Matthew Baker
- Head of Radio Physical Layer and Coexistence Standardisation, Nokia Bell Labs
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
- COO, Keima
Iris Barcia is Chief Operating Officer and co-owner of Keima, an innovative software company delivering disruptive wireless design solutions worldwide. Iris is an innovator and forward-looking technologist working with the executive teams and engineers at Tier 1 network operators, network infrastructure vendors, neutral-host vendors, government organizations, and international 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. Prior to Keima Iris 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).
Mehdi Bennis
- Associate Professor Centre for Wireless Communications, University of Oulu
Dr Mehdi Bennis is an Associate Professor at the University of Oulu, Finland. His research interests are in resource management and machine learning in 5G/6G networks. He co-authored one book and published 200+ research papers. He was the recipient of several prestigious awards.
Julie Bradford
- Managing Consultant, 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 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.
Alan Carlton is Vice President, InterDigital and Head of InterDigital International Labs Organization spanning Europe and Asia. In these regions Alan is responsible for R&D activities in the areas of 5G and IoT. Alan has led his organization to over a dozen major collaborative project wins. He founded and currently leads the oneTRANSPORT initiative, one of the largest Smart City projects in the UK. In the area of 5G Alan’s research interests include next generation internet and advanced applications of NFV/SDN technologies. Alan has over 25 years wireless industry experience spanning every generation of wireless. Prior to InterDigital, he held senior positions at Nortel, Siemens and several wireless startups both in Europe and United States. Alan is an EEE graduate of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and also holds a MSc. in Communications & Signal Processing from Imperial College, London. Alan holds many patents covering a diverse range of wireless technology areas. He is a regular invited speaker at wireless industry events and is also author of a wireless futures blog for Computerworld.
Antonella Faniuolo
- Head of Network Strategy, Planning, Digital & Optimisation, Vodafone
Antonella Faniuolo is Head of Network Strategy, Planning, Digital & Optimisation in Vodafone UK. Before Vodafone, Antonella was working for Ofcom 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 Ofcom, 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.
Chris 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
- Senior Director, Strategic Marketing, Parallel Wireless UK & EMEA
Zahid Ghadialy is a Senior Director with a fast-moving and innovative US-based young company called Parallel Wireless (PW) that is on a mission to make deployment of any cellular infrastructure as easy and as cost-effective as Wi-Fi. With an extensive experience of over 18 years in the telecom industry as an engineer, programmer, analyst, researcher, architect, trainer, product manager and technical marketer, he is a technologist with a deep understanding of architecting world-class mobile products and solutions. Zahid is currently a member of Board of Directors at CW and 'Future Devices & Technologies' SIG champion. He has also previously been a 'Small Cell SIG' and 'Smart & Intelligent Cities SIG' champion. He is also a Non-Executive Director of eXplanoTech. In his spare time he blogs at 3G4G and you can also catch him on Twitter at @zahidtg.
Erol Hepsaydir
- Head of RAN and Devices Strategy and Architecture, Three UK
Dr. Erol Hepsaydir received BSc and MSc degrees in electrical and electronics engineering from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, in 1985 and 1987 respectively. He completed his PhD at University of Technology, Sydney in 2001. Currently, he is the Head of RAN and Devices Strategy at Three in the UK. His primary responsibilities are next generation telecommunication and wireless systems including 5G with particular interest on PHY/MAC layer and network architecture. He was appointed as Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor at the University of Kent in United Kingdom where he lectures Digital Communications, Information Theory and Mobile Communications. He is currently focusing on mmWave 5G technology trial and deployment scenarios.
Peter Love
- 5G Densification Architect, Nokia
Peter has worked in the mobile communications industry for nearly 30 years, firstly at Orbitel UK and then at Nokia Networks. Peter helped developed the first 2G DCS1800 BTSs to Orange and then continued in building a viable business for network planning & optimisation services in the UK. Holding various roles over the years focusing on UK, Europe and global markets Peter is now a principle services architect in the 5G/densification area helping operators globally to make the most appropriate decisions. Until recently he held the office of chair/vice chair of the Small Cells Forum Operations group where he played a significant role for 5 years.
Guy Matthews
- Director of Emerging Technology, CGI
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.
Andrew Palmer
- Consulting Director, CGI
Andrew has more than 30 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 Telecoms sector, 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 Digital Policy Alliance’s Smart Society Working Group, techUK Spectrum Policy Forum and the Cambridge Wireless Virtual Networks Special Interest Group.
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
- Director, Consulting, Space, Defence and Intelligence, CGI
Jaime loves working with clients to invent the Space services of the future and 5G is one of the most exciting developments in the industry as satellite and terrestrial technologies converge. He leads SatCom and Earth Observation services and applications development in the UK for CGI, one of the world’s largest and most dynamic IT and business consulting companies. A key focus at the moment is developing the service layer required to help clients integrate and orchestrate the networks of the future. He 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. Jaime has a Doctorate in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics and is a Chartered Engineer.
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 joined BT after graduation where he worked in a number of satcom engineering roles. He then moved Hughes where he became Chief Engineer Europe and was responsible for the design of its satcom and hybrid services and products. For the last 7 years Simon has worked at Avanti as a Principal Consultant working on EC, ESA and other projects; looking at new technologies, new operational methodologies and the integration of satcom in to 5G.
