Jérôme Bezzina
Head of the Bitstream and Broadcasting Division
ARCEP - France

Jérôme Bezzina is currently working as head of the Bitstream and Broadcasting Division at ARCEP (the French regulator of electronic communications and postal services) in Paris. Before joining ARCEP, Jérôme worked at the World bank Policy Division of the GICT. Jérôme was involved in the design preparation and supervision of telecom sector reform in a number of African and MENA countries. Prior to joining GICT, Jérôme worked as director of studies and head of the Regulatory and Policy Division at the Institut de l’Audiovisuel et des Télécommunications en Europe (IDATE). He has an experience in network economics, regulation and competition issues in the telecommunications sector in industrialized and developing countries. Before joining IDATE at the end of 2000, he worked as a modeling manager at the regulatory department of French telecommunications operator Cegetel SFR and as a professor and researcher at ENST, the French telecom high school. Jérôme Bezzina holds a Ph.D in Economics.

Jean-Yves Besnier
Head, Partnership, Promotion & Membership Unit
Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Mr. Besnier joined the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in October 2001, as Head of the Private Sector Partnerships Unit in the BDT. 

In 2003, his responsibilities included Public & Private Sector Partnerships, Promotion and Membership (PPM). Since April 2005, Mr. Besnier ‘s responsibilities have been extended to cover activities of the Conferences Unit of the BDT.

Before joining the ITU, he held a large variety of executive and management positions in the Computer and Telecommunication Industry, mostly in Europe, Middle East, Africa and North America.

Mr. Besnier joined IBM France in 1972, as an economist. After six years in Corporate Finance and Administration, he was appointed Director of Marketing Planning. At the launch of the IBM Personal Computer (1983), he was promoted Director of Marketing and Sales Administration of the newly created IBM PC Company. He joined IBM Corporate Headquarters in the USA in 1986, as Manager of Business Development for distribution channels. In 1990, he joined IBM Europe and was appointed Project Director for the launch of Personal Systems in EMEA region. He returned to IBM France in 1991 as Director of Internal Communication, and in 1993 was appointed Director of Advertising and External Communication. He joined Nortel Networks Europe in 1995 as Director of Communication, Europe Middle East and Africa, Enterprise Networks. He was promoted Director of Government Relations and International Affairs, EMEA, in 1998.

Mr. Besnier holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Rennes, as well as a Master Degree from the Institute of Business Administration.

Antoine Bigirimana
Chief Executive Officer
Electronic Tools Company - E-Tools

Antoine Bigirimana is Chief Executive Officer of Electronic Tools Company, aka E-Tools (www.e-tools.com), a software solutions provider with a presence in Kenya, Rwanda and USA. He is the co-founder and managing director of THVF (www.thvf.com) , a US Venture Capital Fund which looks for investment opportunities in East African SMMEs. Outside of work, Bigirimana spends his time in Rwanda as a philanthropist, supporting the Kigali Center for Entrepreneurs. He also serves as the Chairman of the non-profit E-ICT Training Center for IT workers. Bigirimana was born in Rwanda and is an active figure in Rwanda's information and communication technologies (ICT) community and in Electronic Design Automation community in USA. He serves as Vice-Chairman of Rwandan ICT Association (RICTA). Among other things, RICTA manages the RINEX Internet Exchange Point and is the designated owner of Rwanda’s .rw domain name. As a consultant on ICT strategies in East Africa, Bigirimana has spoken at several conventions in Africa and the United States.

Mustapha Elriz
Chief Operating Officer
Southern Aerospace and Telecom Consulting

Mustapha Elriz, Chief Operating Officer, Southern Aerospace and Telecom Consulting a sector member of ITU-D specialized in telecom and satellite infrastructure for Africa and Middle-East. Mustapha holds an Engineering Degree from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Paris and a Master Degree in Business Administration and has more than 27 years of experience in the telecom and satellite field at the technical, business development and executive level. He previously was CEO of the pan-African satellite operator RascomStar-QAF interfacing the sponsors , the manufacturers , financial institutions and the African telecom incumbent and non incumbent operators ; He held many positions at Alcatel Space (now Thales Alenia Space) for over twenty years, the latter being Vice-president Business development for Africa & Middle East and he started his career as technical engineer at Thomson-CSF. Throughout his career Mustapha has been directly in contact with various projects in satellite control or telemetry data receiving stations for various organizations such as Eutelsat (ground control segment for their second generation of satellites in partnership with Logica UK), European Space Agency), French Space Agency (Kerguelen Low Earth Orbit station), Turksat (overall ground control and monitoring segment), Intelsat (communication system monitoring in partnership with Stanford Telecom). He also coordinated technical and marketing activities for various telecommunications satellite systems: Europe*Star, Thuraya (UAE), Arabsat.

Rauno Granath
Head of New Growth Markets
Nokia Siemens Networks

Rauno Granath is currently working in Nokia Siemens Networks, responsible for the approach and solutions for growth markets. Growth markets are characterized by high growth potential but lower than average consumer spending that are setting new requirements for operator business models and the required solutions. Rauno has extensive career in mobile telecommunications. He joined Nokia 1988 and has since held several key positions in R&D, operations and Sales & Marketing in Finland, UK and USA. He was witnessing the phenomenal growth and success of GSM based mobile industry from very beginning, being in charge of sales support activities of the first GSM 900 and 1800 products. Later, he was heading a manufacturing site in Fort Worth, TX for Base Station products. After that Rauno worked in Nokia’s PMR (Professional Mobile Radio) division in charge of Nokia’s TETRA base station products. There he got familiar with special requirements and high demand level that authorities like police and fire & rescue are setting for their communication networks. Rauno holds Bachelors degree in Engineering and MBA from Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration.

David Richard Murray
Chief Executive Officer
Celtel (Kenya)

With over eighteen years international experience as a senior executive in telecommunication, David is the Chief Executive Officer of Celtel (Kenya). Prior to joining the MTC Group, he was Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Telecom, where he was responsible for restructuring the business in preparation for forecast competition in 2007. Before that, as Chief Executive Officer of Wataniya Telecom (Kuwait), he was responsible for the successful launch of the Company in 1999, and its subsequent expansion to becoming a leading Regional operator, with operations in Tunisia, Iraq & Algeria, as well as Kuwait. He began his business career in consumer marketing with Unilever & Scott Paper International, then management consultancy. In the late 1980’s he became involved in mobile telecommunications, at a time when the industry was in its early stages of development. David specializes in launching or re-engineering telecommunications companies in emerging markets. In 1997, as Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President of Americel (Brazil), he was responsible for the successful launch of the first mobile phone operator to compete with the then state owned Brazilian Telebras mobile networks. Prior to this he was Chief Operating Officer of Digi Telecom (Malaysia), and before that a key member of the Top Executive Management Teams that launched the leading mobile phone companies in Colombia and Chile. Having worked in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, North & South America, he has extensive international experience in building, managing & optimizing telecommunications businesses by blending the best international practices with local cultural respect.

Richard M. Russell
Associate Director
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Executive Office of the President Eisenhower

On January 4, 2007 the President announced his intention to appoint Richard M. Russell U.S. Ambassador to the 2007 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) in Geneva. The WRC is convened every three to four years under the auspices of the United Nation’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to review and revise the international treaty governing the use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. The 2007 WRC will be held October 22 to November 16. Richard M. Russell was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in August 2002 as Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President. In that capacity he is OSTP's Deputy Director for Technology. In addition to his role at OSTP, Mr. Russell serves as the Senior Director for Technology and Telecommunications for the National Economic Council. Prior to being chosen by the President for his current position, Mr. Russell served as OSTP's Chief of Staff. Mr. Russell also worked on the Presidential Transition Teams for the Department of Commerce, National Science Foundation and OSTP. Richard M. Russell Associate Director From 1995-2001, Mr. Russell worked for the House of Representatives Committee on Science and has a strong background in technology policy. The Committee has oversight responsibilities for all Federal civilian research and development and authorizing responsibilities for most civilian science and technology programs. During his time on the Committee, Mr. Russell was charged with overseeing the Committee’s technology policy, coordinating its oversight agenda, and helping manage the Committee’s majority staff. He also helped draft a wide variety of legislation, including efforts to expand and improve coordination of federal information technology research, improve computer security, and authorize budgets for science and technology related agencies. Mr. Russell joined the Science Committee as a professional staff member. He was promoted to staff director for the Subcommittee on Technology and finally to deputy chief of staff for the full Committee. Prior to his work with the Science Committee, Mr. Russell was a professional staff member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. He also directed the Washington office of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA). ACWA is a non-profit association representing 400 public water agencies responsible for delivering 90 percent of California’s domestic and agricultural water. Mr. Russell began his career in Washington, D.C. as a research fellow for the Conservation Foundation. He also worked for Congressman Curt Weldon (R-Penn.) and Senator John Seymour (R-Calif.). In 1988 he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Yale University.

Bernard SANCHEZ
Directeur d'études
Responsable du secteur Régulation et Marchés émergents

Bernard a rejoint l’IDATE en août 2004 en tant que Directeur d’études, responsable du secteur Régulation et Marchés émergents.

Bernard est spécialisée dans l'analyse réglementaire, concurrentielle et stratégique des services télécoms. Il participe à ce titre à de nombreuses missions d'étude et d'assistance auprès d'Autorités de Régulation et d’opérateurs en Afrique et en Europe. Auparavant Bernard était Economiste senior chez Enerdata, cabinet spécialisé dans le secteur de l’énergie, où il s’occupait plus particulièrement des questions liées à la libéralisation des marchés, à la prospective énergétique et à l’évaluation des politiques d’efficacité énergétique. Bernard est titulaire d’un Doctorat de Sciences Economiques de l’Université de Montpellier I.

Bernard SANCHEZ
Director of Studies
Head of Regulation & Emerging markets Practice

Bernard Sanchez joined IDATE in August 2004 as Director of Studies, in charge of Regulation and Emerging markets.

Bernard is specialising in the analysis of regulatory, competitive and strategic issues in the telecommunications industry. He also acts as a consultant on several projects for regulatory authorities and operators in Europe and in North Africa. Before joining IDATE, Bernard worked as the Senior Economist for Enerdata, a French consulting firm specialised in the energy sector, where he was in charge of issues relating to market deregulation, energy forecasting and energy efficiency policy assessment. Mr. Sanchez holds a PhD in Economics from the Université de Montpellier I.

Gabriel Solomon
Directeur, Regulation et affaires gouvernementales

Gabriel a une vaste expérience dans le domaine des telecommunications, ayant travaille pour des operateurs et fabriquants de téléphonie mobile, aussi bien dans les marchés développés que dans ceux en voie de développement. Sa carrière s’étend du domaine du marketing à celui du développement commercial, stratégie et finances. Le rôle de Gabriel à l’Association GSMA est de diriger le Comité Fracture Numérique et de gérer les initiatives de l’industrie qui visent à augmenter la mobilité à des prix abordables et promouvoir les bénéfices socio-économiques dérivés de la pénetration mobile Gabriel est également responsable du développement de partenariats avec les organismes internationaux, les fabriquants et les operateurs mobiles, dans le but d’identifier et promouvoir l’expérience dans le domaine de la régulation et de solliciter les gouvernements et régulateurs en consequence. Gabriel possède un MBA de INSEAD. Il est membre des conseils de la UK Telecoms Academy et du Programme Connect the World de la UIT.

Gabriel Solomon
Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs

Gabriel has a broad international telecoms background having worked with both vendors and operators in developed and developing markets. His functional experience spans business development, strategy, marketing and finance. At the GSM Association, Gabriel manages the Digital Divide Committee and leads industry initiatives designed to increase mobile affordability and reach and promote the economic and social benefits derived from mobile penetration. He is also responsible for developing partnerships with multilateral institutions, vendors and operators with the aim of identifying and promoting best practice policy and regulation, lobbying governments and regulators accordingly. Gabriel sits on the Boards of the UK Telecoms Academy and the ITU’s Connect the World programme and has an MBA from INSEAD.