGS
Professional Activities
Yves Blondeel is the Chairman of the ECTA Implementation Group since its formation in 2003. The group monitors the transposition and implementation of EU directives, the market analysis process in the Member States, etc. and escalates major issues where this is deemed appropriate by ECTA members.
1995-present: Founder and Managing Director of T-REGS b.v.b.a.
Specialist consultancy in telecommunications regulation, focusing on national telecommunications regulations in the EU Member States and in Switzerland and Norway, as well as EU-level regulation.
T-REGS conducts work for:
- Network operators and service providers developing/implementing regulatory strategies, launching new products, seeking regulatory clearance, rights-of-way, frequency rights-of-use, numbering resources, etc. wishing to negotiate interconnection and local loop access, etc.
- Regulatory authorities seeking an independent review of drafts of regulations
- Equipment suppliers and financial investors in the telecommunications sector
1991-1994: Partner at Cullen International S.A.
Company specialised in ongoing monitoring and periodic reporting on telecommunications regulatory affairs.
1990-1991: Student employment: Citicorp N/A.
Produced a set of reports on national telecommunications regulations, taking the perspective of an investor interested in privatization opportunities and the perspective of a large financial services company requiring top-quality telecommunications services throughout the world.
Diploma
Licentiaat Communicatiewetenschappen. Vrije Universiteit Brussel (1989)
Matthew Braovac, Head of Public Policy, Fixed Services, Vodafone Group Services Limited
Matthew Braovac is the Head of Public Policy for Fixed Services at Vodafone Group dealing with all aspects of current and future policy and regulation. He was previously Vodafone’s Global Governance and Strategy Manager coordinating its External Affairs strategy across public policy, EU affairs, media relations, corporate social responsibility and charitable foundations. Prior to this, Matthew spent 6 years as a senior competition and regulatory lawyer at Vodafone working on issues such as spectrum, mobile termination rates, roaming and wholesale access during which time he acted in numerous cases before the UK and EU courts.
Before joining Vodafone, Matthew trained and worked as a competition lawyer at the London law firm SJ Berwin.
Mike Byrne, Commissioner, Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg)
Mike Byrne is a Commissioner with ComReg, the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications and the postal sectors in Ireland.
As independent sectoral regulator of Ireland’s €5 billion communications sector, ComReg’s role is to promote competition, support innovation and to protect and inform consumers and end-users of electronic communications and postal services in Ireland.
Appointed as member of the Commission in 2004, Mike held the Chair of ComReg in 2007. Mike is the Chair (elect) of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RPSG) for 2011 and has held the role of Chairman of its Working Group on the Digital Dividend since 2008. Prior to joining ComReg, Mike was a Director of Vision Consulting, the international technology consulting firm.
Mike holds a Masters of Science (Management Practice) Degree from Trinity College, Dublin, and a Bachelors of Science Degree from University College, Galway. He has also completed post-graduate executive education programmes at University College, Cork and Stanford University, USA.
Richard Cadman, Director, Strategy & Policy Consultants Network Ltd
Richard Cadman is a senior strategy, policy, and regulatory economics consultant specialising in the electronic communications industry. He has a BA from York University in Politics and Economics, and a MA in Competition and Regulation Policy at the University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy.
Richard has over ten years experience as a consultant. Before establishing SPC Network in 2003, Richard was Deputy Chief Executive of the Eurodata Foundation, which became Teligen Ltd, prior to which he held several posts in telecoms and IT companies.
SPC Network is a leading policy and regulatory economics consultancy based in the UK. Utilising an international network of highly qualified and experienced consultants, SPC Network works for many major telecommunications operators and groupings. Amongst our clients are: Cable & Wireless, BT Global Services, Virgin Media, CompTel, the European Competitive Telecoms Association (ECTA) and NGNuk, and industry body assessing the requirements of NGN development in the UK.
Pilar del Castillo MEP, Rapporteur for the European Digital Agenda, European Parliament
Pilar del Castillo is a Member of the European Parliament from Spain. Former Minister of Education, Culture and Sport from 2000 to 2004, Dr. del Castillo Vera was elected to the European Parliament for the first time in 2004.
She is a member of the Partido Popular (People’s Party), which in turn is a member of the European People’s Party.
She is the Coordinator of the EPP group in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), a substitute for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, a member of the Delegation for relations with the People’s Republic of India, and a substitute for the Delegation to the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee.
From June 2009 she is the Chair of the European Internet Foundation.
Dr. del Castillo Vera is also the author of publications on topics such as comparative electoral behaviour, political parties, and political and public behaviour, and was awarded a PhD by the Sociological Research Centre in 1984. In addition she is a member of various national and international political science and sociology associations.
Dr. del Castillo Vera received a Law degree from Universidad de Complutense and later attended Ohio State University on a Fulbright scholarship, graduating with a Master’s degree in Political Science. She then obtained a PhD in Law from Universidad de Complutense. Dr del Castillo Vera has also held posts as Associate Professor of constitutional law and is currently Professor of political science.
Olivier Campenon, President France and EMEA ((Switzerland, the Nordics, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa), BT
Olivier Campenon took on additional responsibilities as head of BT France in 2010 after successfully leading E*MEA since January 2006 with a mission to establish BT as a leading supplier of networked IT services to local corporations. A region that groups together Switzerland, the Nordics, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa, E*MEA includes some of the fastest growing markets in the world.
Previously, Olivier had been President of BT France for three years, building up a strong operation of more than a thousand network and systems integration professionals.
Olivier began his career as consultant with Arthur Andersen. In 1990, he joined AT&T ICS and held several international management positions. In 1997, he was appointed Managing Director of SIRIS, a telecommunications operator in France. Three years later he became President of T-Systems France (Deutsche Telekom group), when SIRIS was acquired by DT and merged with Soleri, an IT company.
Olivier Campenon graduated in 1988 from Supélec, a leading French engineering institute.
Mike Corkerry, Executive Director, EMEA Government Affairs, AT&T
Mike Corkerry heads the external and regulatory affairs function for AT&T’s EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Region. Based in London, he is responsible for coordinating AT&T’s regulatory affairs, public policy and government advocacy in the Region, including towards the EU Brussels institutions. Prior to this, Mike performed a similar role at Concert, the AT&T/BT global venture.
Mike joined BT in 1980 and worked in a number of BT functions in the UK and continental Europe, including Regulatory Affairs, Corporate Strategy, Strategic Relations and Business Development. Between 1994 and 1997 he was based in BT’s Brussels office where he was responsible for relations with key EU institutions.
Mike currently serves on the Board of Directors of the UK Competitive Telecommunications Association (UKCTA) and BritishAmerican Business.
Nicolas Curien, Commissioner, ARCEP (French Regulation Commission for Electronic Communications and Postal Services)
Born in 1950, graduated from Ecole Polytechnique and Telecom Paris, Nicolas Curien is currently a member of the Board of ARCEP, the French regulatory body for electronic communications and postal services.
He began his career as an assistant professor at Telecom Paris, then as a manager at France Telecom, in charge of economic studies. In 1986, he joined the Department of Defence as a chief economist.
In 1989, he was appointed deputy-director of the National School for Statistics and Economic Analysis (ENSAE), within the Department of Economy and Finance. In 1992, he was granted the chair "Telecommunications Economics and Policy" at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM).
He also teaches economics at the Ecole Polytechnique, is a member of the "Académie des Technologie"s (the french National Academy of Engineering) as well as a founding member of the International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
He has written a number of scientific articles and several books in the fields of industrial organization and networks economics.
Jonathan Dann, Director and Head of Telecommunication Services Research Europe, Barclays Capital
Jonathan Dann is a Director and Head of Telecommunication Services Research, Europe within Equity Research. Jonathan joined Barclays Capital in 2009. Previously, he worked at JPMorgan, where he was an Executive Director and senior analyst on the European Telecommunications team, which ranked No. 1 in the 2009 European Institutional Investor survey. Prior to this, he was a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns having started his career in 1996 in fund management. Jonathan has a PhD in Chemistry from University College London.
Philippe Defraigne, Director, Cullen International
Philippe Defraigne is a director of Cullen International, a company monitoring regulatory developments in telecommunications, media and electronic commerce. He is an economist by training and has spent the last 20 years monitoring telecommunications regulation and market developments across Europe. He started his telecommunications career as a researcher at the University of Namur in 1988. Between 1991 and 1994, Philippe worked for the European Commission where he was mainly involved in the legislative process that lead to the adoption of the ONP Leased Lines Directive.
Christian Engström MEP, Swedish Pirate Party, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Christian Engström was born in Högalid, Stockholm. He graduated from Stockholm University in 1983 with a degree in mathematics and computer science. While studying, Mr Engström worked as a tutor at the university, teaching object-oriented programming in Simula. From 1978 he also worked part-time as a programmer at a small company which specialized in phonetic similarity searches for trademark names. After finishing his studies he started working full-time at the company. He became a partner in the firm in 1987 and in 1991 he became vice president. In 1997 the company was sold to the leading European trademark search house CompuMark. Mr Engström stayed on in a similar capacity as before until 2001, when he left the company to set up his own consultancy firm Glindra AB.
For five years Mr Engström worked as an unpaid activist within the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII), lobbying against software patents. He was active in the campaign against the EU software patent directive, which was rejected by the European Parliament in July 2005. He also co-founded the Swedish section of FFII and served as its deputy chairman during the first year.
In the late 1980s, Mr Engström became a member of the Swedish Liberal People's Party. He served as a lay assessor for the party in the Stockholm District Court between 1992 and 1998 and was active in local politics in Bromma, Stockholm. He left the Liberal People's Party on 1 January 2006, following the founding of the Pirate Party.
Mr Engström was elected a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in the election held on 7 June 2009, in which the Pirate Party won 7.1 % of the votes and received one mandate. Mr Engström was placed as his party's top candidate and received 43,808 votes (19 % of the Pirate Party's total votes). After negotiations with some of the political groups of the European Parliament it was announced on 25 June 2009 that Mr Engström would join the green group (Greens-EFA).
Mark Falcon, Head of Economic Regulation, Three
Mark is responsible for major policy and regulatory issues impacting Three's business, currently including – mobile spectrum, interconnection rates, international roaming and net neutrality. Mark is closely involved in Three's overall business strategy, such as customer propositions and new investments, and the wider Three Group across Europe and Asia. Mark joined Three in 2010 from Frontier Economics, a consulting firm, where he was head of Frontier's financial services practice. Three entered the UK mobile market in 2003 following its successful bid for a new 3G licence. Three is now the largest UK mobile broadband operator. The Three Group is owned by Hutchison Whampoa of Hong Kong.
Richard Feasey, Public Policy Director, Vodafone Group Services Limited
Richard is the Public Policy Director for the Vodafone Group, coordinating global public policy and regulatory affairs throughout Vodafone’s operating companies including Europe, the United States, and Asia-Pacific. He has held this role since 2001. Richard has worked in the communications sector since 1991and in the United States prior to that.
Lisa Di Feliciantonio, Head of Regulatory Policy, Fastweb
Lisa is in charge of regulatory policy at Fastweb, the first alternative telecom operator in Italy to roll out an all-IP network and a triple play offer in the country, as well as Secretary general of the Italian Association of IPTV operators.
In her current position she monitors regulation and policy making in order to identify and track decisions that have the potential to affect Fastweb’s business interests and makes strategic recommendations regarding policy areas at national and EU level. Before joining Fastweb, Lisa has worked for the Italian Regulatory Authority for Communications (AGCOM) as counsellor to one of the Commissioners and, later, as executive officer in the Regulatory Department, where she was in charge for the implementation of the regulatory framework for electronic networks in the television sector. In her role, Lisa has directly taken part to the drafting of existing regulation for licensing, content regulation, obligation of broadcasters and the transition to digital television.
Before then, she was in charge for strategic planning and network development at Orbit, the first digital satellite network for Middle East and North Africa. She writes for specialized economic publications and has published two books, “I media della convergenza”, Perugia 1998 and “Switchover”, Milan 2004.
Benoit Felten, CEO and co-founder, Diffraction Analysis
Benoit Felten is the CEO and co-founder of Diffraction Analysis, a research and consultancy firm focusing on Wireline Next Generation Access and its Transformational Impact. Felten’s expertise focuses on NGAN in terms of architecture, relevant vendor strategies as well as new service opportunities for ISPs, carriers, and MSOs.
His analysis particularly emphasises the understanding of business models and go to market challenges related to next-generation broadband as well as the necessary transformation of the telco ecosystem needed to sustain the access revolution
Before starting Diffraction Analysis, Felten was a Director of Access Network Research at Yankee Group where he led the company’s research efforts in the NGA field. Prior to Yankee Group, Felten was at Arcome, a French telecom consultancy and analysis firm where he managed and carried out numerous high-profile consultancy projects for operators and vendors in continental Europe and North Africa. Before joining Arcome, Felten was the SME Portfolio Manager at Belgacom France where he was responsible for their Fiber to the Office offers.
Felten complements his day job by blogging about the economic and social impacts of next generation access on www.fiberevolution.com.
Erzsébet Fitori, Director Regulatory Affairs, ECTA
Erzsébet Fitori is currently Director Regulatory Affairs at ECTA, the trade association representing over 100 competitive operators across Europe. Prior to joining ECTA in February 2008 she was Head of Regulatory Affairs at Pannon GSM (Telenor Group) in Budapest.
Erzsébet’s early career saw her as an Assistant Professor in the Department of European Law and Private International Law at the University of Miskolc in Hungary, following traineeships at the European Central Bank in Frankfurt and at law firm Baker & McKenzie in Budapest.
Erzsébet holds an LL.M. in European Community Law from Leiden University and a Degree in Law from the University of Miskolc, Hungary. In addition to her native Hungarian she speaks excellent English and intermediate level German.
Chris Fonteijn, Elected Chairperson of BEREC 2011 and Chairman of the Regulatory Authority of the Netherlands (OPTA)
Chris A. Fonteijn, Chairman of the Commission (1955, Den Haag), studied law in Leiden.
During his years in military service, he worked in the Military Intelligence Service.
From 1980, until his appointment as Chairman of the Commission of OPTA on September 1st 2005, Chris worked as a lawyer at NautaDutilh in Rotterdam, where he became a partner in 1988. He specialized in Business and Energy Law, and over the years he held a variety of positions at NautaDutilh; for several years he worked for NautaDutilh in the Middle East. During his last years at NautaDutilh, Fonteijn was director of the Energy & Utilities Group.
Innocenzo Genna, Director, AIIP and Board Member, Euroispa
Innocenzo Genna is a EU public affairs consultant specialised in telecoms and Internet. He also director of AIIP, the Italian ISP association, and Council Officer of Euroispa, the European association for ISPs. From 2007 to 2009 he was the chairman of ECTA (the European Competitive Telecommunications Association).
From 2002 up to 2006 Mr. Genna was General Counsel of Tiscali S.p.A., with responsibility for the legal and regulatory affairs of the Tiscali Group. Previously he practised at Ughi e Nunziante, the well known Italian law firm based in Rome and Milan. He became partner of the firm in October 2000. Before his experience at Ughi e Nunziante, he practised in Bologna at the law firm Studio Legale Bernini, while also serving at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
Mr. Genna graduated in law (magna cum laude) at the University of Macerata with a dissertation on the legal status of Berlin. He holds a L.L.M. of the College of Europe (Bruges) and a Magister Iuris from the University of Trier. He has also been awarded a Diplome at the Faculty of Comparative Law of Strasbourg.
Victoria Gerus, Regulatory Affairs Manager, ETNO (European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association)
Victoria has been a Regulatory Affairs Manager at ETNO since May 2009, responsible for formulating and communicating positions on access and other economic regulation.
Victoria has over 12 years of experience as a telecoms regulatory and industry specialist. Her previous positions include: Head of Regulatory Strategy at eircom; Service Manager for Interconnect@Ovumand Senior Analyst in the Regulation & Competition Research Group at Ovum; Research Expert in McKinsey & Company’s European Telecommunications Practice.
Victoria received a Master’s in Political Science from Harvard University in 1990. She obtained her undergraduate degree at Central Michigan University, graduating with honors.
Ilsa Godlovitch, Director of the Brussels Office, ECTA
Ilsa is responsible for developing and delivering on the regulatory and policy agenda at ECTA, the trade association representing 150 competitive (non-incumbent) operators across Europe. Prior to joining ECTA in June 2005, she was EU Affairs Director at Cable & Wireless and also represented C&W's international businesses in developing countries outside Europe during a period of widespread liberalisation in the sector. Whilst at Oftel (the UK Telecoms Regulator), Ilsa was responsible for European Affairs and negotiated for the UK Government on the current EU Framework forCommunications.
Ilsa was previously a technology journalist. She holds an MA in Classics from Oxford University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics from London University.
Monique Goyens,
Director General, BEUC (European Consumers' Organisation)As Director General of BEUC Monique represents 43 independent national consumer associations in 31 European countries acting as a strong consumer voice in Brussels, ensuring that consumer interests are given weight in the development of policies and raising the visibility and effectiveness of the consumer movement through lobbying EU institutions and media contacts.
Having a background in law she has published numerous articles in scientific journals on consumer and European law.
Prior to BEUC, Monique led the Belgian Commission Universitaire pour le Développement with international and national donors and partners in developing countries. She had been BEUC’s Senior Legal Adviser and contributed to the promotion of consumer interests through research as Project leader for European Affairs at Centre de droit de la consommation–UCL.
Harald Gruber, Head of ICT and e-Economy Division, European Investment Bank
Harald Gruber is head of the ICT and e-Economy division at the Projects Directorate of the European Investment Bank.
He oversees project appraisal and contributes to the Bank’s strategy on the telecommunications sector.
He has been professor at Bocconi University (Milan) for telecommunications economics.
He has published The Economics of Mobile Telecommunications at Cambridge University Press and a wide range of articles in particular on the ICT sector in refereed journals.
He is on the editorial board of Telecommunications Policy and Information Economics and Policy. Harald Gruber holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the London School of Economics.
Malcolm Harbour MEP, Chairman of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, European Parliament
Malcolm Harbour was elected to the European Parliament in June 1999, and re-elected in June 2004 and 2009. He is one of 2 Conservative members representing the West Midlands Region of the UK. He has been elected as Chairman of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, where he served as Co-ordinator for the European Centre Right Group (EPP-ED) from 2004 to 2009. He is now a Member of the newly formed European Conservatives and Reformists Group. He is Conservative spokesman on Internal Market issues, and specialist spokesman on IT issues. He is Vice-Chairman of the Parliament's Science and Technology Options Assessment Panel (STOA) and a Member of the Inter-Parliamentary Delegation to Japan, a country he visits regularly.
He is the MEP member of the Conservative Shadow Business team led by Shadow Business Secretary Ken Clarke.
Malcolm Harbour takes a special interest in the EU single market, industry, science and technology policy. He is Chairman of the Forum for the Automobile and Society, the Ceramics Industry Forum, the European Manufacturing Forum and the Conservative Technology Forum. He is a Governor of the European Internet Foundation, a member of the Conservative Policy Review on Science and Innovation. He has been the lead MEP (rapporteur) for major legislation on Telecoms, the Single Market and Motor Vehicle standards.
Since 2005, he has served on the CARS 21 High Level Group, a Europe-wide initiative to boost the automotive industry. He was named as a top 50 European of 2006 for his key role in broking agreement on the Services Directive. In May 2006, he was named the UK’s most Small Business Friendly UK Parliamentarian by members of the Forum of Private Business.
Before his election to the Parliament, Malcolm Harbour spent 32 years in the motor industry, as an engineer, a senior commercial executive, a consultant and a researcher. He began his motor industry career in the BMC Longbridge Plant as an Austin Engineering Apprentice in 1967.
Malcolm Harbour was born in February 1947. He was educated at Bedford School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in Engineering, and at the University of Aston where he gained a Diploma in Management Studies. He received an Honorary DSc from Aston in 2008. He and Penny were married in 1969 and have lived in Solihull since 1972. They have 2 married daughters, Louise and Katy and 2 grandchildren.
Andrew Heaney, Executive Director, Strategy and Regulation, TalkTalk Group
Andrew Heaney joined TalkTalk Group as Executive Director, Strategy and Regulation in 2007. He is responsible for developing TalkTalk’s strategy and lobbying on regulation and legislation that covers LLU products and prices, Openreach’s NGA product and Government policy for NGA and illegal filesharing.
Prior to joining TalkTalk, Andrew was a Competition Policy Director with Ofcom responsible for developing and implementing Ofcom’s strategy and policy for LLU and broadband products. Andrew played a leading role in developing the equivalence and functional separation model and BT’s undertakings and was responsible for Ofcom’s oversight of the implementation of the undertakings.
Before Ofcom, Andrew was a Partner with Spectrum Strategy Consultants leading their fixed telecoms group advising operators, regulators, investors, major customers and government on policy, strategy and business development both in the UK and other major economies. Andrew is married with five children.
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Pavel Henke, Regulation & Interconnect Section Director, GTS Czech s.r.o.
Pavel is Regulation & Interconnect Section Director at GTS Czech. He has 12 years experience in telecommunication. During this time he has had extensive experience in enforcement of regulatory policy within negotiations with SMPs concerning national regulated voice interconnections, implementation of LLU, WLR and other regulated products and measures.
Pavel graduated at the Czech Technical University in Prague.
Dr Iris Henseler-Unger, Vice President, BNetzA
Dr Iris Henseler-Unger studied Economics at Bonn and Zürich universities from 1975 to 1981. She gained her PhD from Mannheim university in 1985.
From 1986 to 1993 and from 1999 to 2004 Dr Henseler-Unger worked in a number of divisions at the German Federal Economics Ministry.
During the period 1993 to 1999 Dr Henseler-Unger was the economic policy, post and telecommunications expert with the FDP parliamentary group, during which time she was instrumental in shaping the legislative passage of the liberalisation of the post and telecommunications markets.
Since March 2004 Dr Henseler-Unger has been Vice President of the Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Post (since 13 July 2005 the Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway).
Nigel Hickson, Head Global ICT Policy, Department for Business Innovation & Skills, UK Government
Nigel Hickson was educated in Hertfordshire in England before going to the City University to study Electronic and Electrical Engineering. He joined the Department of Trade and Industry in 1982. He was seconded to the CBI in June 2000 to head up their newly formed E-business Group and in July 2001 joined the Government of Bermuda as the E Business Adviser to the Minister of Telecommunications and E Commerce.
Now back in BIS he heads up a team working on global ICT policy and regulatory issues; recently working on the ITU Plenipotentiary and the EU Communications Framework.
He is a keen cycler, walker and scouter.
William E. Kennard, US Ambassador to the EU, US Department of State
William E. Kennard is the United States’ Ambassador to the European Union.
Prior to assuming this position, Mr. Kennard was a Global Partner and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm with approximately $90 billion under management. Mr. Kennard joined The Carlyle Group in May 2001. At The Carlyle Group, Mr. Kennard specialized in investments in the telecommunications and media sectors.
Before joining The Carlyle Group, Mr. Kennard served as chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from November 1997 to January 2001. He presided over the agency at an historic time. During his tenure, he shaped policies that created an explosion of new wireless phones, brought the Internet to a majority of American households, and resulted in billions of dollars of investment in new broadband technologies. At the same time, he implemented bold new policies to bridge the digital divide in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Kennard is well known for his advocacy for people at risk of being stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide. He implemented the FCC’s e-rate program, which brought the Internet to almost every school and library in the United States. Under Mr. Kennard’s leadership, the FCC dramatically expanded access to communications technologies for people with disabilities. The FCC also adopted policies to increase telephone service to rural areas, especially to Native Americans living on tribal lands. He reached out to create more ownership and employment opportunities for women and minorities.
As FCC chairman, Mr. Kennard promoted the benefits of technology worldwide. He pioneered an innovative FCC Development Initiative to assist countries in the developing world to participate more fully in the global growth of digital technology. Through this initiative, Mr. Kennard signed the first partnership agreements on behalf of the FCC with ten countries on four continents to share U.S. regulatory experience with emerging regulatory authorities.
U.S. News and World Report dubbed Kennard a “consumer champion for the digital age.” He has received many honors and awards for his accomplishments, including awards from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Easter Seals Foundation, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and honorary degrees from Howard University, Gallaudet University and Long Island University.
Mr. Kennard previously served on the boards of directors of The New York Times Company, Sprint Nextel Corporation (national US wireless carrier), Handspring, Inc. (manufacturer of the Treo and other wireless devices), eAccess Ltd. (national Japanese wireless carrier), as well as on the boards of several companies owned by The Carlyle Group.
Mr. Kennard also served on several nonprofit boards including the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, One Economy Corporation, Common Sense Media, Year-Up Inc., the Yale University Council, Gallaudet University and Media Access Project.
Before his appointment as FCC Chairman, Mr. Kennard served as the FCC’s general counsel from 1993 until 1997. He joined the FCC from the law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand (now DLA Piper) where he was a partner and member of the firm’s board of directors.
Mr. Kennard is a graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School. He resides in Brussels, Belgium with his wife, Deborah Kennedy Kennard, and their son, Robert.
Neelie Kroes, Vice President and EU Commissioner for Digital Agenda, European Commission
Neelie Kroes, born on 19 July 1941 in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, is a Dutch politician and businessperson.
In 1971 she was elected to the lower house of parliament, where she became spokesperson for education. She remained a member of parliament until 1977, when she became junior minister of Transportation and Water Management in the First Van Agt Cabinet, responsible for Postal and Telephone Services and Transportation. In 1981 she briefly returned to the lower house of parliament, while her party, VVD, was in the opposition. In 1982 she returned to office in the First and Second Lubbers Cabinets, as the minister for Transportation and Water Management, a post that she held until 1989. As a minister she was responsible for the privatization of the Post and Telephone Services, as well as the commissioning of the Betuwe-railway.
After her time as minister, Ms Kroes became a member of the Rotterdam Chamber of Commerce, furthermore she served as a board member for Ballast Nedam (shipping), ABP-PGGM (a pension fund), NIB (an investment bank), McDonald's Netherlands, Nedlloyd, and Nederlandse Spoorwegen (the privatized Dutch railroad company).
In 1991 she became chairperson of Nyenrode University, a private business school. In 2004 Neelie Kroes was appointed European Commissioner for Competition.
Since February 2010 Neelie Kroes has been Vice President responsible for the Digital Agenda at the European Commission.
Massimo La Rovere, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA
1992 Graduation: magna cum laude in Economics - Luiss University Rome – Italy. Studies on Telecom Deregulation to come in the next decade across Europe
1992 - University fellowship in Industrial Economics
1993 – 1997
Sip (then merged in Telecom Italia): Regulatory Accounting Unit, whose goal is to prepare, define and implement the company regulatory separated accounts, and financial results by services to be submitted to the NRA as soon as created.
1997 - 1999
Infostrada (Olivetti Group, after Mannessman Group): Head of Wholesale negotiations unit, whose goal is to define the first interoperator agreements to allow the company start-up in the fixed field
1999 – 2002
BLU (Benetton + BT and others joint venture): Head of Regulatory Affairs Unit, whose goal is to define the company regulatory strategy and managing of regulatory dossiers (MNP, MTR, Frequencies, etc.) vs. NRA in the mobile field.
Wind Telecomunicazioni S.p.a.: Head of Regulatory Affairs Unit, whose goal is to manage all the Regulatory dossiers with the NRA both in the Fixed and Mobile field.
Ann LaFrance, Coordinating Partner - EU Telecoms, Squire Sanders
Ann LaFrance is Coordinating Partner for the Squire Sanders communications law team in EMEA and leader of the firm's European data protection and e-privacy practice.
Ms LaFrance has over two decades of experience working on regulatory, policy, competition and commercial matters involving the TMT sector in Europe, the United States and key emerging markets around the globe. She began her career as a telecommunications lawyer in Washington, DC, and from 1996-2004, she served as Chief International Counsel for MCI Communications Corp. (since acquired by Verizon) in Brussels and London/Reading.
Now based in London, Ms LaFrance's practice covers a wide range of telecommunications, media and data protection issues involving EU, UK and international law, policy and regulation.
Bernd Langeheine, Director "Electronic Communications Policy", European Commission, DG Information Society and Media
Bernd Langeheine has been the Director for e-Communications Policy at the European Commission’s Information Society and Media DG since 1 July 2002.
Before that he headed the General Policy unit in the European Commission’s DG Competition for three years. From January 1996 to June 1999, he was in charge of the Trade Section in the Washington Delegation of the European Commission. From 1990-1996, Mr Langeheine was a Member of the Commission’s Legal Service and before that, he spent three years as law clerk (référendaire) at the European Court of Justice. From 1983 to 1987, he worked in the Trade Policy Division of the Commission’s DG for External Relations.
Mr Langeheine spent the academic year 1993/94 as an EU Fellow at the Business School of the University of Washington in Seattle, Wash. He studied law and political science at the Universities of Hamburg and Berlin and holds a Ph. D. in law.
Maxime Lombardini, CEO, Iliad Group
Maxime Lombardini is the Group’s Chief Executive Officer. He joined Iliad Group in April 2007.
Maxime Lombardini had previously been Chief Executive Officer of TF1 Production since 2003. In this position, he restructured and stimulated the group’s six subsidiaries. From 1999 to 2003, he was Development Director at TF1, a position in which he studied and implemented the group's acquisitions. From 1996 to 1999, he was the General Secretary of TPS, a subsidiary of TF1 and M6, a position in which he took part in launching the satellite package.
Maxime Lombardini is a graduate of the Paris school of Political Science and holds a Master's degree in business and tax law from the University of Paris II.
Carolina Lorenzon, Director, International Affairs, Mediaset SpA
Responsible for International Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy, defines policy goals relevant to Mediaset’s strategic planning priorities and reports to the Board’s Executive Committee. Current responsibilities in reference to the EU involve: definition of company strategy pertaining to the new regulatory framework that will in time apply to all digital platforms in a convergent technological environment. On a multilateral level, works in close conjunction with key content providers to ensure full liberalisation and copyright protection of audio-visual media services. Prior to joining Mediaset, she worked at Benetton’s external relations department in New York City and as assistant to the Public Affairs Specialist at the World Bank’s Paris office. She graduated in Communications and International Affairs at Pepperdine University (Los Angeles) with a thesis on infrastrucure development for DBS - direct broadcasting satellites – in developing countries and completed a Master’s degree in Economics and Public Policy at the Catholic University in Milan.
Paolo Lupi, Head of Wholesale Markets, AGCOM
Paolo Lupi heads the “wholesale markets unit” in the economic and competition analysis department of AGCOM, the Italian communication regulator, where he works since 2001.
His areas of expertise include competition analysis and regulatory policy in ICT industries with a particular focus on fixed networks interconnection and Internet development.
He is a member of the Italian delegation to the Working Party on Communication and Information Services Policy under the Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry of the OECD.
Before joining AGCOM Paolo held research positions at the University of Naples (IT) and at the University of York (UK). He holds an M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of York (UK) and a Diploma in EC Competition Law from King’s College, London.
Boštjan Makarovič, CEO, Aphaia Regulatory Consulting
Boštjan Makarovič has been involved in telecoms regulation since 2001, first as regulatory lawyer with Telekom Slovenije and later as head of telecommunications division with APEK, the Slovenian regulatory authority, where he was in charge of regulatory market analysis and remedies. In addition, he was between 2006 and 2010 a Member of CoCom and ERG Contact Network. In 2008, he acted as advisor to the EU Council Presidency in respect of the review of the EU Framework for electronic communications. He also acted as a consultant to the Slovenian Ministry of Justice in respect of drafting personal data protection legislation for the internet, and acts as arbitrator in .si domain name alternative dispute resolution proceedings. He is currently completing his PhD in legal regulation of NGN at Queen Mary, University of London. He is CEO and chief consultant of Aphaia, a regulatory consultancy offering services to several operators and regulatory authorities in Europe and the Middle East.
Denis McCauley, Director, Global Technology Research, Economist Intelligence Unit
Denis McCauley is a senior Economist Intelligence Unit editor and a leading authority on the technology industry. He directs the company's global technology practice, with responsibility for managing research projects dealing with the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) on businesses and societies. His particular expertise lies in how organisations use ICT, and the management and human challenges they face in reaping its benefits. He is often interviewed by the media, including the Financial Times, CNBC and BBC, for his views on technology industry developments.
Denis is the editor or author of numerous Economist Intelligence Unit reports, including the Digital economy rankings, Managing technology democracy in the workplace, The digital company 2013 and Benchmarking IT industry competitiveness.
Denis rejoined the Economist Intelligence Unit in 2004 from Pyramid Research, a telecoms consultancy, where he managed its global analysis and forecasting operations in wireless, broadband and Internet markets. He also worked earlier with The Economist Intelligence Unit in Vienna and New York, as well as with PMC Consulting in Singapore and with Deloitte & Touche in Russia.
Denis is a fluent speaker of Russian and maintains a working knowledge of German. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Russian Area Studies from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Pace University in New York.
Joe McNamee, Advocacy Coordinator, European Digital Rights
Joe McNamee has been Advocacy Coordinator at European Digital Rights for the past year. Prior to this he worked in a political consultancy, where he worked for a variety of Internet companies and organisations, including the European Internet Service Providers' Association (EuroISPA). He also ran three independent projects for the European Commission - on convergence, local loop unbundling and the Information Society in Russia and seven former Soviet states. The main areas he works on for European Digital Rights are copyright, data protection, data retention, net neutrality, web blocking and intermediary liability.
Dr Karl-Heinz Neumann, General Manager and Director, WIK-Consult GmbH
Dr Karl-Heinz Neumann, born November 24, 1953, is a graduate of the University of Bonn with a Ph.D. in Economics, he rejoined WIK in April 2001 as General Manager and Director of WIK GmbH and WIK-Consult GmbH, a position he had previously held until 1995.
From 1995 to 2001 he worked for RWE Telliance AG as Executive Director for strategy, regulation and national projects. In the last two years he was Member of the Management Board of the company. In this position he also acted as Member of the Board and as Member of the Supervisory Board of several national and international telecommunications companies.
Besides his telecommunications industry experience, Karl-Heinz Neumann has a broad experience in the consultancy of regulatory authorities, governments and telecommunications companies. He acted as a member of many expert and advisory commissions, related to German telecommunication authorities.
Dr Neumann has led and is leading WIK-teams in more than 50 European regulatory policy consultancy studies. His main focus of work is related to cost modelling licensing, pricing policy, interconnection and ULL pricing, market structures and regulatory policy.
Since 1990 Dr Neumann is Member of the Board of Directors of the International Telecommunications Society and since 1992 he is Member of the Research Committee of the Münchner Kreis – Supranational Association for Communications Research.
Since 2001 Dr Neumann is Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the German NRA BNetzA.
From 1992 to 1995 Dr Neumann was the editor of Information Economics and Policy. Since 1999 he is member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Info – The Journal of Policy, Regulation and Strategy for Telecommunications, Information and Media and since 2001 member of the Scientific Council of Communications and Strategies.
Dr Neumann has written more than 150 articles in journals, books and readers on telecommunications economics, policy and regulation. He was editor/coeditor of 7 books on telecommunications and postal policy topics and author of 4 books on telecommunications economics and policy. He has given more than 250 speeches or presentations on telecommunications policy and regulation, information and communications, postal policy.
Jim Niblett, Chair of the BEREC Expert Working Group on International Roaming & International Policy Director, Ofcom
Jim is International Policy Director at Ofcom. He has 14 years experience of regulation of communications markets. During this time he has had extensive experience of development and enforcement of regulatory policy concerning development of competition fixed and mobile telecommunications markets and access to broadcasting platforms.
He has recently concentrated on international regulatory policy, especially in Europe where he directed Ofcom’s work on regulatory policy issues related to the EU electronic communications framework. He has devoted much of his time to the work of BEREC (and previously, the European Regulators Group) for which he currently chairs the BEREC Projec Teams on International Roaming and regulatory remedies.
Pearse O'Donohue, Head of Unit, Radio Spectrum Policy, European Commission, DG Information Society and Media
Pearse O'Donohue is responsible for the development and implementation of policies for efficient spectrum use and a coordinated approach to frequency management in the EU. This also involves the development of spectrum harmonisation measures in the electronic communications field and in other internal market sectors such as transport and research. He is Chairman of the EU Radio Spectrum Committee.
Prior to taking over his current post in June 2008, Pearse O'Donohue was the Assistant to the Director-General of DG INFSO (Information Society and Media). Before that, he was Deputy Head of the Unit responsible for monitoring and enforcing implementation of the EU regulatory framework in electronic communications, where he dealt amongst other things with spectrum authorisation and broadband access issues.
Pearse O'Donohue began his career in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, from which he was posted to the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels. In 1991 he was appointed Assistant Director of the Brussels office of the Irish Business & Employers' Confederation. In 1995 he joined the European Commission and subsequently became adviser to the Commissioner for Social Policy and Employment.
Shunichi Okazaki, Deputy Director General, Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Date of Birth: June 17, 1958
Education: Graduated from Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo (1981)
Career and Experience:
April 2010: Professor Graduate School of Public Policy (Present)
July 2009: Deputy Director-General/ Legal Advisor (Present)
April 2006: Director, Secretariat of Postal Services Privatization Committee, Cabinet Secretariat
July 2005: Director, Regional Broadcasting Division, Information and Communications Policy Bureau (MIC)
July 2001: Counsellor, Cabinet Legislation Bureau
July 1998: Associate Director, Cabinet Information and Research Office
1981: Entered the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), Japan
Sam Paltridge, Head of Telecoms Section, OECD
Sam Paltridge, PhD, is in the Directorate of Science Technology and Industry, for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
He joined the OECD as a communication analyst in the division of information computer and communications policy in 1993. His recent work in communication has been on broadband infrastructure as well as Internet issues such as international traffic exchange. He was a principal author of the Communications Outlook series between the 1995 and 2005 editions; and, in 2005, was appointed principal administrator of ICT statistics in the OECD’s Economic Analysis and Statistics Division.
Between 2007 and 2008 he assisted in the organisation of the Seoul Ministerial on the Future of the Internet Economy and in 2009 took up a role as the principle administrator responsible for the working party on Communication, Infrastructures and Services Policy.
Between 1999 and 2005, Paltridge was the OECD’s representative on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN) Government Advisory Committee (GAC) and, as such, was one of the founding members of the GAC. Sam has also served in a number of advisory roles to governments, such as the Australian Government’s Broadband Advisory Group, and he is a former member of the organising committee for the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC) held each year in Washington. Sam’s work with the OECD involves working closely with other international organisations on ICT policy and, in 2005, he chaired the International Telecommunication Union’s World Meeting on Telecommunication/ICT Indicators. Between 2005 to 2009 he was the OECD’s representative to the Internet Governance Forum.
Dr Ross Patterson, Telecommunications Commissioner, Commerce Commission New Zealand
Dr Ross Patterson was appointed Telecommunications Commissioner in July 2007 for a period of five years. Prior to this appointment he was a partner at Minter Ellison Lawyers in Auckland and Sydney, where he headed the competition and regulatory practice. His principal areas of expertise include all aspects of competition law, telecommunications law, and competition policy initiatives.
He has a PhD in commercial law, and has regularly provided commentary and articles for publication and journals.
Antti Peltomäki, Deputy Director-General, European Commission, DG Information Society & Media
Nationality: Finnish
Academic qualifications
1978-1984 : Master of Laws – Helsinki University
Professional experience in the European Institutions
- October 2007 to date: Deputy Director General in DG Information Society and Media.
- July 2006 – September 2007: Head of Representation in Finland, DG Communication.
Professional experience before joining the European Institutions
- May 2003 – June 2006: State Secretary for EU Affairs, Prime Minister's office.
- July 2000 – April 2003: State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, Prime Minister's office.
- March 1997 – June 2000: State Under-Secretary, Prime Ministers Office.
- March 1996 – February 1997: Special Adviser, Ministry of Justice.
- February 1994 – December 1994: Officer, EFTA Brussels office.
- October 1991 – January 1994/January 1995 – February 1996: Counsellor, Foreign Affairs Committee, Finnish Parliament.
- September 1988 – September 1991: Head of the International Office, National Coalition Party (Kansallinen Kokoomus), where he developed their European policies and maintained relations with the European People's Party.
- January 1986 – December 1987: Coordinator, centre for continuing Engineering Education, Helsinki University of Technology.
Stanley Pignal, Brussels Correspondent, Financial Times
Stanley Pignal covers European telecoms and media regulatory issues for the Financial Times, among other EU-related topics.
He has been based in Brussels since early 2009. He previously wrote on the outsourcing sector in London for the FT, after gaining experience as a private-sector investment economist.
Olli-Pekka Rantala, Director of Commuications Networks Unit, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Finland
Education: Master of Social Sciences (economics), University of Helsinki, 1999
Professional career:
Director of Commuications Networks Unit, Ministry of Transport and Communications 2010-
Senior Advisor, Ministry of Transport and Communications 2007-2010
Counsellor (Telecommunications, Information Society and Audiovisual Affairs), Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU 2002-2007
Senior Officer, Ministry of Transport and Communications 1999-2002
Olivia Regnier holds a Licence en droit of the Université Catholique de Louvain (1989) and an LL.M Degree of
Master in Computer Sciences, Management and Telecommunications, INT, Paris, France.
MBA, London Business School, London, UK.
MBA, Columbia University, New York City, USA.
Benoit has acquired wide international business experience in the telecoms sector over the past 15 years through his work for a number of strategy consulting firms, as well as regulators and operators.
Prior to joining KPMG Benoit was Director of the Telecommunications Media and Technology practice of LECG Europe where he advised operators, regulators and technology firms globally on a range of complex strategic, regulatory and competition issues and transactions.
Benoit is a well known industry commentator and guest lecturer. He taught modules on regulation of the telecoms and media sectors at the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the converged communications regulatory authority in the UK between 2006 and 2009 and is a guest lecturer at leading French business school ESCP-EAP.
Reinaldo Rodríguez, President, CMT (Comisión del Mercado de Telecomunicaciones de España)
Appointed by Royal Decree 493/2005, of May 4 2005 (OGS dated May 5, 2005)
Holds a Degree in Advanced Telecommunications Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He joined the Air Traffic Controllers corps after passing a public examination and in 1986, joined the Higher Engineers Radio-Broadcasting and Television Corps. During that year, he was employed in the recently-created General Telecommunications Directorate.
He has taken part in drafting and negotiating the contract between the Government and Telefónica de España, SA, as part of the project for the Modification of the Telecommunications Ordinance Act, in the TWA GSM mode regulation and in preparing the rules for the second operator, among other projects. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Corporation Retevisión and Telefónica Internacional, SA.
From July 1991 to March 1995 he was Executive Adviser for the Telecommunications Area in the respective Ministry Office. In 1995 he was appointed Director General of Telecommunications and Government Representative in the Telephony Department of the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and the Environment (MOPTMA), and occupied this position until 1996. During that time he was a member of the Boards of Directors of the Autonomous Post and Telegraphs Institution, the National Technical Aerospace Institute and Hispasat. In 1996 he was appointed Director of the Telecommunications Market Commission, in which post he was re-elected for a second term in December 2002.
Marietje Schaake MEP, Member of Committee for Culture & Education, European Parliament
Marietje Schaake (1978) is a Dutch Member of the European Parliament with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) political group. She has been named rapporteur of the upcoming report that looks at the role of culture and new media in the external actions of the European Union.
She serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, where she focuses on neighborhood policy and Iran. In the Committee on Culture, Media, Education, Youth and Sports she works on Europe's Digital Agenda. Marietje is a member of the delegation for relations with the United States and a substitute member on the delegation with the Balkan countries. She is also a founder of the European Parliament Intergroup on New Media and Technology.
Before joining the European Parliament, she worked as an independent advisor to governments, diplomats, businesses and NGO’s, on issues of transatlantic relations, diversity and pluralism, civil and human rights and integration.
Dr Cara Schwarz-Schilling, Head of Section, Internet Economics, BNetzA
Since 2002 she has headed the Section Internet Economics at the Bundesnetzagentur, chairing the ‘ERG Project Team NGN’ since 2006, and between 2000-2002 she headed the Section Postal Economics.
Prior to joining BNetzA she was Senior Economist at the ‘Wissenschaftliches Institut für Kommunikationsdienste’ since 1996. Main areas of research: Numbering in telecommunications networks, Liberalization, Antitrust and regulation in the telecommunications sector.
She studied Economics at the University of Bonn, University of Chicago, the London School of Economics and the University of Cologne. Diplom in 1985 (Bonn), Master of Science in Mathematical Economics and Econometrics 1987 (LSE), Doctoral degree I995 (Cologne). From 1988-1992 Economist with the "Energiewirtschaftliches Institut and der Universität Köln", research and consulting work on competition and regulation in the energy sector. From 1992-1995 Assistant Professor at the Staatswissenschaftliches Seminar der Universität Köln, focusing on Industrial Organisation and Antitrust Policy.
Martin Senftleben, Professor of Intellectual Property, VU University Amsterdam and Senior Consultant, Bird & Bird
Martin Senftleben is Professor of Intellectual Property, VU University Amsterdam, and Senior Consultant, Bird & Bird. His activities focus on primary and secondary markets for information products, the regulation of business models on these markets through intellectual property rights, and the resulting balance between intellectual property rights and limitations serving social, cultural and economic needs. Current research topics concern advertising-based business models that rely on unauthorized use of copyrighted material, the introduction of flexible fair use copyright limitations, the enforcement of copyright in the digital environment, and the influence of copyright law on individual and collaborative processes of creation, particularly in the participative web 2.0.
Mr. Senftleben studied law at the University of Heidelberg. After graduation he worked as a researcher at the Institute for Information Law of the University of Amsterdam, and the Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law in Munich. In 2004, he was awarded a doctorate by the University of Amsterdam. From 2004 to 2007, Mr. Senftleben worked as a legal officer in the Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications Law Division of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva. In
2007, he was appointed Professor of Intellectual Property at the VU University Amsterdam. In 2008, he joined Bird & Bird as a Senior Consultant. He contributes frequently to conferences and seminars at the national and international level, and is active in several research networks. His publications in Dutch, English, French and German cover substantive and procedural aspects of the protection of intellectual property. Mr. Senftleben is editor-in-chief of the Dutch journal Copyright, Media and Information Law (Tijdschrift voor Auteurs-, Media- en Informatierecht).
Catherine Smadja, Head of Special Projects, Policy and Strategy, BBC
Educated at Louis le Grand, Paris-Sorbonne, and Ecole Nationale d'Administration, Catherine worked as a French senior civil servant (Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industry). She was appointed Special Advisor, Media policy to Catherine Trautmann, French Secretary of State for Culture and Media, from 1997 to 2000.
Seconded to the British Government in 2000, she joined DCMS, where she was Head of Digital and Commercial Broadcasting Policy. She developed the Government's digital television policy and was appointed Director of the Switchover programme.
She joined the BBC in 2006 as Head of Special Projects, Policy and Strategy, where her responsibilities include the BBC's spectrum strategy. She led the programme which achieved the successful launch of high definition on Freeview in March 2010, a world-first use of the most efficient spectrum technologies to-date. She is married and has three daughters.
Gita Sorensen, Director, Economics & Regulation, KPMG LLP
BSc in Business and Languages (Denmark).
Gita Sorensen is a Director of KPMG’s Economics & Regulation Practice in the UK. Gita is a recognised expert on telecommunications regulation, having provided consultancy services to governments, regulator and operators across the world since 1999. Her areas of expertise include: regulatory policy, market and dominance analysis, licensing, interconnection and access, cost modelling and pricing, retail pricing strategy and regulation, and regulatory processes.
Gita has led and participated in a number of Strategic market reviews and MDDD processes, most recently including: a complete regulatory reform and market review in The Bahamas including the setting up of a new regulator and developing the regulatory policy for the Government of the Bahamas; completely sector review in Bermuda, including development of sector policy (incl. infrastructure versus service competition and licensing policies) and market analysis in Portugal and Guernsey.
Bruno Soria, Regulatory Services Director, Telefónica SA
Bruno Soria holds a MSc degree in Telecommunications Engineering, a MBA and a PhD in Economics.In 2001 he joined Telefónica as Director for Competitive Intelligence in the Corporate Strategy Team. In 2002 he moved to the Corporate Regulatory Team where he is now Director for Regulatory Services. He is also the Chairman of the Regulatory Economics Task Force of ETNO (European association of Telecommunications Network Operators).
Before joining Telefónica, he was Technical Manager at AUTEL (INTUG Spain), Project Leader in The Boston Consulting Group and Business Development Manager for Spain in MCI Worldcom.
He has authored several books, articles and papers on telecommunications strategy and regulation.
Tiziana Talevi, Regulatory Affairs Director, Fastweb
Tiziana was born in Rome and has a degree in Economics & Business Administration from LUISS University in Rome.
Tiziana has always worked in the telecommunications industry with experiences in Telecom Italia, initially as an analyst in the Strategic Planning Dept and later as a researcher on economic and regulatory affairs at the San Salvador Study Center in Venice.
In 1997 she worked in the regulatory affairs dept. of Infostrada, the first alternative fixed line operator in Italy in the initial phases of liberalization and therefore followed all aspects related to the liberalization process in Italy and in Europe. She then worked at the Italian NRA for four years as an assistant to one of the commissioners and contributed to the definition of the main regulatory proceedings regarding the liberalization process in Italy with particular emphasis on Unbundling, bitstream and interconnection.
From 2002 to mid 2007 she has had international experience with Telecom Italia Sparkle, the international wholesale voice and data division of Telecom Italia in the New York Office, dealing with marketing and regulatory aspects of international voice and data services.
Since April 2007, she has been Director of Regulatory Affairs of Fastweb, the main alternative broadband and IPTV provider in Italy.
Fiona Taylor, Director of European Affairs and Global Internet Strategy, Verizon Business
Fiona Taylor joined Verizon as Director of European Affairs and Global Internet Strategy in October 2010 where she is in charge of representing the company in Brussels and following global internet developments. Fiona has over 13 years experience in EU public affairs and ecommunications policy. Prior to joining Verizon, Fiona worked with the leading European telecommunications operators at ETNO (the European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association) as Senior Adviser in Public Affairs. Her responsibilities included both the overall strategic positioning of the Association and focusing on the impact of ecommerce on the member companies. Fiona holds an MA in Communications Policy from the City University in London and an BA in European Studies/Government and Politics from University of Kent at Canterbury.
David Thomas, Partner, Economics & Regulation, KPMG LLP
MA (Economics) Cambridge.
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
David is a former director of UK communications regulator and competition authority Ofcom. He joined KPMG four years ago and leads the firm's global economics & regulation practice. His particular sector focus remains communications and he works with leading operators, regulators and governments around the world on topics such as next generation access, price controls and market design. He has led a number of thought leadership initiatives in the sector and more widely in the area of regulation.
Catherine Trautmann MEP, Rapporteur for the Better Regulation Directive, European Parliament
Catherine Trautmann (*1951, France) has been a Member of the European Parliament for the Party of European Socialists (PES, now part of S&D group) since 2004, and had already seated from 1989 to 1994. She is a substitute member of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee as well as a full member of the Fisheries Committee. She is also Head of the French Socialist Delegation in the European Parliament.
She's been rapporteur on the review of the "Telecom package", specifically on the Framework, Access and Authorisation directives (so-called "Better Regulation").
She studied theology in Strasbourg specialising in the history of religion as well as Coptic language and literature.
During her political career she has been a member of the French parliament (1986 to 1988), Secretary of State for the Elderly and Disabled (1988) as well as president of the Inter-Ministerial Working Party on (Drug) addiction (1988 to 1989).
From 1989 to 1997 as well as from 2000 to 2001 she was Mayoress of Strasbourg. She stepped down from office in 1997 when the Prime Minister Lionel Jospin appointed her as Minister of Culture and Communications (until 2000) as well as government spokeswoman (until 1998). Since 2000 she has been a member of the French party “Bureau National”.
She is currently a member of Strasbourg's city council as well as 2nd Vice President of Strasbourg's urban community, in charge of university and economic development.
She is also a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres.
Hubertus von Roenne, Chairman, ECTA
Dr Hubertus Freiherr von Roenne is a longtime business professional in the European Telecoms & Internet Industries. For the past 10 years he has been leading major international transactions in the Telecoms industry - at AOL and since 2006 at BT. His mission is to create borderless ICT services to boost the productivity of international companies in the European Marketplace. For several years prior to assuming business responsibilities, Hubertus acted as a specialist lawyer advising Telecoms and Internet companies mainly on regulatory and market entry matters. He was also involved in the rapid growth of the Internet meeting platform "First Tuesday", for which he was Managing Director in Germany in 2000.
Hubertus has studied law & philosophy in Heidelberg, New York and Berlin, was awarded a doctorate in law from Humboldt-University Berlin. He has acted as an adviser to the German Parliament and has been an active board member of ECTA since 2004.
A German national, Hubertus lives in Paris, is married to an English wife and has three children.
James Walker, Managing Director, Credit Suisse
James Walker joined Credit Suisse as global head of networks in September 2005. He joined Credit Suisse from CSC where he was responsible for the voice and data network services business in EMEA. Prior to joining CSC, he held IT infrastructure management positions at JP Morgan and The Walt Disney Studios.
In 2007, James was responsible for outsourcing Credit Suisse's network infrastructure to BT and Swisscom in a contract valued at over $1bn over 7 years.
His most recent role in Credit Suisse has been the setup of an IT-wide program management and internal management consulting team which manages transformational and strategic IT projects across the bank.
James has a B.A. in Economics and is a former expert advisor to the European Commission on High Performance Networking and Computing
The Hon Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, UK Government
Ed Vaizey MP was elected as the Member of Parliament for Wantage and Didcot in May 2005.Born in 1968, Mr Vaizey attended Merton College, Oxford. After university he spent two years working as a political researcher, before training and practising as a barrister. From 1996-2004 he was director of a public relations company. In 2004 he became a political speech writer.
Mr Vaizey was Shadow Culture and Creative Industries Minister 2006-2010.
He married Alex in September 2005. They live in Sparsholt and London with their son Joseph and daughter Martha.
Adina-Ioana Valean MEP, Vice Chairwoman, Group of the Alliance of Liberals & Democrats for Europe, European Parliament
Activity in the European Parliament:
ALDE Vice President, Coordinator and member of the Petitions Committee, Member of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee, Member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, and Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly. Substitute member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Delegation for relations with the United States.
Important reports of Mrs Adina Valean:
- Electronic communications: roaming on public mobile telephone networks within the Community; regulatory framework for networks and services (amend. Regulation (EC) No 717/2007 and Directive 2002/21/EC),
Pastora Valero, Director EU Public Policy, Cisco Systems
Pastora Valero is Director of EU Public Policy with Cisco, and is responsible for developing and advancing Cisco’s technology and communications policy agenda with the European Institutions and National Regulators. Pastora also leads Cisco’s internal working group on smart grids global policies and regulations.
Pastora joined Cisco in 2003 and has over fifteen years of experience in regulatory and policy issues in the telecommunications and information technology area. She joined Cisco in 2003 and before that, she was Vice-President Regulatory Affairs for Global TeleSystems (GTS), a pan-European fibre optic network operator.
She started her career as a lawyer in private practice dealing in particular with EU competition and trade law issues.
Pastora is member of the Board of the FTTH Council Europe and the EABC (European American Business Council). She is Vice-chair of the Digital Economy Committee in Amcham EU and Chair of the Regulatory Working Group in Digital Europe.
Pastora, a qualified lawyer in Spain, holds a Masters degree in European law (ULB, Brussels) and an L.L.M in International law (VUB, Brussels).
Roberto Viola, RSPG (Radio Spectrum Policy Group) Chairman for 2010 & Secretary General, AGCOM
Roberto Viola holds a doctor degree in electronic engineering (Dr. Eng.) and a master in business administration (MBA). He is currently in charge of managing the overall AGCOM organisation as Secretary-General.
He is Chairman for the 2010 of the Radio Spectrum Policy group (RSPG).
He is AGCOM representative in BEREC.
He was Chairman for the 2007 of the European Regulatory Group (ERG).
He served in AGCOM (1999-2004), as Director of regulation department and technical Director being in charge of , inter alia, regulation in terrestrial, cable and satellite television, frequency planning, access and interconnection of communication services, cost accounting and tariff in telecommunication and broadcasting services.
From 1985-1999 he served in various position as a staff member of the European Space Agency (ESA) in particular, he has been head of telecommunication and broadcasting satellite services.
He pioneered novel communication systems (UMTS, satellite radio, digital broadcasting) publishing more than 100 scientific papers and holding key patents in the sector.
Martijn Visser, Investment Manager, Rabo Bouwfonds Communication Infrastructure Fund
Martijn Visser is Investment Manager at Rabo Bouwfonds Communication Infrastructure Fund. In this role he seeks and negotiates terms and conditions for new investments of the Fund and is responsible to seek appropriate financing for these transactions. Prior to joining CIF he was operations director of Reggefiber, the Dutch Fiber to the Home operator. From 2001 until 2006 he was COO and General Counsel at managed dark fiber provider, Eurofiber.
Before that Mr. Visser was a lawyer at Allen & Overy in Amsterdam specializing in telecoms and corporate law.
He has a Law degree from the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands. Mr. Visser has extensive experience in the acquisition of communications infrastructure assets and related M&A activities and has in depth knowledge of the (operational) organization of telecoms and communication infrastructure companies.
Date of birth: 11 June 1968
Nationality: Irish
Secondary education: Cistercian College, Roscrea, Ireland
Further education
Law:
- Trinity College, Dublin, LL.B. (1989)
- Cambridge University, LL.M. (1990)
- King's Inns, Dublin, Barrister (1992)
Career:
- Lecturer in Public Law, Trinity College Dublin (1991-1995)
- Court of Justice of the European Commission, Luxembourg (1995-2000)
- European Commission, Legal Service (2000-2006)
- Cabinet, Commissioner Neelie Kroes (2006-)
Languages: English (mother tongue), French, Italian, German, Some Dutch
Dr Lars Wiethaus, Manager, ESMT Competition Analysis
Dr Lars Wiethaus has been Manager at ESMT Competition Analysis since July 2008.
Prior to joining ESMT Competition Analysis, he worked as a Consultant for the Competition Policy Practice of LECG, London. Lars has extensive case experience in abuse of dominance and cartel cases. In-depth sector specific knowledge involves telecommunications, energy and the airline industry. His work in telecommunications and media covers regulatory advice to Irish telecom regulator ComReg, Ofcom’s market investigation into the UK pay TV sector, the proposed merger of Portugal Telecom/ Sonaecom and numerous regulatory
appointments and submissions. Recently, Lars worked extensively on access regulation, risk-sharing, investment incentives and consumer welfare in the context of Next Generation Networks (NGN). He published, among other, in the International Journal of Industrial Organization, Telecommunication Policy, Review of Industrial Organization and Economics of Innovation and New Technology. He is scientific referee for various academic journals.
Ed Willett, Commissioner, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
Edward Willett was re-appointed in June 2008 for a five-year term. Mr Willett is currently both a commissioner of the ACCC, specialising in communications matters, and an inaugural member of the AER.
Mr Willett chairs the Utility Regulators Forum and the ACCC’s Communications Committee. Before being appointed to the ACCC in 2003, Mr Willett was the inaugural executive director of the National Competition Council for seven years. Previously he worked as an assistant commissioner with the Industry Commission, helped develop the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Technology’s role in business law and regulation, spent three years as deputy head of the Commonwealth Office of Regulation Review, and was involved in other Industry Commission inquiry work.
He also spent three years with the New Zealand Ministry of External Relations and Trade as an advisor on international economics and trade, and eight years as an economist with the Department of Defence.
Mr Willett has degrees in law and economics and a post-graduate diploma in international law.
Kimon Zorbas, Vice President, IAB Europe (Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe)
Kimon is Vice President of the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe), a trade association responsible for promoting the growth of interactive advertising markets in Europe. IAB Europe represents the interests of more than 5,000 members including major media groups, agencies, portals, technology and service providers. In addition to corporate members IAB Europe also represents the interests of 30 European national associations, including Russia.
Kimon heads up the public policy programme of the association at European level, engaging with the European Institutions, other international bodies and the media to promote the association’s positions and interests. Key platform topics for IAB Europe include Data Protection, Advertising, e-Commerce and Consumer Protection.
Before joining IAB Europe, he worked for a major ICT related association where he was responsible for public policy on issues like software liability, data protection and ICT security, and also worked in-house on government affairs for a major semi-conductor company.
Kimon is a qualified lawyer, having undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of Tübingen, Germany and the K.U.Leuven, Belgium, respectively.
