Matthew Baker - Head of Radio Physical Layer and Coexistence Standardisation, Independent

Matthew Baker is Head of Radio Physical Layer and Co-Existence Standardisation at Nokia, and a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff. He was Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN Working Group 1 from 2009 – 2013, and Vice-Chairman of the same group from 2013 – 2017. He has actively contributed to the standardization of UMTS/HSPA, LTE and 5G in 3GPP. Prior to joining Alcatel-Lucent (now Nokia) in 2009, he worked at Philips for 12 years, where he conducted research into a variety of wireless communication systems and techniques, including propagation modelling, DECT, Hiperlan and UMTS, as well as leading the Philips 3GPP RAN standardization team. He holds degrees in Engineering and Electrical and Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading, UK. He is co-editor of “LTE – The UMTS Long Term Evolution: From Theory to Practice” (Wiley, Second Edition 2012), has authored many papers and holds numerous patents in the field of mobile communications.

Iris Barcia - Pr. Mng. MPN Architecture, Vodafone

Iris Barcia is a multidisciplinary professional with entrepreneurial experience in the telecommunication industry. She is an innovator and forward-looking technologist that has worked directly with international executive teams and engineers at Tier 1 network operators, network infrastructure vendors, neutral-host vendors, government organizations, and services companies. She has been involved in the proposal and assessment of novel HetNet strategies for nation-wide 4G, 5G, IoT and public-safety networks, with a focus on future capacity provision and multi-technology evolution. More recently she’s focusing on Open RAN and MPNs. Prior to Vodafone, Iris has been the co-owner and COO of Keima, and has worked on RAN design, optimization and deployment projects at Telefonica and European rural broadband wireless initiatives. She has a BSc and MSc in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Vigo (Spain) and an MBA from Cardiff Metropolitan University (UK).

Julie Bradford - Head of techno-economic analysis, Real Wireless

Julie has worked in the wireless industry for over 15 years. At Real Wireless, she is a thought leader in 5G business case analysis including understanding 5G use cases, quantifying (in financial terms) the operational and socio-economic benefits of 5G services and understanding network dimensioning and cost implications under 5G virtualised networks.

She has most recently been working with city councils around their wireless strategy and related Green Book outline business case development. She also led Real Wireless’ techno-economic analysis on the EC Horizon 2020 5G-MoNArch project. Inspired by the project’s smart sea port testbed constructed by HPA, Nokia and DT in the Port of Hamburg, this analysis included quantifying the operational benefits of 5G to port authorities and other port users and the cost implications of delivering these industrial grade wireless services from existing mobile infrastructure via network slicing supported via the virtualised 5G-MoNArch network architecture.

Previously, Julie was Communications Engineer at QinetiQ UK, consultant at PA Consulting UK, and Senior Systems Engineer for Airvana UK. In addition to working at Real Wireless, Julie is a CW board member and champion for the CW Virtual Networks Special Interest Group (SIG).

Dean Bubley - Director, Mobile Technology & Futurism Analyst / Consultant, Disruptive Analysis

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 wireless / 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, FTTX, edge/cloud compute, enterprise private networks, IoT, and policy issues including spectrum, competition and broadband wholesale. 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. 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.

Antonella Faniuolo - Head of Network Strategic Planning, Vodafone

Antonella Faniuolo joined Vodafone UK in 2019 as Head of Network Strategy and Digital Transformation and since August 2021 she is leading the Network Planning, Demand, Delivery and Transformation for Europe.

Before Vodafone, Antonella was working for Ofcom, the UK telecom regulator, where she led several projects including 5G, Internet of Things, data strategy and reporting on the status of fixed and mobile infrastructures in the UK. Prior to that, she held several strategic, technical, and commercial roles for major network infrastructure vendors, including Alcatel-Lucent (now Nokia), where she was responsible for wireless market analysis and business strategy with a focus on deployment strategies for new technologies.

Antonella is the author of several patents in the field of wireless cellular technologies. She has a Laurea degree in Telecommunications Engineering (2002) from the University of Bologna, a master’s degree in Radiocommunications Engineering (2003) from Alma Graduate School in Bologna, and an MBA (2011) from Oxford Brookes University.

Christian Farrow - Technical Services Manager, Chronos Technology

Chris has been ‘in sync’ since the mid-1990s when he was involved in significant upgrades with the UK’s major telecom operators as they rolled out SDH and their first dedicated Sync Networks.  At Chronos Chris is responsible for professional services focused on the sync product area including delivery of the Synchronisation MasterClass, Sync Audits, network planning consultancy and acts as a system architect for product development.  Chris has extensive practical knowledge of precise time & timing generation and distribution systems from atomic clocks to GNSS and networked distribution technologies. Chris is an active member of standards groups focused on sync & timing including the  ITU (SG15/Q13). Chris joined Chronos from Marconi’s UK Technical Assistance Centre where he was a sync product specialist and emergency support engineer for the entire product portfolio – from PSTN to optical & packet.

David George - Vice President of EMEA and APAC, Sitetracker

David George is the Vice President of EMEA and APAC for Sitetracker, leading the charge toward operational excellence for critical infrastructure companies. David holds a bachelors degree from Stevens Institute of Technology and an MBA from Santa Clara University. Before joining Sitetracker, David George served as the General Manager of Real Estate and Workplace Solution at California-based, Trimble. Prior to that, George led  APAC Mobile Solutions division. He also spent several years at Ericsson where he was responsible for key commercial relationships for global accounts such as Vodafone and France Telecom.

Zahid Ghadialy - Principal Analyst & Consultant, 3G4G

Zahid is a technologist with a deep understanding of architecting world-class mobile products and solutions. With over 20 years of experience in the telecom industry in various roles, he has been an evangelist for mobile and wireless technologies. Over the years he has accumulated a vast following on his blogs and social networks with simple explainer posts and videos.

His 3G4G blogs are widely read where he looks at different aspects of mobile technology and especially 5G and 6G nowadays, including the architecture, deployments, use cases, applications, etc. His YouTube channel is also very popular where he explains many new features expected as part of 5G in the future. While his style and content is unique, he also references many industry publications and provides slides that are very useful to view online.

He is also very active on Twitter under his @3G4GUK brand helping disseminate the benefits of 5G and why 5G will be needed in the long run. He covers a very wide portfolio of 5G related information that is hard to find otherwise.

Until recently, Zahid was a Senior Director looking at Technology & Innovation Strategy in Parallel Wireless. As a brand ambassador, he represented the company in various Open RAN discussions and also created tutorials on Open RAN and O-RAN which are being used as reference for new starters on the topic.

Peter Love - Techno/economic business consultant & programme manager, Independent

I am an experienced leader of diverse sales teams and a trusted advisor for Cx0/CxO-1 leaders. Educated with Six Sigma Yellow Belt, ITIL v3, and with a PMP certification, my skillset lies in my ability to excel in global project delivery, demystify complexities, and handle challenges with tenacity and good humour. I am committed to fostering industry dialogue and have chaired telecoms forums and acted as Special Interest Group champion to drive collaboration and impact. My career has spanned global strategy, operational development, geographic management, and consumer electronics, maintaining an 80:20 balance between sales and operations

Guy Matthews

Guy has over two decades in roles focused on data as an organisational asset and its exploitation. Guy’s background is one of leading UK and global data and analytics programmes working for a wide variety of organisations across a number of vertical markets such as John Lewis, GE Capital, Orange, LexisNexis, BOC and the NHS. At CGI as Director of Emerging Technology, Guy is helping lead developments in 5G, connected communities/smart cities and immersive technology. One of Guy’s current areas of focus at CGI is the development and modelling of clusters of 5G use cases and how these can underpin economically sustainable 5G implementation programmes at city scale. Guy frequently speaks at industry events, covering 5G, smart cities, immersive technology and advanced analytics/AI in recent months and provides media commentary on industry topics ranging from 5G at a general level through to specific areas such as 5G enabled smart roads.

Emiliano Mezzarobba - Senior RF Systems Consultant, Cambridge Consultants

Emiliano Mezzarobba is a Senior Consultant in the System RF Group.

He graduated in 2002 at Trieste University (Italy) and then worked for Fracarro Radioindustrie and BPT where he was leading innovative developments with Radio over fibre technology for CATV and FTTx products. Some of the products developed in those years are still sold in high volume by both companies.

He moved to the UK in 2007, where he had the opportunity to join Zinwave, a spin-off company of Cambridge University, becoming the Hardware Team Leader to develop the next generation product of their unique (patented) broadband fibre optic DAS system.

In 2011 he started his career as consultant, working as system RF engineer leading projects and becoming experienced in satellite communications, SDR radio and antenna design (granting several patents on products he worked on)

Since joining Cambridge Consultants, he has worked on a wide range of projects. Examples include: system RF for SDR radio designs, first NB-IoT dual band module, massive MIMO antennas and digital beam-forming, mmW automotive radars, digital pre-distortion, custom antenna design for wearables and phased arrays.

Andrew Palmer - Consulting Director, CGI

Andrew has more than 33 years of experience in IT, Telecoms and TV and Media, having worked in various roles for IBM, AT&T, Ericsson, Motorola and Arris. Andrew's present role is to leverage existing CGI capabilities that match the needs of our clients in the Space, Defence and Intelligence sectors, as well as building new capabilities that will support the emerging and changing needs of our client base. Andrew has proven experience in developing and delivering complex SI and Services solutions that meet both business and technology needs.

Andrew has co-authored "UK Telecoms For Dummies", an essential guide to the complicated UK Telecoms sector as well as articles for publications such as the Cambridge Wireless Journal including "How do we build the new world of 5g?". He frequently speaks at conferences and provides media commentary on industry topics like 5G, IoT and Smart Cities, as well as being a member of the techUK Spectrum Policy Forum and the Cambridge Wireless Virtual Networks Special Interest Group.

Yinan Qi - Senior 5G Researcher, Samsung Electronics R&D Institute UK

Dr. Yinan Qi received Ph.D degree in Electronic Engineering from University of Surrey. He is currently a senior 5G researcher in Samsung R&D Institute UK. His main research interests include massive MIMO, cooperative communication systems, green communications and non-terrestrial networks.

Jaime Reed - Vice President, Space Data Platforms and Applications, CGI

Jaime loves working with clients to invent the Space services of the future. He leads Space Data Platforms and Applications team in the UK for CGI, the largest IT and business consulting company in the space sector. Using SatCom and Remote Sensing technologies his team work on topics like smart cities, connected transport, AI, 5G, geospatial applications and HAPS. Jaime has spent 20 years in the space industry as a systems engineer and project manager working on some of the most complex ground, satellite and software systems for clients like the European Space Agency and NASA. Jaime has a Doctorate in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics and is a Chartered Engineer.

Anvar Tukmanov - Head of Wireless Research, BT

Anvar has been with BT Labs at Adastral Park since 2013 where he is involved in air interface R&D focussing on systems aspects of LTE and NR covering both deployment and evolution timeframes. Until 2016 he contributed to LTE femtocell activities, and is currently leading active antenna systems research. Anvar represents BT at 3GPP RAN1 working group, where he has contributed to standardisation of 5G. Anvar holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Newcastle University and is a Senior Member of IEEE.

Simon Watts - Principal Consultant, Avanti Communications

Simon has worked in telecoms since graduating in 1981, most of his experience gained within the satcom sector. He has extensive experience of satcom, and network design having overseen deployment of major satellite and hybrid networks for BT and Hughes.

Since 2012 Simon has worked at Avanti on ESA, UK, and EC funded projects. He has brought wide industry experience to deliver technical and commercial direction.  These have covered the integration of satellite and terrestrial networks, 5G (and 6G) NTN concepts and standards, modem/antenna design, cellular and Wi-Fi backhaul; plus network design for African incubator service projects.

Simon has worked on multiple technical papers whilst at Avanti and is part of the UKTIN NTN EWG.