4G World

Brian Anderson is a Senior IT Management Consultant with a 25 years of experience in the Government and Health Care industries. He is currently a senior IT management consultant for the City of Houston leading several initiatives including municipal broadband and water utility billing automation.

Brian was a pioneer of municipal wireless broadband networks in the U.S. and has worked as a lead consultant for many cities across the country including New York City, Cincinnati, Oakland, Corpus Christi, and Washington D.C.

Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Brian was the CIO for the cities of Philadelphia and Dallas and Vice President and General Manager of IT for Aetna. 

Session:  The Promise of Wireless Broadband Connectivity — From Smart City to Emerging Economy National Broadband
Date:  Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  9:40 AM

Bob Azzi is Senior Vice President of Sprint’s Network.  Bob leads a team of nineteen hundred employees composed of executives, managers, and engineers nationwide and internationally who provide network development and deployment, access management and service assurance for Sprint consumer and business customers. He directs the ownership and operations of the CDMA, iDEN and global IP networks operated by Sprint.  Azzi is the Sprint executive officer in charge of the organization that ensures the success of the partnership between the Ericsson Corporation and Sprint Nextel Corporation.
During Mr. Azzi’s 20 plus years of tenure at Sprint, he has held senior leadership positions in network engineering, software development, network planning, network operations and customer service in Minneapolis, Virginia and Kansas City.  His industry expertise was honed from work in local, long-distance, international and wireless telecommunications networks.  Prior to joining Sprint he held various management positions in operations, engineering, and access verification with AT&T Long Lines in Chicago and New Jersey during an eight-year career with AT&T.
Azzi holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and an MBA from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri.   He and his family reside in Olathe, Kansas.

Joint Keynote:  Embracing for the Mobile Storm
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time: 11:30 AM

Keynote: Differentiating the 4G Experience
Date:  Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  9:10 AM

Osama is the VP of Payments at Google. He joined Google in January 2011 after seven years at PayPal and eBay.

Most recently at PayPal, he was vice president of platform, mobile and new ventures. Earlier, he was responsible for PayPal’s open global payments platform, as well as product development for all consumer- and merchant-facing products.

Osama received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of California. 

Keynote: 
NFC:  A Universe of New Opportunities
Date:  Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  9:45 AM

Arun Bhikshesvaran has more than 15 years of experience in the telecommunications industry.  He has been with Ericsson since 1995 and is currently the Chief Marketing Officer for Ericsson.  In this capacity, Bhikshesvaran is responsible for driving the global marketing strategy focused on enhancing Ericsson’s role in the evolving Networked Society.

Bhikshesvaran’s most recent position was Senior Vice President of Strategy and Chief Technology Officer for Ericsson North America. Prior to that he served in a variety of roles within the industry including Multimedia and Infrastructure Solutions, Systems Solutions and Integration, Field Engineering, R&D and Global Product Marketing. 

Bhikshesvaran holds a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering and has completed Post Graduate Executive Programs at Columbia Business School and Kellogg School of Management.

Keynote: Delivering on the Promise of 4G Networks
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time: 9:50 AM

Matt Bross joined Huawei in October 2009.  Mr. Matt Bross focuses on identifying global telecommunications industry and network architecture trends that will guide Huawei’s continuous customer-centric innovation of products and solutions. He also supports Huawei’s efforts in delivering innovative products and solutions for North American customers.
Before joining Huawei Matt served as CEO BT Innovate and Chief Technology Officer at BT Group plc where he was responsible for setting the vision and direction of innovation to drive and optimize BT’s innovation ecosystem.

Joint Keynote: 
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time: 11:30 AM

Stephen Buenzow is a Deputy Division Chief in the Broadband Division of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at the FCC.  He has a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.   He joined the FCC in 1992, in what was then the Microwave Branch of the Private Radio Bureau.  His nineteen year career at the Commission has been focused on wireless telecommunications, specifically on engineering, licensing, regulatory, and policy issues related to the fixed microwave, broadband, and related services.

Joint Keynote: FCC Perspectives – Wireless Backhaul and Broadband Acceleration
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  11:05 AM

Hank Chavers is Associate Principle at Constratus, a consultancy providing technical expertise and business analysis for NFC, telecommunications, and multi-media innovations.  Hank has over 15 years of experience in development, deployment, and adoption of Internet services and wireless data.   His NFC specific accomplishments include: producing proof-of-concept demonstrations for NFC enabling wireless technologies; providing technical management for NFC trials including the first ever NFC phone with two types of payment cards; and leading the NFC Forum Developer Workgroup and Global Competition.  Hank has advised and consulted many companies like CNN, ESPN, and Sabre in expanding their product offerings to mobile clients.

Keynote:  Revenue Opportunities in Non-Payment Applications of NFC
Date:   Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  10:30 AM

Rick oversees all operations of the company in the North America region.  He was previously Head of the APAC region at Nokia Siemens Networks.  Rick joined Nokia in 1993, and has held several executive level positions in the company at various locations. With 20 years of international experience in the communications industry, Rick is a dynamic leader known for his commitment to customer satisfaction and team achievements. Rick is valued by customers, partners and employees as an executive having a passion for the industry, the business success of Nokia Siemens Networks’ customers, along with establishing the company as the leading technology partner in the region.  

Rick was recently Head of the APAC region and prior to that Head of Sales, APAC at Nokia Siemens Networks. He has been instrumental in helping the company gain market share in the region. Before that, he headed the Asia North sub region, where he led the teams in Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Laos to new deals and market entries.  Rick has had an extensive list of achievements in his 18-year career with Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks, where he held senior sales and marketing positions in the Americas, Europe and Australia. He formerly served as the Head of Hutchison Global Customer Business, Area Vice President of APAC at Nokia Siemens Networks, Commercial and Sales director for the Global Customer Teams of Vodafone and British Telecom and was also the Head of Sales for Vodafone Asia Pacific region. 

Rick holds a degree in Communications and Electronic Engineering from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia. He is married and has four children.

Keynote: Ensuring a Flexible Future in an Increasingly Unpredictable World
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time: 11:00 AM

Since 2006, T.J. Fox has served as president–Illinois/Wisconsin Region for Verizon Wireless, the premier wireless provider with the nation’s fastest, most reliable 4G network. Fox is responsible for sales, service and overall company operations within the region, which encompasses northern and central Illinois, Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, northern Indiana and the Quad Cities area in Iowa.

Fox has been with Verizon Wireless since 1992, demonstrating a history of record-breaking results and rapid advancement. During this time, Fox has been named to Verizon Wireless’ prestigious President’s Cabinet five times. As president of the Illinois/Wisconsin Region, he has guided Verizon Wireless to a leadership position in a very highly competitive environment.

Over the past few years, Fox has been an integral leader in the adoption and rollout of Verizon’s 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology. Knowing that this advance in technology would truly change the game in a wireless world, Fox has helped consumers understand the implications 4G LTE will have on the way they not only conduct business, but manage their daily lives. 4G LTE and Verizon Wireless are both about empowerment, and Fox has been very active speaking to customers, business and community groups and industry stakeholders on just how revolutionary 4G LTE is. He is adept at educating in theory as well as detailing implications in application – whether it’s device-oriented or covering the rapidly advancing topic of machine-to-machine.

Fox is a Crains Chicago “40 under 40” award winner and currently serves on the national board of Prevent Child Abuse America as well as the board of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. A native of Annapolis, Md., Fox earned his bachelor’s degree at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.

Keynote: 4G – Shifting into High Gear
Date:  Thursday, Oct. 27
Time:  9:45 AM

Eran was appointed Alvarion’s President and Chief Executive Officer in December 2009. He joined Alvarion from NICE, where he first served as President and CEO of NICE Systems Inc., the company’s operation in the Americas, and later as Chief Business Officer, responsible for driving the company’s global business.

Prior to NICE, Eran worked for Amdocs, where he was President of the North America Major Clients Division responsible for the company’s business with some of North America’s leading communication service providers and media companies, and Corporate Vice President and Head of Worldwide Sales, responsible for leading global sales and business development activities.

Eran holds an L.LB degree from Tel-Aviv University and a joint MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and the Recanati School of Business Administration, Tel-Aviv University.

Keynote: The Promise of Wireless Broadband Connectivity – From Smart City to Emerging Economy National Broadband
Date:  Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  9:40 AM

Suzy Hays has more than 19 years in the telecommunications industry.  She is currently the Senior Vice President of Marketing for C Spire Wireless and has been with the company since 1992.  In this role, she is responsible for C Spire’s overall strategic direction of the brand, marketing, product development, advertising, and public relations strategies.  She is focused on development of the company’s customer community, web, social media, apps and convergence strategies.  She has extensive experience in product development, brand evolution and the development of brand, sales and customer retention strategies.

Hays earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Mississippi College and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi.

Keynote:  Avoiding the Cost of Lost
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  9:45 AM

Tom Jasny, VP, Wireless & Broadband Network Systems, joined Samsung Telecommunications in April 2005, to lead Samsung’s Wireless and Broadband Networks efforts in the US. 

He has 26 years of technology experience, including wireline, broadband, and wireless infrastructure and device business. Jasny recently led Samsung’s efforts to support the Sprint Network Vision project, resulting in Samsung’s selection as a supplier for Sprint’s national network upgrade.  He has also been involved in LTE new business development in the US.  Previously, he led Samsung’s Mobile WiMAX effort in the US, resulting in Samsung’s selection as primary supplier for the Sprint/Clearwire 4G network.  Jasny also helped launch multiple new products in the US, including Samsung’s industry-first CDMA femtocell product with Sprint and Verizon.  For the past two years, Jasny has led Convergence Business Development activities, an initiative to connect, share content, and share user experience across Samsung’s consumer electronics and telecommunications device portfolio.

Jasny has held various positions within Nortel Networks, Siemens, and VocalData, a Tekelec company.  He came to Samsung from VocalData, a provider of hosted Internet Protocol (IP) telephony applications, delivering advanced telecom services and applications to business and residential customers.   

Jasny has been in key leadership roles since 1993 when he assumed VP responsibilities for Nortel Sales and Customer Services organization, designing and building a total sales organization including customer and supplier contracts, marketing operations, program management, installation and field service.  In 1995 he assumed the role of VP, Sales and Service for Siemens Wireless Terminals.  For the next three years Jasny led an organization that sold GSM and CDMA handsets to North American and Asian operators. 

In 1998 Jasny was recruited back to Nortel where he assumed P&L responsibility for all Nortel product and account activities for the Sprint PCS national network. In 1999, he assumed P&L responsibility for all Nortel product lines sold to the major national and regional emerging wireless carriers. 

Jasny has an MBA from Vanderbilt University and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He is a Board member of the Open Patent Alliance, a recent member of the Board of Directors of WCAI and is a former Board Member of the Heard Museum and the Boys and Girls Clubs.  

Session:  One Step Ahead – Samsung’s Commercial LTE Innovation
Date:  Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  10:30 AM

Thomas C. Keys became MetroPCS Communications’ Chief Operating Officer as of June 27, 2007. Previously, Keys served as senior vice president, market operations, West region from January 2007 through June 2007 and vice president and general manager, Dallas market from April 2005 through January 2007. Prior to joining MetroPCS, Keys served as the chief operating officer of VCP International Inc., a Dallas-based wholesale distributor of wireless products, from July 2002 to April 2005. Prior to joining VCP International Inc., Keys served as senior vice president, business sales, for Weblink Wireless Inc. (formerly PageMart, Inc.) from March 1999 to June 2002. He also served in other senior management positions with Weblink Wireless Inc. from January 1993 to March 1999.

Keynote: Building on the Foundation of 4G For All
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time:  9:20 AM

Reiner Klement is vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT). In this role, Klement is responsible for overseeing product management, business development and marketing for QCT’s  product portfolio for smartphones and feature phones.

Klement, who has  over 20 year product management experience in cellular products, joined Qualcomm in 2003. Under his leadership, QCT smartphone business grew from a single product into a broad range portfolio of products, covering three segments across CDMA, UMTS, TD-SCDMA as well as LTE standards.

Reiner holds a BS in electrical engineering from the Fachhochschule Augsburg in Germany.

Session:  Snapdragon –Powering the Next Generation of Smartphones and Tablets
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  1:00 PM

Joint Keynote:
Date:  Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time:  10:30 AM

Session:  4G Americas Educational Workshop
Date:  Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time: 1:00 PM

Joshua Knight, AT&T Services, Inc., currently serves as a technology leader in the AT&T Chief Security Office (CSO) where he is responsible for driving AT&T Mobile Security Services efforts. 

Mr. Knight’s background includes Engineering, Architecture, Security, and Product Development. During his 15 years experience within the communications industry, he has served in several senior technologist roles within medium to large sized communications companies, including Sprint Nextel and Cingular Wireless. 

Mr. Knight’s academic background includes undergraduate work in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics and an MBA in Business Technology.

Session:  Security and Policy in the Cloud-Based Customer Experience
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  11:30 AM

Jon Kuhn serves as Director of Product Management for the Enterprise Mobility Group at Symantec, responsible for the mobile security and management products and services. In his role, Jon focuses on both the enterprise and service provider routes to market, building solutions for on-premises, cloud and carrier deployments. Jon more recently served as Director of Core Security, responsible for Security Suites and Mail & Web Security product lines.

Prior to Symantec, Jon led the product management and marketing teams at SonicWall, a network products and services company and leader in the network security market. There he was responsible managing all aspects of program management and marketing with full P&L ownership. Jon joined SonicWall through the acquisition of Ignyte Technology, a IT consulting company where he was a founding member. With over 14 years in the IT industry, Jon has held a number of roles in product strategy, sales engineering leadership and managed teams in both business and technology consulting.

Joint Keynote: Security and Policy in the Cloud-Based Customer Experience
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  11:30 AM

Session:  The Policy Management Paradox — Industry Executive Roundtable
Date: Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  4:00 PM

Manoj Leelanivas is Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Junos Application Software (JAS) business group at Juniper Networks, focused on the advanced applications that run on Junos, including Junos Space and MobileNext™ platforms, content and media, router services, and cloud services innovations.

An 11-year Juniper veteran, Mr. Leelanivas previously served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Junos Ready Software (JRS) business group, dedicated to the creation and delivery of an ecosystem of software and applications built on the Junos and Junos Space platforms. Additionally, he was responsible for notable progress in Juniper’s Project Falcon (MobileNext) mobility initiative.

Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Edge and Aggregation business unit for the Infrastructure Products Group (IPG), where he led the development and launch of Juniper’s groundbreaking MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers.

During his tenure at Juniper Networks, Mr. Leelanivas also served as the Vice President of Product Line Management and Marketing within IPG, responsible for the core, edge and aggregation router product lines, and as Vice President of Engineering in IPG, responsible for Junos development. He also led various engineering, product management, and marketing groups.

Prior to joining Juniper Networks, Mr. Leelanivas was at Cisco Systems for seven years, where he was involved in various initiatives in routing and voice technologies.

Mr. Leelanivas holds a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program.

Keynote:  Top Ten Imperatives for Service Providers
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  1:45 PM

Jennifer A. Manner is Deputy Bureau Chief and has a focus on strategy and new technologies. Ms. Manner previously worked as a Principal at ZComm Strategies LLC, where she was a consultant on telecommunications regulatory policy issues. Before that, Ms. Manner was 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 currently serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the Washington College of Law at American University. Ms. Manner has published several books on telecommunications issues and has written numerous law review articles.

Ms. Manner received her B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany, from which she was recently awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Political Science.  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.

Session:  Broadcast Incentive Auctions and a National Public Safety Network
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  1:00 PM

Keynote: How Advanced Technologies are Improving Emergency Communications Capabilities
Date:  Wednesday, Oct 26
Time:  11:00 AM

As President of CFN Services Wireless Division, Randy Muench directs Randy oversees functional responsibilities include product development, marketing, sales, distribution, customer care, and technical support. He most recently served as President of Cleartel Communications, a Florida based telecommunications CLEC, which was sold to Birch Communications. Previous to that Randy spent 8 years at Xspedius Communications (formerly espire Communications) serving as the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing with responsibility for all sales, revenue, marketing and customer service of the 400+ person revenue team.  His experience also includes 8 years serving as a director of Marketing and Finance for the MCI $500 Million State Government segment.

Randy received his MBA in Corporate Finance from DePaul University and his BA in Marketing/Business from University of Illinois.

Keynote: 4G Backhaul From Here
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  10:45 AM

Session: Executive Roundtable
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  4:00 PM

Dr. Hideo Okinaka is Vice President and General Manager of Emerging Technologies and Spectrum Division at KDDI Corporation and responsible for industry and government relations on technology matters including investigation into emerging technologies, standards strategy, bridging the valley between standardisation and implementation, and spectrum affairs.  Prior to assuming the current role in April 2006, he was responsible for the corporate level technology strategy as Vice President and General Manager of Strategic Technology Management Division.  Until March 2004, he had been working on the cellular telephone business since 1991, including business development strategy for the KDDI’s “au” business unit as Vice President, the Japanese TDMA and IMT-2000 system development, and licence bidding in offshore markets.  Prior to this, he spent 14 years for R&D primarily on the satellite communication system engineering with particular emphasis on mobile satellite systems at KDD and Inmarsat.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of WiMAX Forum.  He was the Chair of 3GPP2 Steering Committee in 2003-2004 term and also served as the Chair of 3GPP2 TSG-S, Services and Systems Aspects working group, from its foundation in 1999 till January 2001.  He was also a member of the Board of Directors of Mobile Wireless Internet Forum (MWIF) during the entire period of its life.

Dr. Okinaka received Morita Prize and Achievement Award from the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communications Engineers of Japan for his contribution to the development of digital mobile satellite communication systems.  He was also praised by Recognition Award from the ITU Association of Japan for his contribution to the 3G mobile system standardisation.  He earned a B.S. degree in applied physics, a M.S. degree in physics and a Dr. Engineering degree in communication science from Waseda University.

Keynote: 4G – A Single Technology or Something Else?
Date: Thursday, Oct. 27
Time:  9:10 AM

Said Ouissal is the Vice President of Regional & Customer Engagement for Ericsson IP & Broadband business.  He is responsible for leading a team that engages with customers globally in close cooperation with Ericsson’s sales and support teams for all of the company’s IP & Broadband products and solutions.
 
Prior to this role, Ouissal was the Vice President of Systems Engineering at Redback Networks, where he directed all global technical sales staff and activities supporting the company’s business development initiatives.

He has been in the IP and data networking industry since 1997, holding various technical and managerial roles with Lucent Technologies, Xylan Corporation, Alcatel, Versatel, Conxion Corporation and Bay Networks.

Ouissal holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Hogeschool Enschede, Netherlands and is based in Ericsson’s Silicon Valley offices in San Jose, California.

Keynote:  A New Generation of IP Networking
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  9:10 AM

Panelist:  Executive Roundtable
Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  4:00 PM

Bernd Reul is a Vice President in TDC Operations, Technology, responsible for Fixed and Mobile Service Platforms and Mobile Networks. Before he was Director of Strategy and Business Development at TDC Mobile and he has been with TDC for more than 4 years. Prior to joining TDC, Bernd spent more than 8 years with Scientific-Atlanta, a Cisco Company, where he held various Director level positions within EMEA Business Development for Cable & IPTV STBs & Systems, Strategic Marketing, Marketing Communications (EMEA & AP) and Product Management.

Before entering the broadcast and broadband industry, Bernd worked 2 years as a Management Consultant for McKinsey & Company on strategic projects in Scandinavia. Bernd Reul holds an executive MBA and a Marketing Degree from the Copenhagen Business School and a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.

He has written several articles in international broadcast and broadband magazines and presented at various industry conferences over the past decade.

Keynote: Balancing Mobile & Fixed Broadband Network Roll-Outs and Implementing New Convergence Services
Date:  Thursday, Oct. 27
Time:  11:00 AM

Rose Schooler is General Manager of the Communications Infrastructure Division within Intel’s Intelligent Systems Group.  Her team is responsible for delivering Intel architecture solutions for application, control, packet and signal processing within communications market segments including:  wireless infrastructure, network appliances, routers and switches – to name a few. Rose has been with Intel for 22 years, beginning as a process engineer in silicon manufacturing. For the past 13 years , Rose has focused on building the Embedded Intel Architecture business in various market segments. In this role, she has driven technologies transitions such as ATCA and Intel’s embedded System-on-Chip technology in addition to leading a number of development efforts for processors and chipsets within the embedded market segments.

Rose graduated from Pennsylvania State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in ceramic science and engineering.

Keynote:  Inside the Network – The Transition and Opportunity
Date: Thursday, Oct. 27
Time: 10:15  AM

Blaise Scinto is Chief of the Broadband Division in the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, where she is responsible for developing policy and rules that facilitate rapid, widespread deployment of wireless broadband services, as well as licensing and oversight of these services. 

Previously, Ms. Scinto served in a variety of leadership positions during more than 15 years at the FCC, working on issues including spectrum policy, transactions, licensing, competition, and consumer concerns. Before joining the FCC, Ms. Scinto was an associate with the Washington office of Winston & Strawn. 

She has a B.A. in History and a J.D., both from the University of Virginia.

Joint Keynote:  FCC Perspectives – Wireless Backhaul and Broadband Acceleration

Koichi Tagawa is the General Manager of Global Standards and Industry Relations Department that is in charge of technology standards and technology industry relations of the FeliCa Business. Since 2002, he has supported the popularization of NFC and FeliCa from the standardization point of view. He actively contributed to the establishment of the NFC Forum, holding the position of Vice-Chairman from the start of the Forum in 2004 until becoming Chairman in September 2008. He enthusiastically continues to contribute to the enhancement of the NFC ecosystem throughout the contactless application industry.

Keynote:  Why NFC Is Much Bigger Than Paying With Your Phone
Date:  Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time: 9:15 AM

Roundtable:  Where Do We Go From Here?
Date:  Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  3:45 PM

Dr. Tikhvinskiy is deputy general director of innovation technologies for OJSC GiproSvyaz. He is also chairman of the Information and Telecommunications Technologies branch of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. Tikhvinskiy holds a doctorate in  economical science (2003) and in radio engineering (1988). He is the Government Prize laureate (2002) and a member of the State Duma Committee Expert Council. He has published more than 190 scientific papers and nine books on the economic and legal developments within LTE/UMTS, as well as QoS problems, and spectrum management and EMC issues.
Since 2007, he has been chief editor of T-Com Journal. He is also a professor at Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI) and a visiting professor at the Tunisian Telecommunication Institute (Iset’Com).

He is an ITU field expert, and has actively participated in the work of international regulatory and standardization telecom bodies as a representative of the Russian Federation in the ITU.

Keynote:  Potential of 4G Technologies and Services on the Russian Telecom Market
Date:  Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time:  2:00 PM

Charles is responsible for defining business strategy and segments, driving product strategy and product development, delivery operations, and leading the launch of new contactless and NFC products in the payments, transit, and access/ID verticals.    

He has been involved in the information security industry throughout his career and has more than fifteen years experience in the smart card sector. As the founder and CEO of Caradas, he was involved in authentication and smart card system development & integration programs with Visa, MasterCard, Fleet Bank, and Target.  

In addition, he served as COO of Diversinet driving mobile security initiatives, along with smart card & security experience with Securify (SVP, Security Services), CertCo (COO), and Spyrus (Director of Electronic Commerce).

As well, he was the co-founder of the CyberTrust business at GTE and instrumental in capturing key first contract wins with MasterCard, American Express, and in Japan through the CyberTrust Japan joint venture.

Keynote: The Role of a Standard Authentication Framework for Scalable NFC Services Deployment 
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 26
Time:  11:45 AM

Ken Wirth leads Alcatel-Lucent’s End-to-End (E2E) Network Solutions organization. He is responsible for the company’s E2E LTE solution as well as broader wireless and wireline network transformation solutions. This includes systems engineering, architecture, design, end-to-end testing and certification, device management, solution delivery, customer and sales support.

Prior to this appointment, Ken served as the Customer Unit leader for a major U.S. Carrier. In this capacity, he was responsible for representing all products, solutions, applications and services from across the business, and partnering closely with the customer to address their business requirements.

Previously, Ken was President of the Lucent’s Multimedia Network Solutions organization where he had responsibility for the financial and business performance, strategy, product marketing, product management, technology and development across the access, data and optical networking segments. Prior to that, he was President of Lucent’s Optical Networking Group. Ken has held various management, marketing and sales assignments at AT&T and Lucent, including an assignment as Chief Financial Officer for AT&T Network Systems’ Access Products Group.

Ken joined AT&T in 1987 after launching his career with ITT Communication Services Group, where he was responsible for sales of telecom services to corporate accounts in the north-eastern and southern regions of the United States.

Joint Keynote:  Embracing for the Mobile Storm
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 25
Time: 11:30 AM

With 20+ years experience in marketing strategy and development positions in software and IT, Yossi Zohar currently holds the position of Amdocs’ Customer Management Marketing Director and his responsibilities include defining and driving market strategy, market awareness and positioning for Amdocs’ contact center, retail and self service solutions.  Yossi joined Amdocs 13 years ago and held a variety of marketing roles for Amdocs’ Customer Management group, including playing a key role in Amdocs’ acquisition of Clarify from Nortel Networks in 2001, driving the integration of Clarify CRM and Amdocs’ Billing product lines following this acquisition and later on rolling out new CRM solutions such as Amdocs Smart Agent Desktop, Amdocs Self Service, Amdocs Retail Experience and Amdocs Multichannel Selling.

Yossi is a frequent speaker at major industry events, as well as strategic thought leadership events with key service providers. He is also a member of TM Forum and a key contributor for Amdocs to the TM Forum’s Telecom Applications Map (TAM). 

Keynote:  Driving Profitability With a Consistent Cross-Channel Customer Experience
Date:  Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  10:45 AM

Session:  The Policy Management Paradox Industry Analyst Roundtable
Date:   Monday, Oct. 24
Time:  4:00 PM