TitleEtc:Vice President Research, Worldwide Telecommunications, IDC, USA
Bio:Ghassan Abdo is a Research Vice President at IDC in the WW Telecom Group. Mr. Abdo's primary research explores the role of service providers in delivering compelling rich media customer experience by integrating virtualization, programmability, MEC, media delivery, and security to develop innovative low latency use cases. Mr. Abdo’s research provides perspectives on market developments of transformational technologies such as SD-WAN, CDN and edge compute, quantifies market opportunities in managed services, assesses end user demand, and analyzes competitive positions of key players including communication service providers, CDN providers, and large cloud providers. Mr. Abdo advises clients on how to deliver value to end users and optimize GTM strategy. Prior to IDC, Mr. Abdo held several senior roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP) spanning product marketing and business development.
TitleEtc:Vice President, General Manager of Radio Access Network Development Department, NTT DOCOMO Inc., Japan
Bio:Sadayuki Abeta received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical communication engineering from Osaka University, Osaka, Japan, in 1993, 1995, and 1997 respectively. He has been with NTT DOCOMO, INC from 1997, where he is currently a General Manager of the Radio Access Network Development Department. He is responsible for the development of LTE, 5G, X-haul, and satellite communications. He has been working for research, standardization, and development of the UMTS/W-CDMA, HPSA, LTE, LTE-Advanced, and 5G. From 2005 to 2009, he was a vice chairman of 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 and rapporteur of LTE and LTE-Advanced in 3GPP TSG RAN WG1.
TitleEtc:Senior Sustainability Lead, Amazon Web Services (AWS), USA
Bio:Rob focuses on ensuring information technologies (IT) can achieve the outcomes they promise. As the leader of hundreds of data center, IoT, big data, and green IT projects, it has been his job to ensure IT can deliver real solutions to real problems. He brings more than 20 years of experience to the most complex global problems of our times.
His background spans operational technologies (OT), data centers, networking, IoT, green IT, cloud, compute, and storage architectures. He has managed sales, systems engineering, central engineering, advanced service, and marketing teams in his career. His approach is always data driven but informed by many years of corporate and governmental operational realities.
Rob is a co-creator of Cisco EnergyWise and author of the industry’s first “how to” guide for deploying IoT across an enterprise with energy management as the use case. Prior to leading IoT at Hitachi, he delivered Hitachi Enterprise Cloud (HEC).
TitleEtc:Director, Disruptive Analysis, United Kingdom
Bio:Dean Bubley (@disruptivedean) is Founder of Disruptive Analysis, an independent technology industry analyst and consulting firm. An analyst & futurist with over 25 years’ experience, he specialises in wireless, telecoms, and advanced technologies.
He is known as a contrarian, often with challenging opinions that go against industry consensus. His present focus is on 4G/5G/WiFi networks, the “future of voice and video”, contextual communications, blockchain, AI, and IoT. He advises on telco service creation & monetisation, ecosystems, broad futurism, and telecoms regulation/spectrum policy. His clients include many of the world’s leading telecom operators, vendors, regulators, and industry associations.
Mr. Bubley was formerly an equity analyst, covering communications stocks with investment bank Granville Baird. Prior to that, he spent eight years at UK research firm Datamonitor, where he was a director of the technology practice and managed the Internet & networking programme, with roles of Chief Analyst & Director of Consulting.
He holds a BA in Physics from Keble College, Oxford University.
TitleEtc:VP & Chief Internet Evangelist, Google, USA
Bio:Vinton G. Cerf is vice president and Chief Internet Evangelist for Google. With Robert Kahn, Vint is the co-designer of the architecture of the Internet. In 1997, they received the U.S. National Medal of Technology and in 2005, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the ACM Turing Award. In April 2008, they shared the Japan Prize for their work and in 2013, the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. He is a member of the U.S. National Academies of Science and
Engineering and the Legion d’Honneur.
Vint Cerf served as chairman of the board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) from 2000-2007 and he has been a Visiting Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory since 1998.
He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA and twenty-nine honorary
degrees.
TitleEtc:Co-Founder & CEO, EDJX, USA
Bio:John Cowan is co-founder and CEO of EDJX, the intelligent edge computing platform for real-time IoT, M2M, and mobile apps. He is regarded as the company’s business model visionary, and he is the author of the company’s overall commercial and corporate strategies. John is approaching 20 years’ experience leading early-stage company strategy execution, including raising and managing venture capital, identifying and executing potential mergers and acquisitions, and recruiting and developing high-performance teams and advisory boards.
Before founding EDJX, John created 6fusion. Under his leadership, 6fusion raised over $30M in venture capital, completed the acquisition of Markitx.com, launched a global business with WorleyParsons, and helped create UCX, the IT industry’s first-ever commodity exchange for cloud computing contracts, supported by the CME Group in Chicago.
Mr. Cowan presently serves on the Board of Directors of 6fusion USA, Inc., Requis LLC, EDJX, Inc., and was previously a member of the Board of Managers for UCX, LLC.
TitleEtc:Director, Aerospace & Satellite Solutions, Amazon Web Services (AWS), USA
Bio:Clint Crosier leads the AWS Aerospace and Satellite Solutions business, responsible for providing commercial and government customers with tailored, secure, and cost-effective cloud solutions for building satellites, conducting space and launch operations, and reimagining space exploration. Prior to joining AWS, he spent 33 years in the US Air Force and US Space Force retiring as a Major General. During his career, he operated GPS, SatCom, and missile warning satellite constellations, launched Atlas and Titan rockets putting national security payloads in orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office and Air Force Space Command, deployed to the Middle East during Operation Enduring Freedom as USSCENTCOM’s Director of Space Forces, and led Requirements and Strategy Development for the entire US Air Force. He has commanded at the Squadron, Group, and Wing levels, and held leadership roles as a US Senate Staffer and in the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. Prior to retiring from military service, he was the lead planner and architect of the stand-up of the US Space Force, the first new military service in 72 years.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer, CyrusOne, USA
Bio:David Ferdman co-founded CyrusOne (CONE) in 2000 and served as President and CEO until August 2011. Currently, Dave serves as a Managing Partner of DTB Capital Partners, a Texas based private investment firm managing a portfolio of private investments. Current engagements include President & CEO of CyrusOne, Board Director of CyrusOne, Inc (Nasdaq: CONE), Board Director of Filmwerks International, Board Director of Circuit of the Americas, CEO and Board Director- Cybraics, Inc, and Board Director of Skout Organic.
Prior to co-founding CONE, Dave co-founded and led as COO the UWI Association Programs which merged with Network Long Distance, (NTWK), where he continued as COO until the acquisition by IXC Communication (IIXC), now CentryLink in 1998.
Mr. Ferdman holds a B.S. Business Administration from the University of Kansas. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and 3 children.
TitleEtc:President & Chief Executive Officer, DigitalBridge, USA
Bio:Marc C. Ganzi is President and Chief Executive Officer of DigitalBridge. Prior to becoming President and Chief Executive Officer of DigitalBridge, Mr. Ganzi founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of Digital Bridge Holdings, a leading global investor and owner of mobile and Internet infrastructure that was acquired by DigitalBridge in July 2019 as part of DigitalBridge’s transformation to become the premier platform for digital infrastructure and real estate investment. In conjunction with the acquisition, Mr. Ganzi became CEO-Elect of DigitalBridge.
Mr. Ganzi received a Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School of Business in 1993. He was a Board Member of the Wireless Infrastructure Association from 2008 to 2017 and served as Chairman from 2009 to 2011.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer, Colt Technology Services, United Kingdom
Bio:Appointed to the role in May 2020, Keri is responsible for executing Colt’s strategy which centres around transforming the way the world works through the power of connectivity. Before becoming CEO, Keri was Colt’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), leading global teams across sales, presales, and marketing, as well as working closely with the wider organisation to ensure Colt delivered for its customers.
Prior to joining Colt, Keri held several leadership roles at Ciena but was most recently its Vice President and General Manager EMEA, responsible for guiding Ciena’s EMEA service provider and enterprise customers, as well as partners.
Keri is passionate about promoting inclusion and diversity, also leading Colt’s Diversity Council, to ensure Colt is a business where everyone feels they can bring their true selves to work.
Keri lives in London with her husband and two children.
TitleEtc:Co-founder & CEO, Yotta Infrastructure, India
Bio:Sunil is an engineering graduate from NIT Kurukshetra, India and management graduate from Columbia University, New York. Known as “India’s Data Center Man,” he has unmatched experience in the data center, cloud, and managed IT services industry and is best known as the person who has built and operated the most number of (more than 20) third party data centers in India.
Sunil Gupta has been featured in the illustrious Data Economy’s APAC 50 list and is one of the 100 personalities to watch out for in the next decade who are posed to heavily influence the direction and transformation of the global data center and cloud markets.
Sunil is currently the Co-founder & CEO of Yotta Infrastructure, a Hiranandani Group Company. Sunil is an angel investor as part of the CIO Angel Network (CAN) in India and loves to invest in and promote start-ups operating in new technology areas like AI/ML, IoT, big data, and analytics.
TitleEtc:Principal, Strategy&, USA
Bio:Dan Hays is an advisor to executives in the technology, media, and telecommunications sector for Strategy&, PwC's strategy consulting business. He is a principal with PwC US, based in Washington, D.C. As a senior member of PwC’s Strategy& consulting practice, Dan works with communications and information service providers, network equipment and device manufacturers, distributors, software companies, and media firms worldwide to drive growth, boost profitability, and set new standards for market leadership. A prolific author and speaker, as well as often-quoted industry expert, Dan’s writing includes leading thinking on the communications industry, growth strategies, and network operations. Dan is a frequent guest columnist and often-quoted industry expert in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Forbes, Fortune, The New York Times, Fierce, Broadcasting & Cable, RCR Wireless News, and Wireless Week. Dan holds an Electrical Engineering degree with high honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
TitleEtc:CSO, Zain Group, and CEO, Zain Global Connect, Kuwait
Bio:Chief Strategy Officer at Zain Group since March 2018 and CEO of Zain Global Connect, the wholesale and carrier arm of Zain Group, since January 2021. With 18 years track record in strategy and corporate development, Kamil is responsible for M&A and the development and implementation of Zain Group's “4Sight” strategy, that seeks new sustainable and value accretive business verticals while at the same time transforming the company from being a mobile centric company to an integrated digital service provider.
He graduated with a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering at the National School of Mineral Industry, Morocco (2001), attained an MBA from Suffolk University in MA, USA (2005), and a Masters in Finance from London Business School, UK (2008).
Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, Kamil is a board member of Zain Saudi Arabia and Moroccan telecom operator INWI Corp, and a board member of Swiss based e-commerce platform Zoodmall.
TitleEtc:Deputy Secretary-General, ITU, Switzerland
Bio:Malcolm Johnson is a seasoned information and communication technology (ICT) executive who has served in senior management positions at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) since 2007. Prior to his election as Deputy Secretary-General, he was Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau.
Earlier, he served as International Coordinator at the United Kingdom’s Office of Communications (Ofcom), with chief responsibility for UK engagement with ITU and international regulators. As Director of the UK Radiocommunications Agency until 2003, he also acted as the European Coordinator for several World Radiocommunication Conferences.
TitleEtc:Global Head, Business & Human Rights, Verizon, USA
Bio:As the leader of Verizon's Business & Human Rights Program, Nicole drives efforts to respect and promote human rights across the company and works to identify innovative solutions to human rights challenges. In this role, Nicole supports Verizon's ESG strategy and initiatives. Nicole previously led the Yahoo Business & Human Rights Program.
Prior to joining Yahoo, Nicole worked as an attorney at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP in New York; as an international policy fellow at Human Rights First, examining issues of business and human rights and national security law and policy; and as a human rights consultant to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Nicole also worked at the UN in the Office of the Legal Counsel, as well as at the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Special Department for War Crimes in Sarajevo.
Nicole co-teaches a course on Corporate Sustainability and Transnational Business and Human Rights at Fordham University School of Law.
Nicole received her LL.M. in International Legal Studies from New York University School of Law; her J.D. from Boston College Law School; and her B.A., magna cum laude, in Politics and Sociology from Brandeis University.
TitleEtc:President, Koomey Analytics, USA
Bio:Jonathan Koomey is president of Koomey Analytics and is one of the leading international experts on the economics of climate solutions and the energy and environmental effects of information technology. Dr. Koomey holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley, and an A.B. in History and Science from Harvard University. He is the author or coauthor of more than 200 articles and reports and nine books, including Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving and Cold Cash, Cool Climate: Science-Based Advice for Ecological Entrepreneurs. More at http://www.koomey.com.
TitleEtc:Vice President, Mobility, Voice, and IoT, Console Connect By PCCW Global, United Arab Emirates
Bio:Yogesh is Vice President, Mobility & Voice Services at Console Connect by PCCW Global, an affiliate of HKT and part of the PCCW Group.
Yogesh began his PCCW Global career in 2004 and has since worked in a multicultural environment, building and managing high performance sales teams and developing creative go-to-market strategies.
Yogesh has contributed to the due diligence process during merger and acquisition projects during his tenure and was responsible for initiating the establishment of PCCW Global’s first Voice business subsidiary in Africa.
He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) focused on Sales and Market Management and has acquired an Oxford University certificate in the Blockchain Strategy Programme.
TitleEtc:Senior Vice President & General Manager of Core Network Development Department, NTT DOCOMO Inc., Japan
Bio:Hiroyuki Oto has been leading R&D projects for all of the core network nodes and operation systems in DOCOMO's commercial mobile network.
He joined NTT in 1991. Later, he was engaged in core network development and R&D strategy planning for mobile communications at NTT DOCOMO.
In 2016, he launched the world's first network function virtualization (NFV), which runs Evolved Packet Core (EPC) software from multiple vendors. Today, he is working on applying NFV/SDN technologies to all the other network nodes.
He is also in charge of systems and architectures of the next generation mobile core network, such as 5G stand alone, edge computing, E2E orchestration, and more.
TitleEtc:Partner, Searchlight Capital Partners, USA
Bio:Ajit Pai is a Partner at Searchlight Capital Partners, a global investment firm. Prior to joining Searchlight in 2021, Mr. Pai was the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), which he led from 2017 until 2021. He first joined the FCC as a Commissioner in 2012. During Mr. Pai’s tenure as Chairman, he implemented major initiatives to help close the digital divide; advance U.S. leadership in 5G, Open Radio Access Networks, Wi-Fi 6, and other wireless technologies; promote innovation; protect consumers, public safety, and national security; and make the agency itself more open, transparent, and data-driven. Earlier in his career, he served in various positions of increasing responsibility at the FCC, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Senate. Before becoming a Commissioner, he worked as a Partner at the law firm of Jenner & Block and served as in-house counsel at Verizon. Mr. Pai graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1994 and from the University of Chicago Law School in 1997.
TitleEtc:Managing Director, Global Head of Communications Infrastructure, RBC Capital Markets, USA
Bio:Madonna has over 20 years of experience as an investment banker and equity research analyst. As Global Head of Communications Infrastructure at RBC, Madonna is responsible for providing data center and fiber companies with comprehensive financial advisory services, including M&A and equity and debt underwriting. Madonna has led a number of marquee transactions across North America, Europe, and Asia for clients such as Equinix, NextDC, CoreSite, GDS, Zayo, Vantage, TierPoint, and Megaport. Recent M&A transactions include the sale of Digiplex, the BCE data center portfolio, NGD, Hypertec, Zenium, Metronode Vantage, and 8 Equinix/Telecity data centers.
Prior to joining RBC, Madonna was a Media and Internet equity research analyst at Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan, and TD Securities. Madonna holds a BA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer, Acreto, USA
Bio:Babak Pasdar is a globally recognized innovator, cybersecurity expert, author, and entrepreneur best known for his multiple innovations in the area of cloud security. He has successfully founded and exited two companies that were the first innovators in the Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) and Secure-Access-Service-Edge (SASE) spaces. Babak is Acreto’s founder and serves as the company’s Chief Executive and Chief Technology Officer with a focus on solving some of the toughest cybersecurity challenges the world faces.
TitleEtc:Vice President, Data Center Engineering, Oracle, USA
Bio:Craig Pennington is Oracle’s Vice President of Data Center Engineering for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). In his role, he is responsible for the specifications and designs for data center infrastructure supporting OCI’s services in over 150 locations worldwide. His teams drive innovation, lead the rapid deployment of new regions, and advance OCI’s sustainability stance.
Prior to joining Oracle, Craig was Vice President of Design for Equinix, where he delivered improved quality and cost improvement for the company’s global portfolio of data centers. He was also the engineering lead for support of Equinix’s sustainability goals and accelerated innovation in data center design, construction, and management.
Craig joined Equinix from NTT where he worked for 10 years in the European Managed Services business, eventually as VP of Operations overseeing the design, implementation, and support of a wide range of customers and accreditation programs.
TitleEtc:Head of Global Connectivity Policy and Planning, Meta, USA
Bio:Dr. Robert Pepper helps lead Facebook’s connectivity and technology policy activities focusing on new technology development, deployment, and adoption, including subsea and terrestrial networks. Pepper previously was Cisco’s Vice President for Global Technology Policy for more than a decade working with governments globally helping them develop digital strategies including ICT and development, broadband plans, wireless and spectrum policy, IoT, security, privacy, and Internet governance. Pepper was Chief of the Office of Plans and Policy and Chief of Policy Development at the FCC for 16 years beginning in 1989 where he led teams designing and implementing the first U.S. spectrum auctions, developing policies promoting the development of the Internet, implementing telecommunications legislation, and planning for the transition to digital television. His academic appointments included faculty positions at the Universities of Iowa, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, and as a research affiliate at Harvard University. He currently is a Board Trustee of the Internet Society. Pepper received his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
TitleEtc:Founder & CEO, CtrlS & Cloud4C, India
Bio:Sridhar Pinnapureddy is a highly successful serial entrepreneur of technology and IT infrastructure business. He is the founder, chairman, and managing director of CtrlS Datacenters, Asia-Pacific’s largest rated 4 hyperscale datacenter service provider serving over 4,000 customers including 60 of the Fortune 500 companies including 3 of the top 5 hyperscalers of the world.
Under his leadership, the company is emerging as a leader in cloud managed services worldwide through its subsidiary, Cloud4C which operates in 25 countries worldwide.
Sridhar is regarded as the thought leader in the datacenter and cloud computing industry and has steered over 200 innovations.
TitleEtc:Vice President, Business Development, Equinix, USA
Bio:Jim Poole is Vice President of Global Business Development at Equinix, leading evolving edge strategies focused on 5G, private wireless, MEC, subsea cable, and SATCOM. He has a 25+ year background spanning the IT, telecommunications, and content technologies industries. Jim joined Equinix from Roundbox, Inc., a provider of mobile broadcast software, where he led business development and sales. Prior to Roundbox, he was Vice President and General Manager of Network Services at SAVVIS (now Lumen), responsible for business line P&L, product management, marketing, and strategy. He also held senior leadership positions at C&W Americas, dynamicsoft, and UUNET.
TitleEtc:CEO/Regulator, Government of Samoa, Samoa
Bio:Mrs. Lematua Gisa Fuatai Purcell is the CEO/Regulator for the Government of Samoa. Prior to this appointment, she was Acting Secretary-General and Director of ICT Development at the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization (CTO). She was the Head of the ICT Development for LDCs, SIDS, LLDCs, and countries with economies in transition at the ITU. In 2004, Gisa led the telecommunication reform in Samoa that saw the liberalization of the mobile market. She has over 30 years’ experience in ICT development at the national, regional, and international level. Gisa has a master’s degree in information systems from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer, Recovery Point Systems, USA
Bio:“Tony” Rossabi is currently CEO of Recovery Point Systems Group Holding Company, where he focuses on the growth of Recovery Point Systems, a leader in DRaaS, and other companies within the portfolio. A talented and seasoned executive, Rossabi brings over twenty years of experience in technology, communications, data center infrastructure sales, marketing, operations, and strategic planning. Prior positions include Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer of TierPoint, Managing Director for Digital Realty Trust’s colocation and connectivity business unit (Telx), and Senior Vice President of Global Carrier Solutions at TATA Communications.
TitleEtc:Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, Princeton Digital Group, Singapore
Bio:Rangu Salgame is the co-founder, Chairman & CEO of Princeton Digital Group (PDG), a Singapore headquartered pan-Asia digital infrastructure company and backed by global investors Warburg Pincus, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and Mubadala.
Rangu has been a transformative growth leader throughout his career, having made market changing impacts at Tata Communications, Cisco Systems, and Verizon Communications. He has been turning company business portfolios into high value outcomes, partnering with government and business leaders in diverse cultural environments in over 30 countries such as China, India, Brazil, and the Middle East as well as the U.S., Europe, and Japan.
Rangu is a member of the Foreign Policy Leadership Council at The Brookings Institution. He also serves on the boards of BCIU and TrickleUp, a global trade policy organization and a non-profit development organization respectively.
Rangu holds an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer, Aligned Data Centers, USA
Bio:Andrew is a data center, IT, private equity, and real estate executive with over 25 years of complex transactional experience and multi-disciplinary senior leadership. As CEO of Aligned, he is dedicated to accelerating business growth by driving the delivery of data center solutions with industry-leading technology and adaptive infrastructure.
Prior to joining Aligned, Andrew held numerous leadership positions over an 11-year period with Digital Realty Trust (NYSE: DLR). Most recently serving as Senior Vice President, he was responsible for global large-scale, client-driven data center builds and was part of the executive leadership team that grew revenue to $2 billion. He also oversaw all major international transactions, including the successful negotiation and execution of projects in Osaka, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Sydney. Prior to Digital Realty Trust, Andrew held leadership roles at Sterling Network Services and Sysix Technologies.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, NEXTDC Limited, Australia
Bio:Craig Scroggie is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of NEXTDC, Australia’s leading Data-Centre-as-a-Service provider. Prior to becoming CEO in June 2012, Mr. Scroggie served on the Board of Directors since IPO (2010) as a Non-Executive Director, including as Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. With a national footprint of twelve data centres, 2 in build phase and a further 10 in planning, NEXTDC plays a critical role in facilitating the explosive demand for premium grade digital infrastructure services required for modern businesses and society.
Mr. Scroggie has more than 25 years’ experience in the ICT industry, having held senior positions with Symantec, Veritas Software, Computer Associates, EMC Corporation, and Fujitsu. Prior to joining NEXTDC, Mr. Scroggie was Symantec’s Vice President and Managing Director for the Pacific Region.
Mr. Scroggie currently serves on the Boards of Nitro (ASX:NTO) and Sovereign Cloud Holdings (ASX:SOV), and also serves on the University of Southern Queensland Business School Advisory Board and is Chairman of the La Trobe University Business School Advisory Board and holds the position of Adjunct Professor.
TitleEtc:Managing Director, Verizon Partner Solutions, USA
Bio:Kristina Serafim is a Managing Director at Verizon Ventures, focusing on early stage investments in data science, ML, AI, immersive and gaming technologies, enterprise SaaS, and deep tech. Kristina joined Verizon Ventures from Verizon’s ML and AI product team where she led product management. Prior to Verizon, Kristina was a Managing Director at Intellectual Ventures, where she led investments in machine learning, AI, immersive media, and gaming technologies. Kristina’s entrepreneurial experience includes co-founding and leading two enterprise SaaS start-ups, from inception to acquisition by global Fortune 500 companies. Kristina also spent several years on the strategy, ventures, and corporate development teams at IBM and at NAGRA. She holds an electrical and mechanical engineering degree from Kettering University and an MBA from Harvard University.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer, Zayo, USA
Bio:Steve M. Smith is Chief Executive Officer at Zayo. He has over 30 years of expertise as a global leader in the technology sector and a deep background in managing and scaling market-leading technology businesses.
Prior to joining Zayo, Steve was a Managing Director at GI Partners, a leading private investment firm. From 2007 to 2018, he served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Equinix, the largest data center company globally. Steve has also held senior leadership roles with HP Services, Lucent Technologies, and Electronic Data Systems Corporation.
Currently, Steve serves on the Board of Directors of Zayo and NextDC, a publicly traded data center company in Australia.
Steve had a successful eight-year career in the U.S. Army. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and holds a B.S. in Engineering.
TitleEtc:Chief Executive Officer, Digital Realty, USA
Bio:A. William Stein (Bill) is Digital Realty’s Chief Executive Officer and serves on its Board of Directors. Under Bill’s leadership, Digital Realty has executed a series of transformational transactions that have sharpened the company’s strategic focus and significantly enhanced its product offerings. He has overseen a quadrupling of the company’s total enterprise value, as well as its inclusion in the S&P 500 Index. Prior to being named CEO in 2014, Bill served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer. He also served as Chair for the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), and currently on the Board of Directors for Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., and The Real Estate Roundtable. Bill has an A.B. from Princeton University, a JD degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a MS from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.
TitleEtc:Head of Technology, Global Data Center Solutions, ABB, Inc, USA
Bio:Dave Sterlace is the Head of Technology for Global Data Center Solutions at ABB, and brings 25+ years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, Dave has held numerous positions at ABB including leading ABB’s vertical marketing in the U.S., Global Critical Power segment manager, Global key account manager, and regional business development and sales roles.
TitleEtc:Deputy Director-General for ICT R&D and Cybersecurity Policy, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan
Bio:October 2021, Tomoo Yamauchi assumed the position of Deputy Director-General in charge of ICT R&D and cybersecurity policy, MIC (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications). Between 2016 and 2021, he was in charge of cybersecurity as Deputy Director-General and Counsellor of NISC (National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity), Cabinet Secretariat. At NISC, he was in charge of preparing cybersecurity strategies for 2018 and 2021, incident response coordination for 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and amendment of Cybersecurity Basic Act. Before that, he was in charge of policies regarding research, development and promotion of space communications, and of those results at MIC. In addition, he has a variety of experience in ICT policies. His previous assignments include radio wave policies such as land, maritime, aeronautical, and satellite mobile communications.
He joined MIC in 1989, and before joining MIC, he received an M.E. degree in applied system science from Kyoto University.
TitleEtc:Director & Professor, SHIFT, School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Peoples Republic of China
Bio:Yang Yang received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Radio Engineering from Southeast University, Nanjing, China, in 1996 and 1999, respectively, and his Ph.D. degree in Information Engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2002. He is currently a full professor at the School of Information Science and Technology, Master of Kedao College, and Director of Shanghai Institute of Fog Computing Technology (SHIFT), ShanghaiTech University, China. He is also an Adjunct Professor with the Research Center for Network Communication, Peng Cheng Laboratory, China, as well as a Senior Consultant for Shenzhen SmartCity Technology Development Group, China. Before joining ShanghaiTech University, he held faculty positions at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Brunel University, U.K., University College London (UCL), U.K., and SIMIT, CAS, China.
Yang's research interests include 5G/6G, fog/edge computing networks, service-oriented collaborative intelligence, IoT applications, and advanced testbeds and experiments. He has published more than 300 papers and filed more than 80 technical patents in these research areas. He has been the Chair of the Steering Committee of Asia-Pacific Conference on Communications (APCC) since January 2019.