Stephen Haseldine - Chairman, Deaf Alerter, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Radio Communication Museum of Great Britain

Steve Haseldine FIMC FRSA is the Chairman of three companies, Alerter Group plc, Electronic Communications Ltd and Evets Communications Ltd, businesses that design and manufacture in-building, radio-based, emergency communication systems; software defined radio solutions and operate PMR, FM Broadcast and Cellular transmission sites. He is also the Chairman of the Radio Communication Museum of Great Britain.  His connection with radio started over 50 years ago as a schoolboy, when he became a licensed radio amateur, an interest which has influenced much of his professional career. Sponsored as a Computer Science student focused on software development with Rolls Royce, he subsequently worked for GEC Telecommunications before becoming a Management Consultant with Price Waterhouse. Starting his own software house and radio communication businesses in 1979 he has found it rewarding that his two passions of software and radio have evolved into an almost common technology. He has seen his own companies being judged the Midlands Best Small Business of 2013 and the leading Company for Innovation in both 2012 and 2013. As well as remaining an active radio amateur, Steve has now amassed one of the largest personal collections of communication radio equipment in the UK, with over 3000 receivers, transmitters and ancillary equipment, the vast majority of which are fully operational. The collection spans from the early spark transmitters to the latest Software Defined Radios.

Colin Smithers - CEO, Redtail Telematics

Colin completed BSc and PhD studies in wireless communications at the University of Surrey, Guildford from 1977-85. During this time he was became involved in its nascent microsatellite organisation SSTL, building flight modules for the first two satellites and being its first groundstation manager. The second satellite was launched in 1983 was heard working as recently as 2012. His PhD studies in Ultra Linear Power Amplifiers were sponsored by Philips and resulted in a patent.

He joined PA Technology in 1985 working on the design of various communications projects such as CT2 digital cordless telephone, PMR handsets (viz police walkie-talkies), a microwave oven and a novel underwater communications system for training Olympic swimmers.

In 1989 Colin co-founded and is Chairman of Plextek, one of the largest independent electronics design consultancies in Europe. This has subsequently been demerged to create four additional operating companies: Telensa street light metering and management; PRFI – boutique microwave chip designers; Blighter surveillance Systems – electronic scanning radar as used by Gatwick for drone detection; and Redtail Telematics – Telematics Service Provider for Stolen Vehicle Recovery to TRACKER Network and LoJack/CalAmp, and provision of insuretech to Admiral, ingenie, Direct Line, Acorn and to automotive OEMs such as JLR and others.

Colin was a Non-Executive Director of Amino Technologies from 2002 until 2016, assisting its growth from a small PE company through flotation to its present successful position on AIM.

Colin is an amateur concert pianist and flies gliders in national level competitions.

Stirling Essex - Director, Espansivo

Stirling Essex has over 25 years of product development, product management, strategic marketing and business development experience in many areas of wireless technology, and has been intimately involved in the development of test systems for GSM, CDMA (IS-95), 3G (W-CDMA) and LTE. He founded Espansivo, a technology consultancy specialising in helping organisations with their technology, product and business decisions, in 2005. Stirling was previously a co-champion of the CW Future Wide Area Wireless Special Interest Group and and was a member of the CW Board from 2004 to 2015.

Andy Sutton - BT Fellow & Principal Network Architect, BT

Andy Sutton is a BT Fellow and Principal Network Architect for Wireless Access. The wireless access domain includes 4G/5G RAN architecture and mobile backhaul/xhaul, along with microwave and millimetre wave radio systems, and satellite communications. Andy holds an MSc in Mobile Communications from the University of Salford and has over 35 years of experience within the telecommunications industry. Andy’s current research interests include advanced RAN coordination techniques, including C-RAN and OpenRAN, optical fibre and radio based backhaul/xhaul, along with LEO satellite communications and High-altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), all in the context of building resilient heterogeneous networks. Andy holds the post of Visiting Professor of Telecommunications at the University of Liverpool and the University of Salford, he is a Chartered Engineer and holds Fellowships from the IET, ITP and BCS. Andy sits on the editorial board of the ITP Journal and is a CW SIG Champion for eMBB and Wireless Heritage.

Geoff Varrall - Director, RTT Online

Geoff Varrall joined RTT in 1985 as an executive director and shareholder to develop RTT's international business as a provider of technology and business services to the wireless industry. He co-developed RTT's original series of design and facilitation workshops including 'RF Technology', 'Data Over Radio', 'Introduction to Mobile Radio', and 'Private Mobile Radio Systems and developed 'The Oxford programme', a five day strategic technology and market programme presented annually between 1991 and 2005. Geoff has been running in depth technology and market workshops for the industry for over 33 years, spanning five generations of mobile cellular technology. A co-author of the Mobile Radio Servicing Handbook (Heinemann Butterworth, UK), Data Over Radio, (Quantum Publishing, Mendocino, USA and 3G Handset and Network Design (John Wiley, New York). Geoff's fourth book, Making Telecoms Work – from technical innovation to commercial success (John Wiley) was published in early 2012 followed by 5G Spectrum and Standards published by Artech House in July 2016. His latest book 5G and Satellite Spectrum Standards and Scale is now available from Artech House and can be ordered from http://uk.artechhouse.com/5G-and-Satellite-Spectrum-Standards-and-Scale-P1935.aspx. As a past Director of Cambridge Wireless, Geoff is actively involved in a number of wireless heritage initiatives that aim to capture and record past technology and engineering experience and is a patron of the Science Museum In his spare time he plays Jazz trumpet semi-professionally and is a marathon and ultra-runner.

Nigel Wall - Director, Climate Associates Ltd

Nigel has been involved with connected vehicle research since 1992 when he led BT’s mobile data research team – initially using modems on first generation analogue TACS mobile phones! Since 2001 he has provided consultancy complex-systems, with a primary specialism in connected vehicles. He acted as the Monitoring Officer for twelve of the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle research projects supported by Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Climate Associates provides consultancy on delivering pragmatic sustainable systems and services, based on life cycle assessments where wholesale replacement of current systems with lower footprint solutions may not be the most sustainable option.