Connecting the World from the Skies

Dr. Mohammed Altamimi, Governor of the Communications , Space and Technology Commission (CST), has extensive experience in organizational governance, politics, and competitive economics, and is recognized as a global expert in wireless networks and cloud computing.

Prior to taking on the Governorship at the CST, Dr. Altamimi served the organization as Deputy Governor for Regulation and Competition and acting Deputy Governor for Consumer Protection and Partnership.

A prominent contributor to the international discourse in the field of wireless technology. He has been instrumental in the establishment of a number of specialized research societies in Saudi Arabia, including the Saudi Association for Information Security (Hemaya) where he sits on the board of directors, and his work with the CST has seen him spearhead the preparation of systems, legislation, and regulations in the telecommunications and information technology sector in Saudi Arabia.

Among his many academic achievements, Dr. Altamimi has published several scientific papers in the field of telecommunications engineering and organizational economics. He is the vice president of a research group specializing in wireless networks, next-generation networks, and cloud computing at the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva. He also sits on the board of the Saudi Space Commission and the Saudi Broadcasting Authority.

Dr. Altamimi graduated from Harvard University’s Leadership Development program and holds a Ph.D. in telecommunications and networking from the University of Pittsburgh in the USA, a master’s degree in communications technology and policy from the University of Strathclyde in the UK, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals in Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Mario Maniewicz was elected Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He took office on 1 January 2019.

Mario Maniewicz is an electronic engineer specialized in telecommunications. He has been with the ITU for over 30 years, where he has served in high-level management positions in the Radiocommunication and Development Sectors as well as in ITU Regional Offices.

As Director, Mr. Maniewicz is responsible for the management of the Radiocommunication Bureau, which organizes and co-ordinates the work of the Radiocommunication Sector whose aim is to ensure the rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits.

Aarti Holla-Maini has been Secretary General of the GSOA (formerly ESOA) since 2004. She is a Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Space, the WEF Global 5G Coalition Network and the WEF Essential Digital Infrastructure & Services Network.

Under Aarti’s leadership, GSOA & its member CEOs lead the effort to showcase the benefits of satellite communications for a more inclusive and secure society – vital to bridging the world’s digital divide, achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the 5G ecosystem.

Since joining the association, Aarti has led the expansion of GSOA from a European association to one that represents the interests of 29 global and regional satellite operators. She reports directly to their Chief Executives.

Aarti has 25 years’ experience in the aerospace industry, starting at Daimler-Benz Aerospace/EADS (now Airbus) in Germany. In 2000, she moved to Brussels, representing Airbus interests in the European satellite navigation program: Galileo.

Aarti holds a Masters of Business Administration from HEC, France & Stern Business School, NYC, USA. She qualified as Solicitor of the Supreme Court in the UK in 1995, holding a 2:1 graded LLB Hons Law with German Law degree from King’s College, University of London & the University of Passau, Germany. She is also an alumnus of the International Space University. Aarti is of British-Indian origin and holds British and Belgian nationalities. She lives in Brussels, has 3 children and speaks 5 languages.

Ms. Khumbudzo Ntshavheni is the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies (August 2021-). She is an MBA graduate from Bradford University in the UK. She also holds several degrees from the University of Johannesburg (formerly Rand Afrikaans University). She held different positions in both the public service and private sector. She started as a lecturer at the University of South Africa. She is the former Spokesperson of the Premier in Limpopo (South Africa). She worked as a Chief Information Officer in Limpopo. Minister Ntshavheni also worked for the Trade and Investment Limpopo as a Tourism Investment Manager. She was also a Municipal Manager of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality. She was also the Chief Operations Officer at the State IT Agency. She served in several boards including DENEL (SA’s arms manufacturing company). Minister Ntshavheni was previously Minister for Small Business Development (2019 -2022 August). She was also the acting Minister in the Presidency (January 2021 until 05 August 2021). She is a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and a party member of the African National Congress.

Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation for the Republic of Ghana and a three terms Member of Parliament for the Ablekuma West constituency. As the Minister of Communications, she has oversight of the government’s infrastructure programme for the ICT Sector, the development of a robust framework to support the digitalisation of the economy and the scaling up of e-government services with a national broadband and total connectivity for the unserved and underserved at the heart of the agenda. She is passionate about supporting the local tech start up ecosystem, nurturing the development of indigenous technology and encouraging women, children and persons with disabilities to engage in ICT.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful holds a certificate in Government Integrity from the International Law Institute, Washington DC, a Project Management and Planning Certificate from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and a Masters in Conflict Peace and Security from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre. She is a lawyer, women’s rights activist, technology advocate and a product of the University Of Ghana And The Ghana School Of Law. She was called to the Ghana Bar in October 1990.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful worked for 10 years as an associate at Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co., Legal Practitioners and Notaries Public. From Sept 2005 to May 2008. She was the acting Managing Director, Western Telesystems (Westel), and from May 2008 to January 2009, became the Corporate and External Affairs Director, ZAIN Ghana.

She is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA).

She is the development Queen (Nkosuo Hemaa) of Akyem Asuom in the Eastern Region of Ghana

AWARDS

• Received the ‘CRANS MONTANA FORUM’ S GOLD MEDAL, at its 30th anniversary forum held in Geneva, Switzerland. She joined the late former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings and Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan as the only Ghanaians to have received the coveted award.
• Awarded by the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), a Non-Profit Organization of women lawyers for her tremendous work in the protection of the rights of Women and Children.
• Recognized for her exceptional commitment and participation as a valuable partner in ITU Telecom World
• Awarded Digital Leader of the Year at the 11^th Ghana Information Technology and Telecom awards (GITTA)

Greg Wyler is a technology entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor who conceived and founded O3B and OneWeb. He holds over 35 patents related to the design, implementation, and use of satellite communications technology. Greg founded O3B Networks, in partnership with Liberty Global, in 2007 with the goal of unlocking MEO orbit to deliver Internet to remote areas without the need for laying fiber. SES, Google, and HSBC became investors in O3B Networks in 2009, which raised over $1.2bn. By 2016, O3B had a firm backlog of $350 million with more than $100 million in current-year revenue, and SES exercised its option to purchase the company. After the success of his first company, Greg moved on to an even more ambitious venture: creating a network of hundreds of LEO satellites to deliver low-latency, high-speed Internet to connect the unconnected around the world. He founded OneWeb in 2012 with investment from Softbank, Bharti, Airbus, Intelsat, Virgin Group, Qualcomm, Hughes, Grupo Salinas, Maxar, and Coca-Cola. He raised over $3.3bn to further OneWeb’s mission to connect all the unconnected schools of the world and provide Internet to fuel economic growth, improve education, social development, advance gender equality and make healthcare more accessible across the globe.

Mr. Alwetaid is the Group CEO of stc with over two decades of experience in the telecom industry and information technology. He held multiple positions such as the senior VP of Consumer Business Unit at stc. Prior to that, he was the CEO of stc Bahrain, he had also chaired several group’s subsidiaries boards.

Whilst continuing to lead the stc Group’s efforts toward growth in scale and scope. Alwetaid is driving the Group’s strategy to sustain its position as a leading telecom operator and a digital enabler in the MENA region. All in line with the growth acceleration efforts in the kingdom and the region.

stc Group digital services expanded to various verticals beyond telecommunications (Fintech, IoT, cybersecurity, AI, data centers, connectivity, cloud computing, e-gaming, and other emerging tech solutions.)

Alwetaid holds a bachelor degree in electrical engineering from King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, and member of several local & international organizations, he is the Chairman of SAMENA, board member of GMSA, and board member of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

Mr. Al-Ulyan is the Saudi Aramco Vice President for Information Technology, where he is responsible
for driving the company’s IT strategy and maintaining a reliable and secure IT infrastructure across
Aramco and its affiliate organizations.
As VP, key responsibilities include building a skilled digital workforce, maintaining robust cyber
defenses and reshaping IT as part of Aramco’s digital transformation program.
He was appointed Manager of Aramco’s Computer Operations Department in July 2007. From June
2012 to May 2016, he was General Manager responsible for Aramco’s EXPEC Computer Center, one of
the largest scientific computing facilities in the world. He led Aramco’s crisis response and rapid recovery
plan following a massive cyber-attack in 2012. In May 2016 he assumed the position of Executive
Director of IT, before being appointed VP for IT in May 2017.
He chairs the not-for-profit National IT Academy and is a Board member on the CITC and SAV.
He completed the Executive University Program from INSEAD Business School in France in 2008 and
attended Oxford Energy Seminars at Oxford University in 2013, as well as Saudi Aramco Management
Development Seminars in Washington, D.C.
He holds a BSc in Computer Science from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.

Sunil Bharti Mittal is the Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, one of India’s foremost first-generation corporations with interests in Telecom, Space Communications, Digital Solutions, Insurance, Agri-Processed Foods, Real Estate and Hospitality. Bharti has joint ventures with several global partners like SingTel, SoftBank, AXA, Del Monte and the UK Government, amongst others.

Bharti Airtel, the flagship company of Bharti Enterprises, is a leading telecommunications company with operations in 17 countries and ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and Africa’s second-largest mobile operator, serving nearly half a billion customers across its operations.

In 2020, Bharti Global in partnership with the UK Government acquired OneWeb, a new-age Space Communications company which is setting up a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite system to provide high speed, low-latency broadband connectivity in deep rural areas, maritime & aviation routes and to the defense sector across the globe. Sunil is the Executive Chairman of OneWeb.

Sunil is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honors, awarded to individuals for demonstrating distinguished services of high order. He is a recipient of Harvard Business School’s Alumni Achievement Award, the highest alumni honor given by the institute. He is on Harvard University’s Global Advisory Council and has served on the Board of Dean’s Advisors at Harvard Business School.

Sunil received GSM Association’s prestigious Chairman’s Award and has been conferred Honorary Doctorates by several leading universities in India and Europe.
Sunil has served as the Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce and the Chairman of GSM Association concurrently from 2016 to 2018. He has been a Trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace from 2009 to 2021. He is a serving Commissioner of the International Telecommunication Union/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council and a member of the Global Board of Advisors at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Sunil has served on the boards of several multinational companies including Unilever PLC, Standard Chartered Bank PLC and SoftBank Corp.
Sunil is closely associated with spearheading the Indian industry’s global trade and investments initiatives. He has served as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry and has served on the Prime Minister of India’s Council on Trade and Industry. He is Co-Chair of the ICT and Emerging Technologies Working Group of the India-US CEO Forum and a member of the India-UK, India-Japan, India-Sweden CEO Forums. He is Co-Chair of the India-Africa Business Council.
Sunil believes that a responsible corporate has a duty to give back to the community in which it operates. This belief has resulted in Bharti Foundation, which operates more than 173 Satya Bharti Schools and supports over 752 government schools under its Quality Support Program to ensure holistic education.

As Provost, Dr. Lawrence Carin provides strategic and administrative leadership in all matters pertaining to faculty, students and education programs, including recruitment, retention, promotion, and talent development, as well as curriculum, dual/joint degrees, online and continuing education, and new academic programs.
Before coming to KAUST, Carin was the Vice President for Research at Duke University, where he also held a number of distinguished positions including the James L. Meriam and William H. Younger Distinguished Professorships of Engineering, Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and Vice Provost for Research.
Carin is a world-class researcher in the areas of AI & Machine Learning. His background in AI is highly complementary to the new digital thematic priority at KAUST, and will help attract top caliber talent to the Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) since 2001, and has co-authored over 450 academic papers with a Google Scholar H-Index of 87.”
As the Lead of the Duke Science & Technology Initiative (where several U.S. National Academic Members were hired) and through his other administrative positions at Duke, Carin has a strong track record of recruiting pre-eminent faculty. As part of his role as Vice President for Research, he oversaw the Duke Office of Licensing and Ventures. He also co-founded the Signal Innovations group (acquired by BAE Systems in 2014) and established Infinia ML to commercialize his research in AI/ML.
Prior to his tenure at Duke, Carin held assistant and associate professor positions at the Polytechnic University in Brooklyn (now New York University Tandon School of Engineering), New York. He received his doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Aarti Holla-Maini has been Secretary General of the GSOA (formerly ESOA) since 2004. She is a Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Space, the WEF Global 5G Coalition Network and the WEF Essential Digital Infrastructure & Services Network.

Under Aarti’s leadership, GSOA & its member CEOs lead the effort to showcase the benefits of satellite communications for a more inclusive and secure society – vital to bridging the world’s digital divide, achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the 5G ecosystem.

Since joining the association, Aarti has led the expansion of GSOA from a European association to one that represents the interests of 29 global and regional satellite operators. She reports directly to their Chief Executives.

Aarti has 25 years’ experience in the aerospace industry, starting at Daimler-Benz Aerospace/EADS (now Airbus) in Germany. In 2000, she moved to Brussels, representing Airbus interests in the European satellite navigation program: Galileo.

Aarti holds a Masters of Business Administration from HEC, France & Stern Business School, NYC, USA. She qualified as Solicitor of the Supreme Court in the UK in 1995, holding a 2:1 graded LLB Hons Law with German Law degree from King’s College, University of London & the University of Passau, Germany. She is also an alumnus of the International Space University. Aarti is of British-Indian origin and holds British and Belgian nationalities. She lives in Brussels, has 3 children and speaks 5 languages.

Catherine Kavvada was born in Greece in 1969.

A trained lawyer with a degree in Law from the Univeristy of Athens, she is specialised in
Air and Space Law with a Masters degree from the Univerity of Aix Marseille III.

Ms Kavvada joined the European Commission, in Brussels, in 1997 and worked initially in
the Research Framework Programmes.
Subsequently, as from 2000 her main service at the Commisssion related to space, in
particular the European flagship Satellite Navigation Programmes Galileo and EGNOS (Head
of Unit from 2011 to 2019 at DG GROW).

Her mandate continued in the realm of development and applications in the space sector as
Head of Unit in the newly created DG DEFIS in January 2020, until her appointment as
Director at the same DG as from 1 December 2020.

The career path of Ms Kavvada comprises various areas and stages of policy formulation,
legislative and budgetary decision-making, delivery of large-scale space programmes
including their security governance, international relations, communication, and human
resources management.

Currently the mandate of Ms Kavvada at the Directorate ‘Innovation and Outreach ’ at DG
DEFIS comprises new space initiatives with prevalent resilience and security features, space
data management policy with reinforced European credentials, mainstreaming of the
European New Space as a vector for society and economy, space research, synergies
between space and defence industry, and international relations and communication for the
whole of DG DEFIS.

Steve Collar was appointed CEO of SES in April 2018, having previously led both O3b Networks and SES Networks. As CEO of O3b Networks, Steve guided the company through the successful build and launch of its state-of-the-art non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite constellation. In 2015, the company officially became the fastest-growing satellite operator in history. O3b was fully acquired by SES in 2016, and now forms an integral part of SES Networks.

British-born Steve is an industry veteran, having held a variety of commercial, business development and technical roles at SES World Skies, SES New Skies, New Skies Satellites, Astrium, and Matra Marconi Space (now Airbus).

Philip Marnick is the General Director of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). He was appointed early January 2022 by the Members of the Board, to assume the position, paving the way for a more effective regulatory framework by continuing the evolution of the telecom sector liberalization.

Mr. Marnick leads the TRA, including the development of consumer protection initiatives and resolving disputes. The TRA develops regulatory rules that promote competition, innovation, and investment in broadband services and facilities, as well as developing a more comprehensive and competitive framework that aligns with international best practices. Ensuring that Bahrain remains a center of innovation and that its telecommunications sector serves everyone while supporting Bahrain’s strategic objectives.

Before assuming his role at the TRA, Philip managed and directed at Ofcom in the UK, where he was the Group Director of Spectrum responsible for all aspects of UK national and international spectrum management – from strategy to delivery including awards, clearance and enforcement.

Mr. Marnick has worked in the telecommunications sector for over 30 years. He has served as a senior executive in technology, operations, and strategy. Mr. Marnick has worked in both start-ups (from inception to sale) and major corporations, in firms such as UK Broadband, O2, Orange, BT, J-Phone in Japan (now Softbank Mobile), Extreme Mobile, and SpinVox (now Nuance).

From analogue to 5G, he has engaged across every mobile generation. Throughout his carrier he has been at the forefront of industry developments – in both fixed and mobile. He has collaborated on the first deployments of mobile networks utilizing new technologies and standards, this has also included innovative products such as the first camera phone and photo messaging service, as well as mobile internet and hosted voice services.

Samer Halawi is a seasoned Telecom executive with a successful track record in building and transforming companies, globally. He brings tremendous experience and expertise, with more than 30 years in the automotive industry, investment banking, telecommunications, and global satellite communications.

Samer is currently the CEO of Airbus HAPS Connectivity Solutions Ltd., an Airbus subsidiary developing a connectivity and earth observation business that leverages the pioneering and record-breaking Zephyr HAPS (High Altitude Platform Stations).

Before that, Samer was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Intelsat, where he was responsible for leading the Company’s global commercial operations with revenues close to $2 billion, including the mobility, media, government, and enterprise businesses, as well as the sales and marketing and communications teams.

Prior to joining Intelsat, Samer served as Chief Commercial Officer for OneWeb where he established and oversaw the product management, distribution, communications, business development, strategy, and sales and marketing functions for the company. Before that, Samer held the position of Chief Executive Officer for Thuraya Telecommunications Company for six years, where he led a turnaround in Thuraya’s performance and positioning and drove its growth to become a prominent international mobile satellite operator.

Samer spent eight years at Inmarsat in global strategy and running operations for the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. His telecommunications experience includes roles at Flag Telecom and ICO Global Communications (ICO). His role at ICO followed a private placement for the shares of the company that he led during a three-year period in investment banking in the Middle East. Samer began his career in the automotive industry, where he occupied several positions with Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company in Michigan, USA.

Samer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Lawrence Technological University and an MBA from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in the United States. He speaks 3 languages fluently.

Richard joined Stratospheric Platforms in November 2018 and became CEO in February 2019. He was previously Global Head of Aerospace in PA Consulting. From 2010-2015, he was CEO of NATS; a privately-owned company with a turnover of £925M providing air traffic management and airport operations around the world. During that time, NATS delivered the best period of safety, operational performance, and financial results on record, whilst incorporating challenges ranging from volcanic ash, Olympic Games airspace management, international business development, organisational restructuring and wide ranging political and media engagement.

Previously he was SVP of Thales Group’s Air Systems Division based in Paris and lead the UK’s tactical military drone program for Thales, including serving in Afghanistan. He has worked extensively on civil drones and UTM systems and was appointed as a member of the UK government’s Drone Industry Action Group in 2016. Richard has 30 years’ experience of major programs in the aerospace and defense industry sector with BAE Systems, TRW Aeronautical Systems and GKN.

A Chartered Engineer, Richard holds a first-class honors degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Kingston University and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and holds an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Kingston University.

Jose is an engineer, patented inventor and pioneer in NewSpace in Europe. In 2009 he founded Zero 2 Infinity to make access to Space affordable and sustainable. His seminal work has sparked a renaissance of high-altitude ballooning with applications ranging from telecommunications to Space Tourism. Zero 2 Infinity is the most active player in Europe in Near Space flights with over 50 missions for customers such as Airbus. He’s convinced that frequent and low-cost access to Space can be achieved without relying on new technologies by leveraging what already exists in a different way. Prior to building Zero 2 Infinity he was involved in some of the most demanding aerospace challenges including algorithms for Boeing Phantom Works, cryogenic tank design on the Ariane 5, and performing microgravity experiments for the European Space Agency. He graduated in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and got his MBA at the College des Ingenieurs in Paris.

Vasanth has broad experience in SoftBank’s Non-Terrestrial Network including Global Business Development for HAPS and Japan Domestic B2B development for Oneweb and Satellite based NB-IoT & Direct to Device solutions in SoftBank Corp.

He has executed over 20 successful deals with mobile operators in 18 countries and also led HAPSMobile Inc Board Member and Management meetings.

He also leads the strategic planning for SoftBank’s African business for underserved communities and schools to provide Sustainable Satellite connectivity and Edtech platform.

With broad experience in the telecoms and technology sectors, Andy has a particular interest in spectrum (auctions and valuation) and the impact of new technology (5G, AI, IoT and Big Data). Spectrivity, his latest venture, exists to support companies in maximising the opportunities created by spectrum auctions. Andy has recently supported major clients in auctions in the US, Canada, South Africa and Zambia. He also provides expert advice around spectrum policy and pricing, most recently in Australia and Hungary.
Through his roles as Head of Policy for the GSMA and as Director of Spectrum Policy at Ofcom, he brings a deep understanding of both the industry and regulatory perspectives around the world. Previously, Andy spent 12 years at Vodafone, where he held various senior product development, corporate strategy and policy roles. As Head of Spectrum Policy, he was responsible for managing spectrum policy and auctions across the Vodafone Group. He was frequently in Africa, India or Europe, supporting Vodafone’s local operating companies, and managed the acquisition or renewal of spectrum in over 20 countries for a total of €9.5bn.
In 2000, he was part of the senior management team which spun an internet payments and encryption company out of NatWest. He was formerly a management consultant and a research scientist at Sharp Laboratories of Europe and Sony Corporation, based in Japan. He has a doctorate in Engineering Science from Oxford University and an MBA.

Elodie Viau joined ESA as Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications from 1 September 2020. For 12 years prior to this, Ms Viau worked for SES. As Vice-President for Technology Program Management, she led new space segment development as well as end-to-end system design and implementation of new integrated services. Previously, she was the SES Program Manager of nine satellites built by Airbus. She gained two MSc: respectively from Télécom Sud Paris and from the International Space University complemented by an MBA from the Open University.

Dr. Badr N. Alsuwaidan is Senior Vice President and CTO Officer where joined Arabsat in 2020, He had previously served as a consultant for the newly established Saudi Space Commission in June 2019.

previously, Dr. Badr AlSuwaidan served as a Director of the Space Research Institute and in King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia and lead in several programs and space missions, including the first Saudi Geo satellite SGS-1 in cooperation with Arabsat, and the Saudi satellite ‘SaudiSat 4’ in cooperation with the NASA Ames.

He received his B.S. in mechanical Engineering from King Saud University, and Ph.D. in Aerospace from University at Buffalo, USA on Control and Optimal estimation

Neil is the Chief Executive Officer of the global communications company OneWeb. He joined the company in October 2020 to lead it through the next phase of its growth under the new joint ownership of the UK Government and Bharti Global Ltd.

Before joining OneWeb, Neil spent over 20 years at Thomson Reuters in a number of roles, ultimately ending as co-COO of the global news, information and software group. In this leadership position he was responsible for over $6bn of revenues and oversaw 20,000 staff, ensuring both the profitability and overall business performance of the business across all of its marketing, digital, commercial operations, technology, cyber, and content functions.

During his career at Thomson Reuters Neil has built up an impressive track record of delivering outstanding operational results involving M&A/divestitures (20 in total), rapid scaling of services, cost take-outs (close to $1bn saved at enterprise level), organisational restructuring, and talent upgrading in senior executive roles.

Neil’s most notable achievements during his stint as COO included: the successful reframing of Thomson Reuters’ enterprise strategy; the leveraging of emerging technology and digital within the business; the delivery of new capabilities to add industry-leading data and content to the company’s offer; and, the integration of 300 disparate businesses following a decade of acquisitions into one common culture and lexicon – all ultimately helping to deliver growth in market share that drove $8bn of value creation for shareholders.

Neil has also served in a number of independent senior advisory roles, including on the board of the financial information company Refinitiv and on the board of advisors for the global technology company IBM.

Before joining Thomson Reuters, Neil spent 5 years at KPMG. He has a BA in Geography from University College London and is a Chartered Accountant.

Roger Tong has been serving as AsiaSat’s Chief Executive Officer since 2018. He joined AsiaSat as General Manager, Engineering in 2008, and has held positions of increasing technical responsibilities before being promoted to Chief Technical Officer in 2016. During his tenure, AsiaSat has added five large geostationary satellites to its fleet and has built an extension to the Tai Po Earth Station, significantly expanding the company’s capabilities both in space and on the ground.

Roger graduated summa cum laude from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, with a Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and a Master’s degree in electrical engineering. He was a gold medalist graduate of an MBA programme at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada, and holds a doctorate in business administration from the University of Newcastle in Australia. Roger was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2020.

Roger has been serving as a director of the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) since 2018, representing the interest of the satellite operator community and providing leadership in tackling various challenges faced by the video industry.

As Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Jassem Nasser steers Thuraya’s vision and mission, and heads the company’s strategic, marketing and change management initiatives. In his current role, Jassem is responsible for corporate strategy, product management, business development and marketing activities. He explores and leads new ventures outside Thuraya’s core MSS business through partnerships and alliances.

Prior to his current assignment, Jassem led Thuraya’s strategy and business development streams as Chief Strategy Officer. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the satellite industry, imparting strategic direction and overseeing functions including business development, corporate planning spectrum and regulatory affairs. Jassem’s engineering background and expertise has been applied to a business environment that specializes in satellite communication technologies and other radio communication systems. He was actively involved in setting up and managing Thuraya as a start-up satellite organization, and was thereafter part of its various stages of development by formulating and leading strategic priorities, directions and business initiatives.

Jassem graduated with first class honours from the UAE’s Khalifa University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications engineering.

Abdulah Aljohani (Senior Member, IEEE) received his B.Sc (Eng.) degree (Hons.) in electronics and communication engineering from King Abdulaziz University, in 2006, and M.Sc. (Distinction) and Ph.D. degrees, in wireless communication from University of Southampton, Southampton, U.K., in 2010 and 2016, respectively. He is currently a Research & Innovation Consultant at Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), an Associate Professor with the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, and a research associate at the Center of Excellence in Intelligent Engineering Systems, King Abdulaziz University. His research interests include spectrum management techniques, 6G, Non-Terrestrial Networks, channel coding, cooperative communications, space-time coding, free-space optical communication, and MIMO systems. He has published over 30 articles and has granted 13 U.S. patents. He has won more than 10 research grants and multiple innovation and best paper awards.

Lajos Hanzo received his Masters degree in electronics in 1976 and his Doctorate in 1983 from the Technical University of Budapest. In 2010 he was awarded the university’s highest honour, namely the Honorary Doctorate “Doctor Honaris Causa”. Since 1986 he has been with the University of Southampton, UK and in 2004 he was awarded the Doctor of Sciences (DSc) degree. During his 46-year career in telecommunications he has held various research and academic posts in Hungary, Germany and the UK. Since 1986 he has been a member of academic staff in the School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, UK, where he currently holds the Chair in Telecommunications and during 2009 – 2012 he was also a Chaired Professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

Lajos Hanzo has co-authored 19 John Wiley/IEEE Press books totalling about 10 000 pages on mobile radio communications, and published 2000+ research papers and book chapters at IEEE Xplore. He has acted as General Chair of major IEEE conferences, such as WCNC’2006, WCNC’2009, VTC’2011, ICC’13, EUSIPCO’16 and ICASSP’19. He has presented tutorials as well as keynote lectures at international conferences. Lajos is also an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer of both the Communications Society and the Vehicular Society as well as a Fellow of both the IEEE and the IEE/IET, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). Furthermore, he is a EURASIP Fellow. He is acting as a Governor of the IEEE VTS. During 2009 – 2012 Lajos was the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Press. He has been awarded a number of distinctions, most recently the IEEE Wireless Technical Committee Achievement Award (2007), the IET Sir Monti Finniston Achievement Award across all disciplines of engineering (2008), the ComSoc Radio Communications Award, as well as the ComSoc Signal Processing for Communications Electronics Award. He was bestowed upon an Honorary Doctorate of the Technical University of Budapest (2010) and of the University of Edinburgh (2015). He has been bestowed upon the EURASIP Papoulis Award, the IEEE COMSOC Education Award and the IEEE’s Eric Sumner Field Award. His most recent paper awards are: WCNC’2007 in Hong Kong, ICC’2009 Dresden, ICC’2010 Cape Town and GC’2019.

Currently he heads an academic research team working on a range of research projects in the field of wireless multimedia communications aiming for flawless tele-presence, supported by rich three-dimensional audio/video communications. His research is sponsored by industry, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UK. He is the holder of the European Research Council’s Advanced Fellow Award. He has been a member of the the Mobile Virtual Centre of Excellence (VCE), UK since its inception. He is an enthusiastic supporter of industrial and academic liaison and he offers a range of industrial courses. For further information on research in progress and associated publications please refer to http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/people/lh and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lajos_Hanzo.

Mohamed-Slim Alouini was born in Tunis, Tunisia. He received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1998. He served as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota then in the Texas A&M University at Qatar before joining in 2009 the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) where he is now a Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Prof. Alouini is a Fellow of the IEEE and Optica (Formerly the Optical Society of America (OSA)). He is currently particularly interested in addressing the technical challenges associated with the uneven distribution, access to, and use of information and communication technologies in far-flung, rural, low-income, disaster, and/or hard-to-reach areas.

Hiroyuki Tsuji received D.E. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, in 1992. In 1992, he joined the Communications Research Laboratory (CRL, now part of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, or NICT). From 1999 to 2000, he was a visiting research fellow of the University of Minnesota. His research interests are antenna systems and related signal processing for wireless communications, unmanned aircraft communication systems, and other satellite communication systems. He is now the Director of the Space Communication Systems Laboratory of Wireless Networks Research Center in NICT.

Michel is an Engineer from French Engineering school Sup’Aero, and also a Master of Sciences in Aerospace Engineering from University of Southern California.

For over 30 years, Michel has worked in defence, aeronautics and telecommunications industries. He commenced his career designing tactical radio networks and ultimately became responsible for the Marketing and Sales towards the French customers of all Thales Communications systems and services which encompass Combat Net Radios, tactical networks, comint products and information systems.

In 2003, he moved to Thales Training & Simulation (TT&S) responsible for very large service bids and programs including full financing packages for the German NH90, the A400M, and Helisim simulator training centers. In addition he also managed large bids for the operation of airborne platforms such as the UK MoD and DFTS Search and Rescue Helicopter programs. 

In 2009, he joined Thales’s space division, to be responsible for the sale and lease back of the Syracuse 3 (French milsatcom constellation) and, subsequently, the Syracuse 4 satellite offer to the French MoD.

Since 2015, Michel has been responsible for the business development and sales of Stratobus – a new, high altitude platform (HAPS) currently under development in France and in Europe.

Dean Bubley (@disruptivedean) is the founder of Disruptive Analysis, an independent technology industry analyst and consulting firm based in London. An outspoken analyst & futurist with over 25 years’ experience, he specialises in mobile / telecoms fields, with an eye on the broader technological, governmental and societal contexts. He is one of the leading market observers and forecasters covering 5G, 6G, Wi-Fi, edge/cloud compute, enterprise private networks, IoT, new telecom business models, voice/video communications and broadband/spectrum policy.

He is known as a contrarian and visionary, often with challenging opinions that go against industry consensus. Speaking at over 30 conferences and other events per year, and quoted by publications such as The Economist, FT & Wall Street Journal, he is an authority and provocateur. He regularly appears in technology industry videos, podcasts and blogs.

His clients include many of the world’s leading telecom operators, vendors, regulators and industry associations, conducting advisory projects & internal workshop exercises. He also acts as associate director in charge of Network Futures research for STL Partners. He provides clients with advice and analytical opinion on topics such as emerging trend “myth-busting”, business model validation, technology innovation and go-to-market strategies, “addressable market sizing”, planning and due diligence.

Mr Bubley was formerly an equity analyst, covering communications stocks, with the UK arm of investment bank Robert W. Baird. Prior to that, he spent eight years at UK research firm Datamonitor, where he co-founded the company’s Technology business, managed the Internet & Networking area and custom consulting operations, with roles of Chief Analyst & Director of Consulting. He holds a BA in Physics from Keble College, Oxford University.

William is CTO at Access Partnership. He was one of the founding directors of Neul, a company developing machine-to-machine technologies and networks, which was formed at the start of 2011 and became CEO of the Weightless SIG, a body standardizing IoT technology. Prior to this William was a Director at Ofcom where he managed a team providing technical advice and performing research. He has worked for a range of communications consultancies and spent three years providing strategic management across Motorola’s entire communications portfolio, based in Chicago. He was IET President 2014-2015.

William has published 17 books, 100 papers, and 18 patents. He is a Visiting Professor at Southampton University, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the IEEE and the IET. He has been awarded multiple honorary doctorates by the UK’s leading universities and in 2018 was awarded the IET’s prestigious Mountbatten Medal for technology entrepreneurship.

Ram Viswanathan brings decades of experience forging new frontiers in the telecommunications and satellite industries to Omnispace. As President and CEO, Ram sets the strategic direction for the development and delivery of the world’s first satellite and 5G-based ‘one global network.’

Previously, as CEO of Devas Multimedia, Ram pioneered the development of India’s satellite-terrestrial broadband internet and media services platform. Prior to that, he led the strategic partnerships as CSO and EVP of Business Development at Cidera. As WorldSpace’s SVP of Corporate Development, he helped formulated the successful U.S. joint venture, XM Satellite Radio.

At McKinsey & Company, Ram worked with U.S. and European telecommunications and technology clients and assisted in establishing its India consulting practice. He also held positions at Goldman Sachs & Company in investment banking, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.

Ram is an advisor to Columbia Capital, Telcom Ventures and Adelphi Capital. He holds a master’s degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management, a master’s degree in engineering from Stanford University, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering and economics from the University of Maryland.

Dirk is co-founder and Managing Director of SkyFive. He previously spent 19 years with Nokia in telecommunications, leading several early-stage innovation projects to commercialization, including the launch of Nokia’s first Multi-access Edge Computing product. Prior to Nokia, Dirk spent 10 years in military aviation, and enjoys being a pilot still today. He holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering.

Matias is an Ecuadorian engineer and space enthusiast. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA), where he obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering and a Minor in Robotics Engineering. Additionally, Matias obtained a Physics teaching license from the state of Massachusetts. Matias started his career in Germany, and then returned home to Ecuador to become a space entrepreneur. Matias is the founder and CEO of Astralintu Space Technologies, which focuses on providing in-orbit and ground segment services from latitude cero. Astralintu looks to grant easier space access to emerging actors in Latin America and the world

Additionally, Matias volunteers as the STEM Program Director for the Sideralis Foundation acts as the SGAC’s National Point of Contact for Ecuador, is the current Vice-Chair of the IAF Administrative Committee for Developing Countries and Emerging Communities, and is the Chair of the IAF Latin American and Caribbean Subcommittee. Matias has been recognized as an Emerging Space Leader by the International Astronautical Federation and as a Space Generation Leader by the SGAC. Through engineering and education, Matías looks to lead and promote the development of the New Space industry in Latin America so the region can attain all its benefits.

Bio Coming Shortly

Matt Desch is the Chief Executive Officer of Iridium Communications Inc., the only satellite communications company that offers truly global voice and data coverage. He has more than 40 years of experience in telecommunications management, and more than 30 years in the global wireless industry. Joining Iridium in 2006, Desch has been responsible for leading the innovation and growth of Iridium, which includes taking the company public on Nasdaq (IRDM) in 2009, completing the financing and development of Iridium® NEXT, the company’s $3 billion investment in upgrading the Iridium network with powerful new satellites, and launching Iridium Certus®, a multi-service broadband platform enabled by the upgraded constellation. With Mr. Desch at the helm, Iridium’s active subscriber base has grown from 150,000 in 2006, to nearly 1.8 million today, and dramatically expanded its operational earnings and free cash flow, while moving into important new services like global space-based aircraft tracking with its joint-venture, Aireon. Mr. Desch serves as a member of the U.S. President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) and is a member on the Board of Trustees of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Board of Directors of Unisys, global IT services firm. Mr. Desch holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from The Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Chicago

Gregory Ewert shapes and executes Intelsat’s global business development strategy across the company’s network, mobility, media and government business units. He is also responsible for the structuring of Intelsat’s strategic roadmap and forging partnerships that will advance the company’s technology and service platforms, particularly for emerging applications such as mobility, cloud, and the companies multi-orbit network strategy.

Mr. Ewert has decades of experience in the mobility sector of telecommunications spanning wireless, fiber and satellite expertise. Before joining Intelsat in 2019, he served as president, Connected Car & Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for Inmarsat. At Inmarsat, he led cross-functional teams responsible for the building of the company’s Connected Car and ITS business as well as the development of long-term strategies and partnerships that would drive the growth of the business. He also served on the Management Committee and was president of the Enterprise Business Unit.

Before joining Inmarsat, Mr. Ewert spent 10 years at Iridium, where he held the position of executive vice president, Sales and Marketing. In that position, he helped establish the foundation from post-bankruptcy through a public offering via the first industry SPAC. He supported, developed, and executed the business plans, product roadmaps, infrastructure investments, channel distribution strategy and partnerships that secured long term operational success.

Before his jump to satellite Mr. Ewert spent over 10 years in the MNO world with Sprint and BCE (Bell Canada).During this time, he was instrumental in establishing Sprint’s first offshore operating company, Sprint International of Canada. This led to the formation of GlobalOne, a joint venture of DT, Orange, and Sprint. Mr. Ewert served on the executive team at GlobalOne overseeing Western Hemisphere operations. At BCE Mr. Ewert held various positions including senior vice president of Data Services, co-chaired the capital committee and held executive positions at their American operating company Teleglobe.

Mr. Ewert earned a Bachelor of Science Degree, in Finance, from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. He was the co-Chairman of the Connected Car Association and currently serves on the board of the HAPS Alliance.

Abdullah Al Kanhal, Chief Strategy Officer in STC.

Abdullah have more than 20 years of experience in the telecom industry in multiple technical and commercial roles in different areas including network equipment vendor, operator, policy maker and regulator. Prior to his current role he was the Deputy minister for Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure.

Abdullah holds a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering and Master of Business Administration.

Waleed Alasmary received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, in 2015. During his Ph.D. degree, he was a Visiting Research Scholar with the Network Research Laboratory, UCLA, in 2014. He was a Fulbright Scholar with the CSAIL Laboratory, MIT, from 2016 to 2017. He is the advisor for the Governor of Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) from 2020 to 2021. He is the Founding Director of Research and Innovation Center at CST where he currently works.

Giovanni Geraci is an Assistant Professor at University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona and the Head of Telecommunications Engineering. He was previously with Nokia Bell Labs, holds a Ph.D. from the UNSW Sydney, and is co-inventor of a dozen patents on wireless technologies. He serves as Distinguished Lecturer for IEEE ComSoc and IEEE VTS, is a co-Editor of the book “UAV Communications for 5G and Beyond” by Wiley—IEEE Press, and received the IEEE ComSoc EMEA Outstanding Young Researcher Award.

Rajeev was appointed as Inmarsat’s Chief Executive Officer in March 2021 and as Chair of the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) in March 2022.

He joined Inmarsat from Nokia, where he was most recently President and Chief Executive Officer. From 2009 to 2014 Rajeev was Chief Executive Officer of Nokia Solutions and Networks. During his tenure as CEO, he transformed Nokia into a top two telecommunications infrastructure company, led the consolidation of the sector from ten to three major players, positioned Nokia as a leader in a world connected by 5G and shaped by increasing digitalisation and automation. Under his leadership, Nokia acquired the networks businesses of Siemens, Motorola, Alcatel-Lucent, including the famed Bell Labs, successfully expanded into enterprise vertical markets, created the world’s leading standalone telecom software business, significantly grew the annual recurring revenue patent licensing business and engineered the return of the Nokia brand to mobile phones.

Rajeev has lived and worked in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe. In March 2021, he was reappointed as a Commissioner of the United Nations Broadband Commission. He was Co-Chair of the digitalisation task force for the B20 and member of various digital and healthcare committees at the World Economic Forum. Rajeev was a member of the Chinese Premier’s Global CEO Council from 2014 to 2020, a recipient of China’s Marco Polo award; the highest honour awarded to an international business person from the Chinese government. Rajeev is an engineering graduate in Electronics and Communications and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Manipal University.

Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (born in Pantami), PhD, FCIIS, FBCS, FNCS, is the Minister of Communications and the first ever Minister of Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since 2019. He was appointed by the United Nations through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as Chairman of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Forum for the year 2022, and chairs 193+ ministers of ICT globally. He is also a Council Member of the ITU representing the Federal Government of Nigeria.  He has the distinction of being the first African to be certified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) amongst 89 other Fellows

Dr. Soren Tang Sorensen is a London-based Associate Director at NERA with more than 15 years of experience advising clients on auction design and bidding strategy in auctions. He has extensive experience with spectrum auctions, having advised clients on spectrum auctions in more than 40 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. Dr. Sorensen helps his clients with auction design and implementation and provides advice on bidding strategies for mobile network operators. He frequently provides on-site strategy support during live auctions, and he has experience with all common auction formats for spectrum auctions, including Combinatorial Clock Auction (CCA), Combinatorial Multiple Round Auction (CMRA), Simultaneous Multiple Round Auction (SMRA), Clock Auction (CA), First/Second Price Sealed Bid Auction (FPSB/SPSB), and various hybrid auction formats.

Dr. Sorensen has developed software for complex optimisation problems. He has developed integer programming algorithms that have been adapted to winner and price determination problems for more than 20 combinatorial auctions; he has implemented satisfiability algorithms to analyse the spectrum re-packaging problem in the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Incentive Auction; and he has implemented graph and network algorithms for optimising fixed line telecommunications networks using GIS data.

In addition to his work on spectrum auctions, Dr. Sorensen has advised clients on auction design and bidding strategies in diverse markets, including natural gas (gas and gas storage capacity); electricity (capacity markets, procurement, interconnector capacity); renewable energy (off-shore wind sites, contract for difference contracts); water abstraction rights; airport slots; TV broadcasting licences; rough diamonds; industrial procurement; and horse racing courses.

Dr. Sorensen holds a PhD in economics from the University of Aarhus, Denmark, where he specialised in microeconomics, game theory, and auction design. He published part of his PhD thesis in Economics Letters and has co-authored a chapter on CCA for the Handbook of Spectrum Auctions, published by Cambridge University Press. He is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences on spectrum policy.

Bio Coming Shortly

Charles Miller is co-founder and CEO of Lynk. He is a serial space entrepreneur with 30 years of experience in the space industry. Charles has been the founder or co-founder of multiple private ventures and organizations. In addition, he is a national leader in creating and developing public-private partnerships in commercial space to serve public needs. One of Charles’ previous startups is NanoRacks, which has delivered more than 700 payloads to space and is the current world leader in nanosatellite launches. Charles served as NASA’s Senior Advisor for Commercial Space from 2009-2012, where he advised NASA leadership on commercial public-private partnerships. At NASA, he managed US teams that developed strategies for commercial development of reusable launch vehicles, on-orbit satellite servicing, orbital debris removal, microgravity applications, lunar development, space communications, and space solar power. Charles’ clients have included NASA, DARPA, the USAF, and many private commercial space firms

Peter Hadinger joined Inmarsat in 2011 to develop the government-focused
capabilities of the Global Xpress program. He subsequently became President of the
US Government business unit and in 2017 Chief Technology Officer. In that role he is
responsible for developing the future of Inmarsat’s global network of satellites,
ground systems, networks and terminals.

Prior to Inmarsat, Mr Hadinger spent 30 years as a leader in technology development,
engineering and spacecraft programs at TRW and Northrop Grumman and holds
several patents in advanced satellite communications. In addition, he has taken
leadership roles for the satellite industry in crafting the global Telecom Services
Agreement at the WTO, as Vice-Chair of the FCC’s WRC-07 Advisory Committee and
Vice-Chair of the Satellite Task Force for the President’s National Security Telecom
Advisory Committee.

Mr Hadinger is a past chairman of the Satellite Industry Association and served as a
Brookings Congressional Fellow in the US Senate. He received a BSEEE from California
State Polytechnic University, an MBA from George Mason University and serves on
engineering advisory boards at Virginia Tech.

Elizabeth is currently Head of Satellite Industry Engagement at Ofcom, joining the organisation in September 2017.

She engages with the UK space sector – government, industry and academia – to understand the strategic trends in the space sector and to support policy on emerging space spectrum needs.

Prior to this, Elizabeth worked for 12 years at the Royal United Services Institute, the UK’s premier Defence and Security think tank. Work at RUSI involved conducting research, organising seminars, meetings and conferences, talking to the media and briefing parliament, including giving evidence to parliamentary select committees.

Elizabeth is an engineer by training. In 2001 she took a graduate assistant position at the University of Texas A&M where she worked for two years on a DARPA project investigating collaborative underwater robotics.

Elizabeth holds an MEng in Automatic Control and Systems Engineering from the University of Sheffield and an MSc in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas A&M.

Guy is based in Munich, Germany and is currently responsible for spectrum regulatory issues involving the recently launched Emergency SOS via satellite feature on the iPhone 14.  Prior to joining Apple in 2020, Guy held a number of regulatory and market access positions with Viasat, Inmarsat/Global Xpress, Boeing and Alcatel.

Charles Miller is co-founder and CEO of Lynk. He is a serial space entrepreneur with 30 years of experience in the space industry. Charles has been the founder or co-founder of multiple private ventures and organizations. In addition, he is a national leader in creating and developing public-private partnerships in commercial space to serve public needs. One of Charles’ previous startups is NanoRacks, which has delivered more than 700 payloads to space and is the current world leader in nanosatellite launches. Charles served as NASA’s Senior Advisor for Commercial Space from 2009-2012, where he advised NASA leadership on commercial public-private partnerships. At NASA, he managed US teams that developed strategies for commercial development of reusable launch vehicles, on-orbit satellite servicing, orbital debris removal, microgravity applications, lunar development, space communications, and space solar power. Charles’ clients have included NASA, DARPA, the USAF, and many private commercial space firms

Mindel De La Torre leads all regulatory and international market entry matters for Omnispace’s seamless ‘one global network.’ In this role, she applies her expertise in licensing, spectrum policy and international telecommunications to obtain key regulatory approvals on behalf of the company. Previously, Mindel was Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission, where she led the agency’s efforts internationally – both on a bilateral and multilateral basis – including licensing of satellites. Prior to that, Mindel was President of Telecommunications Management Group, Inc., a leading global telecommunications policy consultancy. Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions on delegations to ITU global conferences. She also held various posts at the Department of Commerce in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the General Counsel’s office. Mindel received her juris doctorate from the University of Texas and holds her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University. She is a member of the Texas bar and the Federal Communications Bar Association and speaks Portuguese, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Natalia Vicente is the Director of Public Affairs & Communications at GSOA, formerly ESOA (EMEA Satellite Operators Assoaciation), where she works closely with the Secretary General and the CEOs of GSOA Member companies to drive high-level advocacy for the satellite communications sector. Specifically, Natalia focuses on the Development Agenda working with international organisations to ensure nation states understand the value of leveraging available satellite communications services to bridge digital, education and health divides in their countries.

Natalia is also a Board Member of the European Internet Forum where she represents GSOA in front of Members of the European Parliament. Natalia has over a decade of experience in the digital sector, focusing on public policy, government relations and building international partnerships.

Before joining ESOA, Natalia worked for the European Telecommunications Network Operator’s (ETNO) working on public and regulatory affairs. Prior to that, she worked for Telefonica, Telecom Italia and TagTagCity, where she was one of the first employees involved in establishing a start-up venture providing mobile solutions to municipalities and local businesses in Belgium.

Natalia is a qualified lawyer with an LLM from the University Autonoma of Madrid and holds a Master of Business Administration specialised in Marketing. She is a Spanish national, lives in Brussels and speaks 4 languages.

Jennifer A. Manner is Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at EchoStar Corporation/Hughes Network Systems LLC where she is responsible for the company’s domestic and international regulatory and policy issues, including spectrum management, new technologies and market access. Prior to this, Ms. Manner was Deputy Chief of the Office and Engineering and Technology and before that Deputy Chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau where she has had a focus on broadband and other related issues.

Ms. Manner previously served as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at SkyTerra Communications, LLC, where she handled the company’s domestic and international regulatory and policy issues. Before joining SkyTerra, Ms. Manner served as Senior Counsel to FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy with responsibility for wireless, international and new technology issues. Ms. Manner joined the Commissioner’s office after working at MCI Communications Corporation, later WorldCom, Inc., as Associate Counsel for Foreign Market Access and then as International Wireless Services and Director of International Alliances. Prior to this position, Ms. Manner was an associate in the Communications Group at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, L.P. Before joining Akin, Gump, Ms. Manner was an Attorney-Advisor at the FCC.

Ms. Manner has published several books on telecommunications issues including on spectrum and foreign market access, and has written numerous law review and magazine articles. Ms. Manner holds and has held key leadership roles including in Satellite Industry Association the US ITU Association, the EMEA Satellite Operators Association, the Global VSAT Forum, in study groups at the International Telecommunications Union including ITU-R Task Group 5/1, as well as serving in leadership roles in federal advisory committees. Ms. Manner is also a member of the Advisory Board of Geeks Without Frontiers. Ms. Manner also has served on numerous U.S. delegations to international treaty negotiations. Ms. Manner currently served for over 15 years as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and previously served as an adjunct professor of the Washington College of Law at American University.

Ms. Manner received her B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany, from where she serves as on the Alumni Board of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and was awarded the Outstanding Alumni in Political Science Award. She received her J.D. cum laude from New York Law School and LL.M. with distinction from Georgetown University Law Center. Ms. Manner is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., New York and Connecticut.

Ms. Manner has also been named as one of the top 2017 and 208 100 broadband and media attorneys by CableFax, one of the most powerful women in the world by CableFax in 2018, and was awarded the EchoStar 2013 Most Valuable Player Award, the 2012 FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau’s Chief’s Meritorious Service Award, the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award in Political Science from the Rockefeller College, State University of New York at Albany and the 2011 Wireless Communications Association International’s Government Service Award. Ms. Manner was the recipient of EchoStar’s CEO Award in 2019.

Ms. Manner, a film-maker, was a finalist for her movie at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and has under production her latest film, When Wire Was King, The Transformation of Telecommunications, expected for release in late 2020.

Michal Brichta is a co-founder of the newly-established Slovak Space Office and the director of its Industry Branch working under the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO). In 2019 he initiated a new strategic approach to the comprehensive development of national space industry capabilities. Building on this approach, his team works today to support the further development of the Slovak space sector and its internationalisation with a focus on full utilisation of the country’s strong industrial and R&D potential as well as on the 21st century‘s newspace trends. It is also the official national contact point for foreign space agencies, offices, associations as well as businesses and research entities. Michal Brichta is a member of the Slovak delegation to ESA and he participates in the EUSPA administrative board.

Motoi has been working for SoftBank for more than 20 years,and currently in charge of Africa projects focusing on digital platforms including HAPS/LAPS. Before becoming a leader of African project, he had been president and CEO of Carview Corporation for 11 years, which was the one of SoftBank group companies and went public in 2007 as the 2nd largest IPO in terms of fundraising from TSE Mothers. He was a venture capitalist in the UK before working for SoftBank.

Bio Coming Shortly.

Mohannad Makki is the Carrier & Wholesale Marketing VP at stc, his role includes overseeing responsibilities of stc carrier & wholesale marketing business, where he supervises the wholesale marketing strategy, digital transformation, product excellence, marketing communication, customer experience and business growth. Mr. Makki joined stc in 2002 where he held several positions in engineering, business development, and marketing.

Mr. Makki holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from King Abdulaziz University. He started his professional journey in the telecommunication industry in 1998, before joining stc in 2002.

Giovanni Giambene was born in Florence, Italy, in 1966. He received the Dr. Ing. degree in Electronics in 1993 and the Ph.D. degree in Telecommunications and Informatics in 1997, both from the University of Florence, Italy.

In 1999, he joined the Department of Information Engineering and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Siena, Italy. At present, he is an associate professor, teaching the first-level course on Fundamentals on Telecommunications and the advanced course on Networking at the University of Siena.

He has participated in the following international projects:

COST 290 Action (2004-2008), entitled “Traffic and QoS Management in Wireless Multimedia Networks” (Wi-QoST), vice-chair.
The SatNEx I & II network of excellence (EU FP6, 2004-2009), SatNEx III (ESA 2010-2013) and SatNex IV (2015-2019) as work package leader on radio access techniques, cross-layer air interface design, and network coding techniques for satellite systems;
The EU FP7 Coordination Action “Road-mapping technology for enhancing security to protect medical & genetic data” (RADICAL) as work package leader on security and privacy applications for the management of medical data;
The COST Action IC0906 (2010-2014) “Wireless Networking for Moving Objects” (WiNeMO) as national representative; the EU FP7 Coordination Action RESPONSIBILITY.
At present, he is involved in the ESA SatNEX V project (2020-) and the ROMANTICA project with AIRBUS, financed by ESA IIT ARTES programme (2019-2021).

Giambene is IEEE senior member. Since 2010, he is a member of the Editorial Board of the “International Journal of Satellite Communications & Networking”, Wiley. Since 2015, he is IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology editor. Since 2019, he is an IEEE Wireless Communication Magazine associate editor.

He has published the following book: G. Giambene, “Queuing Theory and Telecommunications: Networks and Telecommunications”, Springer, November 2021 (3rd edition).

Research interests are as follows: satellite networking, mobile and wireless networking, 4G, 5G, NB-IoT, DVB-Sx/-RCS2, network coding and packet-level FEC, acceleration of TCP performance, satellite-terrestrial integration, queuing theory, satellite and IoT applications to environmental monitoring and smart agriculture.

Dr. Sean Swei is currently a Professor of Practice in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Director of KU Space Technology & Innovation Center (KUSTIC). Prior to joining KU, Dr. Swei spent 20 years as a Senior Research Scientist/Principal Investigator at NASA Ames Research Center, conducting advanced aeronautics and spaceflight research. Currently, he is leading a team of researchers at KUSTIC in conducting innovative research in the areas of Mars/Lunar air mobility vehicles, SpaceRobotics, CubeSat constellation, intelligent space structures, and micro electric propulsion systems.

Martin B.H. Weiss ([email protected]) is a Professor in the Department of Informatics and Networked Systems in the School of Computing and Information (www.sci.pitt.edu) and is Associate Director of the Center for Governance and Markets (cgm.pitt.edu) at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also Team Leader in SpectrumX (www.spectrumX.org). He earned his PhD. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. He earned an MSE in Computer, Control, and Information Engineering from the University of Michigan and a BSE in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University.

His current research focus is on the governance of technological systems and infrastructures. He has been studying dynamic spectrum access, blockchains and emerging smart city applications. Recent aspects of this have involved studying enforcement in cooperative spectrum sharing approaches, governance of spectrum and applications of and governance of blockchain systems. Past projects include technical and cost studies new technologies, bandwidth markets, interconnection of packet networks that support quality of service (QoS), and technical standards.

Muriel Médard is the NEC Professor of Software Science and Engineering in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Department at MIT, where she leads the Network Coding and Reliable Communications Group in the Research Laboratory for Electronics at MIT and Chief Scientist for Steinwurf, which she has co-founded. She obtained three Bachelors degrees (EECS 1989, Mathematics 1989 and Humanities 1991), as well as her M.S. (1991) and Sc.D (1995), all from MIT. Muriel is a Member of the US National Academy of Engineering (elected 2020), a Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (elected 2022), a Fellow of the US National Academy of Inventors (elected 2018), American Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected 2021), and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (elected 2008). She holds Honorary Doctorates from the Technical University of Munich (2020) and from The University of Aalborg (2022).

Muriel was co-winner of the MIT 2004 Harold E. Egerton Faculty Achievement Award and was named a Gilbreth Lecturer by the US National Academy of Engineering in 2007. She received the 2017 IEEE Communications Society Edwin Howard Armstrong Achievement Award and the 2016 IEEE Vehicular Technology James Evans Avant Garde Award. Muriel was awarded the 2022 IEEE Kobayashi Computers and Communications Award. She received the 2019 Best Paper award for IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering, the 2018 ACM SIGCOMM Test of Time Paper Award, the 2009 IEEE Communication Society and Information Theory Society Joint Paper Award, the 2009 William R. Bennett Prize in the Field of Communications Networking, the 2002 IEEE Leon K. Kirchmayer Prize Paper Award, as well as nine conference paper awards. Most of her prize papers are co-authored with students from her group.

Muriel has served as technical program committee co-chair of ISIT (twice), CoNext, WiOpt, WCNC and of many workshops. She has chaired the IEEE Medals committee, and served as member and chair of many committees, including as inaugural chair of the Millie Dresselhaus Medal. She was Editor in Chief of the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications and has served as editor or guest editor of many IEEE publications, including the IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, the IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, and the IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security. Muriel was a member of the inaugural steering committees for the IEEE Transactions on Network Science and for the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Information Theory. She currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Information Theory. Muriel was elected president of the IEEE Information Theory Society in 2012, and serves on its board of governors, having previously served for eleven years.

Muriel received the inaugural 2013 MIT EECS Graduate Student Association Mentor Award, voted by the students. She set up the Women in the Information Theory Society (WithITS) and Information Theory Society Mentoring Program, for which she was recognized with the 2017 Aaron Wyner Distinguished Service Award. She served as undergraduate Faculty in Residence for seven years in two MIT dormitories (2002–2007). Muriel was elected by the faculty and served as member and later chair of the MIT Faculty Committee on Student Life and as inaugural chair of the MIT Faculty Committee on Campus Planning. She was chair of the Institute Committee on Student Life. She was recognized as a Siemens Outstanding Mentor (2004) for her work with High School students. She serves on the Board of Trustees since 2015 of the International School of Boston, for which she is treasurer. She serves on the Nokia Bell Labs Technical Advisory Board.

Muriel has over sixty US and international patents awarded, the vast majority of which have been licensed or acquired. For technology transfer, she has co-founded CodeOn, for which she consults, and Steinwurf, for which she is Chief Scientist.

Muriel has supervised over 40 master students, over 20 doctoral students and over 25 postdoctoral fellows.

Stefano Cioni was born in Imola (Italy) on October 12, 1973. He received the Dr.Ing. degree in telecommunication engineering and the Ph.D from University of Bologna, Italy, in 1998 and in 2002, respectively. Since 2002, he has been a senior researcher at the Advanced Research Center for Electronic Systems (ARCES) of the University of Bologna. In 2010, he joined the European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, where he is currently a telecommunication systems engineer within the Radio Frequency Systems, Payload and Technology Division. 

His research activities are mainly focused on the next generation broadcast/broadband satellite systems for fixed and mobile satellite services. His interests include efficient digital coding and modulation techniques, adaptive interference mitigation algorithms in multiple access systems, synchronization techniques, MIMO and OFDM systems, and iterative decoding techniques joint to channel parameter estimation. 

Since September 2016, he has been attending the 3GPP RAN plenary and RAN-WG1 meetings, with the specific interest to support non-terrestrial network (NTN) aspects and to facilitate the 5G terrestrial/satellite networks integration. 

He has co-authored more than 100 papers and scientific conference contributions, and he is a co-recipient of the Best Paper Award at IEEE ICT 2001 and at IEEE ASMS/SPSC 2012. Dr. Cioni has been elevated to Senior Member of the IEEE Society in August 2017. Dr. Cioni has selected as recipient of the IEEE ComSoc Satellite and Space Communications Technical Recognition Award 2020.

Bio will be available shortly.

George leads Altaeros business development efforts. George has over 30 years of experience evangelizing and selling new technologies and services. His sales and marketing experience spans all major commercial verticals and government sectors while Director of Sales at iText, Director of Modernization Sales at MorphoTrust, and Director of Business Development at RedHat. George earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.

Prior to World Mobile, Emmanuel was an Investment Banker at Citigroup focusing on Telecoms, Media and Technology across the EMEA region. He advised on 20+ M&A deals and IPOs totalling cumulative enterprise value of over $15bn. Emmanuel holds a Masters in Management from ESCP Europe Business School in Paris and an MSc from Tongji University in Shanghai.

Ben is leading the Altaeros team on its journey to bring modern infrastructure to the billions of un-served and under-served people around the world. He is driven by a belief that business and technical innovation are the key to creating positive, scalable impact. At Altaeros, Ben is responsible for setting the company’s strategic vision and keeping the whole team moving towards that vision, as well as providing operational direction for the company. Ben originally developed the idea for Altaeros while researching compact, efficient turbomachinery as part of the MIT Gas Turbine Lab. After developing the initial prototypes, Ben co-founded Altaeros in 2010. He holds a BS and MS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from MIT.

Charles has had vast experience building businesses from inception having founded a number of tech projects all based on providing opportunity and disruption to underserved sectors. Since 2014, he has successfully helped to scale his family telecommunications business into new markets whilst working with technical experts to build software and digital practices to help diversify. Charles has worked with names such as Skype, WorldCall, IDT, ZTE, Arrowsphere, Alliance healthcare and more.

Gregory is a recognized global expert in the development & operation of Lighter-Than-Air technology and has spent the last two decades bringing airships and aerostats to the Middle East. Founder of Airships Arabia, he has served as Chair of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Lighter-Than-Air Systems Technical Committee and is currently Chairman of The Airship Association.

Mr. Lacina Kone, is the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Smart Africa having joined the organisation in March 2019.
He oversees the process of defining and advancing Africa’s digital agenda and has overseen the development of continental blueprints for Africa on Digital Identity, ICT Start-ups and Innovation Ecosystems, Smart Villages and the definition of Africa’s Smart Broadband 2025 Strategy in addition to advancing additional key continental initiatives. In recognition for this work, Mr. Koné has been recognized in 2021 as 12th among the 50 personalities advancing Africa’s digital transformation.
Prior to that, Mr. Koné was the advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (2017-2018), in charge of Digital Transformation and Public Reforms, and was also the advisor to the President from 2011-2017. Mr. Kone is a professional of ICT industry with over 25 years’ experience in the telecommunications, satellite and intelligent transport system. Prior to that, Mr. Koné held during his career several high level technical and managerial positions with prestigious firms such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Intelsat.
Mr. Kone is a graduate of three continents. United Arab Emirates, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering, in the UK, it has validated its Polytechnique rank at the University of Brunel, and the United States, his MBA from George Washington University.
He also sits on the advisory boards of Benya Capital in Egypt and Townlabour Technologies in the USA and he is also a Commissioner in the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development (BBCOM).

Dr. Sara Spangelo is a Sr. Director of Satellite Engineering at SpaceX. She is currently co-leading Direct to Cell at SpaceX, and is leading partnerships. Previously, she was the co-founder and CEO of Swarm, the company that is developing the world’s lowest-cost global communications network with breakthrough satellite technology and ground hardware for customers in remote locations. Swarm was acquired by SpaceX in 2021. Before starting Swarm, Sara worked on small satellites and autonomous aircraft at the University of Michigan and was a lead systems engineer at both NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) and Google X. Her expertise is in modeling and optimizing satellite constellations to maximize impact and business opportunities. Sara holds a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan and in 2017 was a Top 32 Canadian astronaut candidate.

amer is the Director of Market Access and Regulatory Affairs for MEA at E-Space, with extensive experience in telecom that extends for more than 17 years. In his current
capacity, he is responsible for complying with national and international regulatory
frameworks and introducing E-Space in relevant markets. Tamer joined E-Space in mid-2022 as part of the Global Affairs team.

From 2016 to 2022, he served as a senior consultant in one of the leading consultancy firms
in the ICT field; he worked on the regional and international levels to enable market access
and shape policies for operators and regulators. He analyzed policy developments and market trends, provided intelligence to clients, and lobbied decision-makers to drive policies and regulations in line with clients’ interests.

Before that, he served in the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Jordan (TRC) for ten years as Head of Spectrum Planning and Head of the Quality of Services Department. He contributed to TRC’s technical and economic plans for introducing the most advanced
and cutting-edge technologies then, particularly DVB-T, WiMAX, and UMTS. He also
contributed to the design of spectrum auctions from 2008 until 2016. In addition to that, he represented Jordan in ITU: WRCs, RAs, Study Groups, and Regional Radiocommunications
Conferences. Tamer is still active in the ITU and regional groups such as ASMG, CITEL, ATU, and CEPT.

Tamer earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Hashemite University.

E-Space is developing a disruptive satellite technology that fundamentally changes the economics and capabilities of space-based communication systems. This innovation enables various governmental and commercial use cases. For more information, visit
https://www.e-space.com/.

H.E. Eng Belal Al-Hafnawi is an ICT executive leader experienced in technology, management, leadership, regulatory and strategy. Currently working as Commissioner and full time Board Member at the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC).

His Excellency Belal has 20 years’ experience in technology, telecommunications, information technology and digital transformation. He has worked with several international mobile network vendors and service providers including Huawei, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung Electronics and STC.

He has wide work experience in various telecommunications fields, which include management, advisory, strategy, technical consulting, managing complex programs and projects, operation management and quality.

He holds Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Telecommunications from the University of Jordan, and holds executive certification in Management and Leadership from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United states, which focused on business implications in Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things and platform strategies.

He is a technical writer, author and international speaker.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/belalhafnawi

Mr. Khalid Al Awadhi is the Manager of Broadcasting and Space Services in the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the UAE (TRA). He is responsible for planning, regulating, and managing spectrum use and transmission stations for broadcasting services, Services Ancillary to Broadcast Production, Program Making & Special Events (PMSE), Earth stations deployment and satellite network filings for space services in the UAE. He is also responsible for the International coordination, notification, and registration of UAE terrestrial and space radiocommunication services. Khalid’s first involvement with the work of the Radiocommunication Sector in the ITU was in WP-4A for the preparations of WRC-07. Since then, he plays a vital role as part of the UAE delegation, as he became the Chairman of the UAE National Committee for World Radiocommunication Conferences, and as a member of the Arab Spectrum Management Group. He became Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Rapporteur for space services, the ASMG coordinator for Agenda Item 7, and the chairman of the ASMG Working Group for Space Services. He was the Chapter Rapporteur for Chapter 5 “Satellite Regulatory Issues” of WRC-15, and then the Chairman of Committee 5 during WRC-15. Khalid was the Chairman of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM19) for the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19). He Holds a Master of Science Degree in Modern Digital and Radio Frequency Wireless Communications from the University of Leeds.

Mohaned Juwad is responsible in assisting Intelsat’s strategic long-term spectrum position in the marketplace. In his role, he works closely with the company’s vice president on corporate and spectrum strategy and the spectrum strategy team to analyze and identify emerging spectrum opportunities and risks for Intelsat. In addition, he is the Director for managing efforts from across the globe that protect, optimize and leverage the company’s spectrum assets in support of Intelsat’s broader long-term growth strategy.

Dr. Juwad has over 14 years’ experience within the satellite industry where he held various roles in the past. Prior to rejoining Intelsat in 2016, Dr. Juwad served as manager, regulatory licensing and market access, at Avanti Communications Group Plc where he was responsible for managing and acquiring licensing and authorization for Ka-band geostationary satellite services across Europe, Middle East and the Africa region, in addition to overseeing regulatory activities at the ITU, CEPT, and other regulatory bodies. Before that, he worked as a consultant where he worked in ESA funded projects to develop the DVB-S2 standard operating in Ka-band, and also developed Ka-band mortised terminals where he was instrumental in developing a commercial self-aligned antenna.
Dr. Juwad earned a Philosophy of Doctorate (PhD) from Isambard Kingdom Brunel University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering at Herefordshire University.

Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) is the world’s leading provider of satellite services, delivering high performance connectivity solutions for media, fixed and mobile broadband infrastructure, enterprise and government and military applications for more than 50 years. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video and broadband services. From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and mobile broadband access, with Intelsat, envision your future network, connect using our leading satellite technology and transform your opportunities. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.

Dr. Abdulhadi AbouAlmal has more than 15 years of wide telecom, IT and digital expertise in UAE and international levels. He has various leadership roles and contributions in the work and activities of international organizations
(e.g. ITU, 3GPP and GSMA, SAMENA… ).

He is the Chairman and Vice-chairman of various international Expert Groups such as ITU-T Q6/SG20 and WP 2/20 on IoT & Smart Cities, ITU-R Task Group 6/1, WG3 of TG 6/1 on current and future usage of UHF spectrum … etc.
He has been the head of Technology stratrgy in Etisalat by e&, leading development of Telecom and IT strategies,
Spectrum Management, IoT and Smart Cities development, Radio
Access evolution (e.g. 5G, Open RAN… ) and digital transformation in UAE and the Region since 2008. He is a board member of Lablabee, and has been engineering advisory board member in Ajman University and American University of Sharjah.

He has been the SPOC of Arab Group in many international treaty-making conferences and events (e.g. ITU WRC, WTSA, WTDC and PP) in the fields of radiocommunication, technology standardization, ICT development… etc.
He is also the Liaison Rapporteur of ITU-T SG20 with ITU-R and 3GPP on IoT and Smart City issues.

Before 2008, Dr. AbouAlmal joined many UAE universities and research centers. He has been leading several national and international initiatives including cost modeling of telecom services, development of business cases … etc.

Dr. Abdulhadi has PhD degree in wireless and mobile communication, from UK. He obtained his MSc degree in Engineering Systems Management, and BSc in Electrical /Telecommunication Engineering, from UAE. He is the author and co-author of many journal and conference papers and has many research publications across various areas including propagation modeling for Gulf region, IMT harmonization for new verticals, wireless network modeling and optimization… etc.

Greg Wyler is a technology entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor who conceived and founded O3B and OneWeb. He holds over 35 patents related to the design, implementation, and use of satellite communications technology. Greg founded O3B Networks, in partnership with Liberty Global, in 2007 with the goal of unlocking MEO orbit to deliver Internet to remote areas without the need for laying fiber. SES, Google, and HSBC became investors in O3B Networks in 2009, which raised over $1.2bn. By 2016, O3B had a firm backlog of $350 million with more than $100 million in current-year revenue, and SES exercised its option to purchase the company. After the success of his first company, Greg moved on to an even more ambitious venture: creating a network of hundreds of LEO satellites to deliver low-latency, high-speed Internet to connect the unconnected around the world. He founded OneWeb in 2012 with investment from Softbank, Bharti, Airbus, Intelsat, Virgin Group, Qualcomm, Hughes, Grupo Salinas, Maxar, and Coca-Cola. He raised over $3.3bn to further OneWeb’s mission to connect all the unconnected schools of the world and provide Internet to fuel economic growth, improve education, social development, advance gender equality and make healthcare more accessible across the globe.

Richard Womersley is Managing Director of LS telcom UK. He has over 30 years regulatory, commercial and technical experience working in the fields of radio spectrum management, wireless telecommunications, digital broadcasting and satellite communications.

Mr. Niklas Hedman is designated Acting Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). He is Chief of Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section of UNOOSA. He serves as Secretary to the intergovernmental Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee. He is responsible for the UNOOSA capacity-building programme on space law and policy. Before joining the United Nations in 2006 he worked in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, mainly in the areas of ocean affairs and law of the sea, space affairs and space law, as well as biological weapons and missiles. He represented Sweden to COPUOS before joining the United Nations. He is currently Vice-Chair of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection.

Richard Womersley is Managing Director of LS telcom UK. He has over 30 years regulatory, commercial and technical experience working in the fields of radio spectrum management, wireless telecommunications, digital broadcasting and satellite communications

Amy Mehlman is vice president, Global Affairs and Stakeholder Relations at E-Space. She is responsible for leading collaboration with international and domestic governments, partners and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to secure market access and establish international policies around space sustainability.

Before joining E-Space, Amy was vice president of U.S. Government Affairs and Policy at Viasat, where she led domestic and international policy work related to satellite licensing, space safety and spectrum equality. During this time Amy was a U.S. government-appointed delegate to the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference. Prior, she was President of the successful boutique telecommunications public policy firm, Mehlman Capitol Strategies. She was also at the Washington, D.C. law firm Wiley, Rein & Fielding where she helped leading wireless, satellite, telecom equipment and broadcast companies shape and implement the provisions of the historic United States’ Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Frederik Simoens is the Chief Technology Officer at ST Engineering iDirect, where he is responsible for the oversight of all technology decisions and serves to drive the strategic direction for product development, technology roadmap and technology alliances.

Previously, Simoens worked at Newtec where he worked on physical layer technologies, launched the DVB-S2X standard within Newtec’s platform, and in 2015, became VP of product management, which led to a promotion to CTO.

His key areas of expertise include physical layer technologies, satellite communications and digital modems. He is also a guest lecturer at the University of Ghent and is the author of 40+ publications.

Simoens obtained a Master degree in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. degree in digital communications, both from the University of Ghent. He also holds an MBA degree from the Vlerick Business School.

Dr. -Ing. Csaba Singer studied Aerospace Engineering at the University of Stuttgart/Germany
until 2005 and participated since May 2001 in R&D activities concerning High Altitude
Platforms. Following his aerospace engineering studies in Germany he invented a new
concept of flying that can also be used for tasks related to the exploration of Mars. Dr. Singer
started his doctoral work in the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics of the German
Aerospace Center (DLR) in February 2007. With his doctoral thesis he contributed to the
development of solar thermal power plants. He formulated a complete power plant system out
of a large number of available computational models. This allowed him to analyze the impact
of individual components, depending on their type and operational strategies, on the cost
reduction potential of the entire power plant. He completed his PhD in June 2012 on the topic
of an innovative direct absorption receiver with molten salt. Since 2011 his research is
dedicated to an internal strategic project at DLR, whose objective is the scientifically founded
identification of game changing receiver technologies for solar tower systems.

Harshbir joined the UK Space Agency in December 2018 to lead the Copernicus Programme. Through the UK-EU Trade Negotiations, Harshbir negotiated an agreement in principle for the UK to continue its participation in the programme.

As Director of Growth, Harshbir and his team are responsible for the UK Space Agency’s work to deliver the innovation and business environment which will grow and sustain the national capabilities required to meet the UK’s space ambitions. This includes enabling the development of regional / local space clusters along with UK’s capabilities in satellite Earth observation, space technology, telecommunications and space applications working through ESA, nationally and internationally.

Yuma Minowa is the President of Space RAN Business at Space Compass Corporation, which is the new joint venture company established in 2022 between SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation and NTT Corporation.

He joined SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation in 2004 and has built up several VSAT services for Land, Maritime and In-Flight.

In addition, Yuma led strategic satellite fleet and spectrum management as General Manager.

Then he was transferred to Space Compass Corporation to launch a novel integrated space computing network to aid the realization of a sustainable society.

He leads to provide low-latency communication services by using HAPSs (high altitude platform stations).

In addition, he leads to study integrate Non Terrestrial Network consists of GEOs (geostationary orbit satellites), LEOs (low earth orbit satellites) and HAPSs to expand service area coverage and increase the capacity in high reliable communication.

Alshahrani is a Senior Director in the Operations and Space Programs at the Saudi Space Commission (SSC). Alshahrani supports the build-up of the space programs and the activation plans of space strategies.

Prior of SSC, Alshahrani worked at ARABSAT as Expert Space Segment Engineer. He has 12 years of experience working in the space industry including KACST and Lockheed Martin during which he supported space missions and led the integration of space and ground systems.

Alshahrani holds a Bachelor and Masters degrees in Electrical & Computer Engineering.

Mr Omar Qaise is the founder and CEO of OQ TECHNOLOGY, a NewSpace customer focused startup which is building a global 5G LEO satellite constellation dedicated for “Internet-of-Things” communication that can provide connectivity anywhere, especially in remote and rural areas

Mr Qaise brings tremendous experience and heritage to his venture as he worked many years in different organizations and enterprises in the satellite and telecommunication industry (European Space Agency (ESA), German Aerospace Centre (DLR), O3b, OHB SYSTEMS, EUMETSAT) by working on missions ranging from Low-Earth Orbit observation and telecommunication satellites and GEO giant satellites to far deep space missions such as the spacecrafts Herschel and Planck. Most recently was with SES Satellites, the world’s largest GEO broadcast satellite operator, where he had responsibility for Satcom sales and business development in regions such as the Middle East and Africa especially in M2M and Oil and Gas. He became fascinated with the possibilities of the IoT technology as a low cost product filling a market gap. Mr Qaise brings extensive customer connections and knowledge of competing Satcom systems and 5G, as well as being the chief architecture of the concept.

Dennis has been in the Maritime Connectivity industry since 2010 working for a Maritime Systems integrator and Navigation & Communication OEM, and joined Inmarsat in 2019. Dennis is passionate about guiding shipping companies on their journey towards Net Zero using digital tools, about optimizing Connectivity in a strategic way, and last but not least about making an impact to seafarers by keeping them connected with home and loved ones.

With an expertise in technology-based solutions for the shipping and O&G sectors, Scott has more than 20 years of experience in sales and business development. He joined Inmarsat in May 2019 as a Regional Sales Director for its offshore energy business, which covers the full portfolio of Inmarsat’s services and digital solutions. Previous positions have included roles as VP International Sales Management at the world’s largest ship agency and supply chain logistics company, as well as a senior business development position at Weathernews Inc. He is an alumni of University of Glasgow and Warwick Business School.

Fabien Jordan is Founder and CEO of Astrocast, a leading Satellite IoT service that
enables asset tracking and two-way communications in remote areas of the world.
Jordan is widely recognized for his work on SwissCube, the longest operating
nanosatellite. He also worked as Technical Manager at the Space Exploration Institute in
Neuchâtel, where he contributed to the design of two scientific instruments of the ESA
ExoMars Rover Mission. Previously, he was Electrical System Engineer at the Swiss Space
Center EPFL.
Thanks to his 15-year experience in space systems engineering and his early involvement
in the CubeSat community, he became convinced that nanosatellite constellations would
disrupt specific segments of the satellite industry and saw the NewSpace revolution
coming. In 2014, together with an international team of experts from both the space and

telecom industries, he developed a strong business model to provide global, direct-to-
satellite Internet-of-Things (IoT) communications. Leveraging the industry-leading

performance of Astrocast’s L-band IoT network, Fabien successfully positioned the first
Swiss satellite operator as a front runner. Supporting innovation, Fabien serves as an Early Investor and Advisor to ClearSpace and
PICC Solution and is a Karman Fellow and a Platinum Sponsor of EPFL Xplore.

As Managing Director of Space Sector of the Saudi Space Commission (SSC) , Frank supports the build-up and operation of the Space Programmes of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Prior of SSC, Frank worked 19 years for the European Space Agency (ESA) as
Head of Innovation and Ventures Office. He also headed the Technology Transfer Programm Office (TTPO) as well as the Commercial Development for Human Spaceflight and Exploration. His ESA team initiated over 370 industry transfers, aided 1,300 start-ups via the ESA BICs and supported over 1,000 downstream business cases.

Before joining ESA, Frank held the position of Founder and CFO / COO for an IT start-up, headquartered in Munich, Germany. Frank also spent seven years at Apple Computer.

Girish Chandran serves as Vice President and Chief Technical Officer at Viasat, Inc. In this role he oversees the evolution of Viasat’s global network, which is responsible for connecting millions of personal and mobile devices per year—on the ground, in the air, and at sea.

He has extensive experience in building products and networks on multiple continents and leading change in engineering organizations. Girish and his team focus on how next-generation communications infrastructure, especially software-based technologies, will continue to be an integral part of the digital ecosystem connecting people, places and things.

Girish has held a number of engineering roles at Viasat since joining the Company in October 2007, from Principal Engineer and Chief Technology Officer—Commercial Networks to his current position, which he assumed in May 2017.

Prior to joining Viasat, Girish held several senior level engineering roles at various companies including Vice President of Engineering at Newtec America Inc., a satellite communications equipment provider, and Vice President of Systems Engineering at Tiernan Communications Inc. (acquired by Radyne Comstream Inc.), a provider of video compression and transmission solutions.

Girish earned a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master’s of Science degree in Electrical Communication Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science.

Nobu Okada is Founder and CEO of Astroscale, the first private company with a vision for the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations, and the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit servicing across all orbits. Since its inception in 2013, Nobu has grown Astroscale from a single person to an international group, established a global footprint in five countries, and raised over USD $300 million. Astroscale is also successfully operating ELSA-d in orbit – the world’s first commercial mission to prove the core technologies necessary for removal of space debris.

As a highly respected and influential figure in the space industry, Nobu holds several key positions, including International Astronautical Federation’s Vice President for Space Economy and Sponsorship, member of the International Academy of Astronautics, member of the Space
Generation Advisory Council Advisory Board, and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Nobu was co-chair of the World Economic Forum Council Global Future Council on Space Technologies until 2021 and played a key role in developing the concept of a Space Sustainability Rating, a system designed to ensure long-term sustainability by encouraging responsible behavior among countries and companies participating in space.

Since founding Astroscale, Nobu has received numerous awards and accolades, including 2022 TIME100 Most Influential Companies, 2021 Satellite Technology of the Year, 2020 SpaceNews Company Leader of the Year, 2020 UNESCO Netexplo Innovation Forum Grand Prix, Forbes JAPAN “Start-up of The Year 2019”, and World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer in 2017.

Prior to Astroscale, Nobu was an IT entrepreneur and strategy consultant, and had managed IT
companies in Japan, China, India and Singapore. He led one company to a successful IPO. Before joining the IT industry, he worked for McKinsey & Company and the Japanese Government in the Ministry of Finance.

Nobu earned his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Tokyo in 1995 and an MBA from the Krannert School of Business, Purdue University in 2001.

Sergey is a space industry executive leader and currently Chief Commercial Officer at ClearSpace. ClearSpace is a Swiss newspace company addressing practical solutions of space debris problems and in-orbit servicing. Sergey is responsible for ClearSpace`s commercial strategy, sales, business development, launchers and partnerships to promote sustainable space economy, responsible space operations and in-orbit servicing of the future.

Prior to ClearSpace, Sergey was Chief Executive Officer at Sea Launch, multinational satellites launch company founded in 1995 using a former mobile/floating oil drilling rig for equatorial launches to geostationary orbit. Sergey drove the company in a post-restructuring period with 5 successful satellites launches performed under his leadership.

Sergey holds a law degree as well as an MBA in Management of Technology from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL).

Joe Chan is Director of Flight Dynamics at Intelsat.  He oversees the FDS operation and engineering of more than 70 geostationary satellites that Intelsat currently operates. He has been with Intelsat for 24 years.  Prior to joining Intelsat he worked at Goddard Space Flight center on the TOPEX/POSEIDON and Mars Observer projects.

Dirk is co-founder and Managing Director of SkyFive. He previously spent 19 years with Nokia in telecommunications, leading several early-stage innovation projects to commercialization, including the launch of Nokia’s first Multi-access Edge Computing product. Prior to Nokia, Dirk spent 10 years in military aviation, and enjoys being a pilot still today. He holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering.

Engineer, Abdullah Alnahdi, is currently working on Saudi Arabian Airlines technical services as Manager of Aircraft Reliability Engineering Avionics, with more than 29 years experience on aircraft aviation. During his work, many projects have been accomplished on Saudia Aircraft Systems, especially on aircraft navigation, power and instrumentation. Also, he has worked on new system installation such as Connectivity and In- Flight Entertainment.

Francesco Fidicaro as a long international experience within leading multinational telecommunications
and technology Companies. Francesco joined Thales Group in 2015 as head of Sales of Security Solutions,
today serves as Executive Director Head of Strategy and Chief Sustainable Officer of Thales Regional.
Prior to joining Thales he held a position as Strategy Senior Advisor In STC Group focusing of Digitation
and international M&A strategy of the Group.

Over the years, Mr. Fidicaro lead and supported global organizations (including Telecommunication,
Information Technologies, Engineering and media) in digital value-creation strategies and their
transformation journeys. He also has been Founder – acting as Managing Director- his own Company
operating in Digital Professional Services for Government Entities in Europe.
He began his professional career at Alcatel-Lucent, where he held a brilliant career until 2009. His last
position was Alcatel Lucent EMEA Executive Vice-President Enterprise & Government and Vertical
Markets.

Francesco Fidicaro hold a Master in Electronic Engineer and Telecommunication at Palermo University
(completed at Columbia University) and he completed his study in Business at SDA Luigi Bocconi University
Milan. He owns several professional certifications such as in Government Bid Processes in EU (University
of Florence McKinsey), he is a Certified Licensed Engineer to superintend civil, Telco projects in Europe,
and he has a Security & Safety Professional Certification. He his member of several professional
international association and sits in several Boards of No-Profit Italian organization.

Dr. Mohamed El-Moghazi is the Executive Director of National Spectrum Affairs Department at the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Chairman of the Arab Spectrum Management Group (ASMG) 1, Chairman of the ATU Spectrum Recommendations Group, and Vice-Chairman, the Preparatory Meeting for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23). Dr. Maghazi is holder of B.Sc. in Communications & Electronics Engineering (Cairo University), Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Master Degree in Telecommunications Management; Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methodology for Business, Management, and Engineering (University of Strathclyde); Diploma in Communication Management (University of Colorado).
Furthermore, he has published myriad papers in esteemed conferences and prestigious journals and supervised many master’s theses and PhD dissertations on spectrum affairs. He was awarded the British Chevening Scholarship from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2007 and was also chosen as one of three finalist candidates for the Professional Achievement Award (UK Graduates) in 2018.
Dr. Moghazi, also, won Young Researchers Award from the Pacific Telecommunications Council in 2017. He is the founder of the Global Telecom Policy Researchers Network (GTPRN), a non-profit initiative and research society for researchers in the field of telecommunications policy. He has recently published the book “The International Radio Regulations: The Case for Reform”, and the book chapter “Towards a Future-Proof International Spectrum Management Policy”.

Tareq Al-Naffouri received the B.S. degrees in mathematics and electrical engineering (with first honors) from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, in 1998, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, Stanford, CA, in 2004.

He was a visiting scholar at California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA in 2005 and summer 2006 and a Fulbright scholar at the University of Southern California in 2008. He is currently a Professor at the Electrical Engineering Department, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). His research interests lie in the areas of sparse, adaptive, and statistical signal processing and their applications to wireless communications and localization, machine learning, and network information theory.  He has over 300 publications in journal and conference proceedings and 20 issued/pending patents.

Prof. Zhili Sun is a Chair Professor and Director of PhD Program at the University of Surrey, UK. He works at the 5G & 6G Innovation Center (5GIC & 6GIC), Institute of Communication Systems (ICS), School of Computer and Electronic Engineering. As project leader, he worked many major research projects on satellite communications and networks. He has supervised many doctors and postdoctoral fellows, published more than 240 papers in international journals and conferences and three books on satellite communications and networks. He has actively participated in and contribute to ITU-T and ETSI’s works on satellite communication networks, as well as IEEE future networks on satellite 5G/6G development and research on Mega Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation networks. He has served as Editorial Board member for several international journals related to satellite communications, security and space technology and the TPC member and Session Chairman in international conferences. He currently is an Editorial Board Member of Nature – Scientific Report on Space Technology, and Editorial Board Member of International Journal of Satellite Communications and Networking

Link to the webpage

Dr. William Lehr is a telecommunications and Internet industry economist and consultant with over twenty-five years of experience. He regularly advises senior industry executives and policymakers in the U.S. and abroad on the market, industry, and policy implications of events relevant to the Internet ecosystem. He is a research scientist in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, currently engaged several multidisciplinary research projects within the Advanced Networking Architecture Group in CSAIL (ANA). Dr. Lehr’s research focuses on the economics and regulatory policy of the Internet infrastructure industries. He teaches courses on the economics, business strategy, and public policy issues facing telecommunications, Internet, and eCommerce companies, and is a frequent speaker at international industry and academic conferences. He is the author of numerous publications on such topics as the measurement of economic impacts of Information technologies, the economics of technical standard setting, the pricing of Internet services, and the implications of commercializing novel Internet and wireless technologies for industry structure and regulatory policy.

In addition to his academic research, Dr. Lehr provides litigation, economic, and business strategy consulting services for firms in the information technology industries in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Lehr has advised information technology companies on strategic marketing, pricing, financial planning, and competitive strategy; and government agencies in the United States and abroad on telecommunications and Internet policy matters. Dr. Lehr has prepared expert witness testimony for both private litigation and for regulatory proceedings before the FCC, before numerous state commissions and for numerous regulatory agencies abroad.

Dr. Lehr holds a PhD in Economics from Stanford (1992), an MBA from the Wharton Graduate School (1985), and MSE (1984), BS (1979) and BA (1979) degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.

Giovanni Geraci is an Assistant Professor at University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona and the Head of Telecommunications Engineering. He was previously with Nokia Bell Labs, holds a Ph.D. from the UNSW Sydney, and is co-inventor of a dozen patents on wireless technologies. He serves as Distinguished Lecturer for IEEE ComSoc and IEEE VTS, is a co-Editor of the book “UAV Communications for 5G and Beyond” by Wiley—IEEE Press, and received the IEEE ComSoc EMEA Outstanding Young Researcher Award.

Dr. Emma Gatti is the Editor in Chief of SpaceWatch.Global, a Cambridge graduated and a former NASA scientist with ten years of experience in the field of planetary science and geology. She was working as a post-doctoral scholar at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and California Institute of Technology before returning to Milan in 2018 to start working as space analysts in the field of Space Economy and Space geopolitics. Since 2021 she is the Editor in Chief and radio host for SpaceWatch.Global.

Alexandre Vallet is the current Chief of the Space Services Department in the Radiocommunication Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), since November 2017. As such, he leads the team responsible for the maintenance of the international registry of satellite radio frequencies, which allows all countries around the world to coordinate their use in order to avoid radio interference in outer space.

Alexandre Vallet began to work in 2000 in the R&D center of Orange dealing with communications satellites. In 2006, he joined the satellite operator Eutelsat where he was in charge of regulatory matters. From 2007 to 2017, he was the Head of the Regulatory affairs and Spectrum/Orbit Resources Department at the French Agency in charge of radio spectrum management (Agence Nationale des Fréquences – ANFR).