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Executive Event
2024 Marconi Executive Forum
25 October
The Majestic Hotel
Bologna, Italy
The first Marconi European Executive Forum, titled “Connected Lives: What Would Marconi Think?”, is an exclusive, invitation-only event designed for leaders in the information and telecommunications sectors. This Forum aims to foster critical reflections and forward-looking discussions about the industry’s future.
Participants will delve into emerging challenges such as equitable connectivity, innovative commercial models, and the impact of frontier technologies. The format will be interactive and off-the-record, encouraging open dialogue on pivotal industry topics. Drawing inspiration from the pioneer Guglielmo Marconi, attendees will explore strategies for achieving universal broadband access, adapting to the evolving roles of technologies like AI, 6G, and satellite, and shaping the infrastructure required for the next wave of global innovation.
Featured Commentators
Fay Arjomandi is the Founder, CEO and Board Member of the pioneering Hybrid edgeCloud company mimik. From 2016-2018, she was the executive chairman of H2 Wellness, a software company based in Los Angeles. Between Aug 2014 to Oct 2016, she was the CEO of digital health company NantMobile and led its Augmented reality platform (iD), several digital/genomics health initiatives, and WiGig fabless semiconductor company, Tensorcom. Prior to NantMobile, Fay was the CEO of Vodafone xone which was the innovation brand for Vodafone. She oversaw partnerships with startup companies to develop, test and prepare for commercial deployment in Vodafone’s global markets. Additionally, her role included managing Vodafone Ventures, board membership of Vodafone Americas Enterprise and President & Chair position at Vodafone Americas Foundation. Prior to Vodafone, Fay was the co-founder and CEO of three technology startups that built location-based services (L3 Technology), mobile quality of service improvement platform (Mobidia), and mimik.
As a pragmatic technology innovator, Fay has authored many patents in Telecommunications, Transport Layer Protocols, Mobile traffic management, QoS, and Edge Cloud Computing. Fay has a unique talent for spotting future trends and “connecting the dots.”
In 2022 she received the Canadian Top 20 Tech Titans Award and in 2020, she was named the Edge Woman of the year by the Linux Foundation. In 2018 she was the Alumni of the Year at Concordia University in Montreal where she received her bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. In 2014, she was named as one of the most influential woman business leaders in Silicon Valley by San Francisco Business Week, and in 2006, received the distinguished Business in Vancouver’s “Top 40 Under 40″ award. She is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and advises many startup companies and is a Board Advisor to American Tower the global provider of wireless communications infrastructure
Fay is passionate about digital inclusion and equity and has spent the last decade to create disruptive technology platforms and enablers for cloud decentralization to ensure a future sustainable internet. She has advised startup companies on how to build successful businesses, as well as corporations on digital transformation and innovation with impact. In addition to exceptional leadership and vision, Fay is a highly sought-after global speaker and industry thought leader given her specialization and years of experience in digital communications, software applications and edge cloud computing. Fay holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Concordia University.
Enrique Blanco has been Global CTIO of Telefónica since 2017, Global CTO since 2011 and member of the company’s Executive Committee since November 2019. Always linked to technology and operations, he has held various positions as Director of Operations and Network Engineering at Telefónica. Enrique holds a degree in Physics from the Complutense University of Madrid and a Master’s Degree in Physics from IESE.
Vint Cerf’s groundbreaking work on the Internet Protocol suite, particularly TCP/IP, co-authored with Bob Kahn, revolutionized global data communications. In 1982, TCP/IP became the standard for the U.S. Defense Department, achieving operational use in 1983. This laid the foundation for connecting computers and networks worldwide. Cerf is on a lifelong mission to foster unity and enable communication. His pioneering work with MCI Mail in 1983 catalyzed collaboration among companies with diverse technological backgrounds, envisioning a groundbreaking “digital post office.” By securing government authorization in 1988 to link MCI Mail to the Internet, he played a pivotal role in propelling the Internet into commercialization, championing open standards amid industry giants. Cerf’s expansive vision fueled his enduring involvement in organizations highlighting the Internet’s value for humanity. In 1992, he co-founded the nonprofit Internet Society (ISOC) and chaired ICANN, responsible for managing the domain name system. Cerf’s commitment to communication, which began with his use of hearing aids at age 13, translated into meaningful action, including introducing television captioning and founding the Northern Virginia Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. His dedication extends to the limitless promises and challenges inherent in the Internet’s future, from the Interplanetary Internet to the Interspecies Internet.
Benedetto Di Salvo has assumed the role of CEO of Italtel since April 2022. Born in 1960, he graduated in Mechanical Engineering in 1983 at the La Sapienza University of Rome.
He began his career as a designer in the Finmeccanica Group (now Leonardo), participating in European development programs in the aerospace sector. Subsequently, he worked as Area Manager at international General Contractors with responsibility for some foreign markets.
Since 1993 he has moved to the ICT sector, he has held global roles in sales, operations and general management with some of the leading multinational companies in the sector such as Nokia, Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei, Ericsson, Nortel Networks, gaining international experience with a broad knowledge of the TelCo and Enterprise businesses and of key technologies.
Prior to joining Italtel, he was head of Sirti’s Digital Solutions Business Unit for four years, which, under his leadership, achieved extremely significant results in terms of market diversification and revenue growth in the Public and Private sectors.
Since 2019 he has also been Chairman of Wellcomm Engineering SpA, a cybersecurity company acquired by Sirti with key customers in the Finance and Large Enterprise market.
Captain (Navy) Ettore Suraci is the Head of Telecommunication Office of the C4 and Security Department of the Italian Navy General Staff since 2022. He is responsible for the Italian Navy telecommunication policy definition and for all telecommunication programs and related issues of specific Navy interest. Prior to the current assignment he held numerous positions in the Italian Navy, Italian Defence and at the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), both on board the ships and on land, taking on different roles as Engineer Officer. Main sectors he has dealt with are: telecommunication, satellite systems, modelling & simulation and ships combat systems technical efficiency. He has a Degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Palermo, a Second Level Master’s Degree in Telecommunications from the University of Rome “ROMA TRE” and a Second Level Master’s Degree in Advanced Communications and Navigation Satellite Systems from University of Rome “Tor Vergata”.
Daniele is currently responsible for all TIM Engineering, Network Planning, Innovation and and for the IT OSS related to fixed network and operation support. Morever from December 2023 He received in addition also the responsibility for the Governance, Process and Transformation and e2e KPI in relation to the TIM Network operations. From October 2022 up to December 2023 he covered roles such as being responsible for all TIM Engineering and IT OSS engineering part related to fixed network and operation support, and Ad Interim Head of Core and Mobile Platform for all the fixed and mobile engineering including Mobile Radio Acces, Telco Cloud, Fixed and Mobile Core Network, IP and Transport and NW services and e2e network quality.
Mansoor leads Cognitive City Design for DARABASE. Previously, he held various positions at NEOM in KSA, including ED for Digital and Cognitive Solutions, Head of Infrastructure Policy and Regulations, Interim Sector Head of Tech & Digital (T&D), and leading on Emerging Technologies, including mixed reality, space, satellites, advanced robotics and human-machine interfaces, developing early Metaverse strategy, the NEOM Digital Master Plan and Data Strategy.
Prior to NEOM, Mansoor was Chief Technology Officer at OfCom, the UK telecom and media regulator, overseeing the security and resilience of the nation’s networks. Previously, he was Director of the Converged Networks Research Lab at British Telecom and held several roles at EE, the largest UK mobile operator, including the integration of the Orange and T-Mobile networks as Director of Radio. He also worked across Europe at Orange and Vodafone, overseeing the implementation of new technologies.
As an industry leader with nearly 30 years of technology experience, Mansoor has been actively engaged across the profession, and held positions as patron of the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals (ITP), on the Steering Board of the UK5G Innovation Network and the Advisory Board of the UK Satellite Applications Catapult. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of the University College London (UCL) Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, and King Fahad University Engineering department.
Giovanni Emanuele Corazza is a Full Professor at Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna and founder of the Marconi Institute for Creativity. He holds a PhD in Telecommunications and Microelectronics (Università di Roma Tor Vergata) and a PhD in Psychology (Université Paris Cité). He was President of the Fondazione Guglielmo Marconi (2019-2023), President of the CINECA consortium for supercomputing (2017-2019), Member of the Board of Directors of the University of Bologna (2012-2018), Member of the Marconi Society Board of Directors, Member of the Partnership Board of the 5G Infrastructure Association, Head of the Department of Electronics, Computer Science and Systems (DEIS, 2009-2012), Chairman of the School for Telecommunications (2000-2003), Chairman of the Advanced Satellite Mobile Systems Task Force (ASMS TF), Founder and Chairman of the Integral Satcom Initiative (ISI), Member of the Board of the 5G Infrastructure Association and Vice-Chairman of the NetWorld2020 European Technology Platform (2013-2016). His research interests span over Creativity Studies, Future Studies, Telecommunications.
Stefano is the CEO and VP Nokia Italy and on top the Head of Nokia Optical Network Division Business Operation inside the Network Infrastructure Business Group (NI BG) ; in this role he is responsible both for Nokia Italy in the Country and of the overall Business Operation management of the Optical Network Division of Nokia.
Stefano developed deep and wide knowledge in the High-tech Telecommunication & ICT market through the full value chain (component/module Vendor, system/network Vendor; system integrator and service Provider). He also developed competences in the Railways, Infrastructures and Energy Sectors with Public and Private Customers.
Stefano has a strong international background developed managing World-Wide Global Organizations and a consolidated experiences in Company’s Management, Transformation & Turnaround, Merge & acquisition.
Prior Joining Nokia, Stefano held President and CEO positions in many International Companies (Cistelaier SpA, PSC SpA, Sirti SpA ).
Until 2012 he was Senior Vice President in Alcatel-Lucent responsible for the Global Competence Center World-Wide and the Regional Support Center in the EMEA Region in the Optics & Wireless Telecommunication Division.
Until 2003 he was Vice President Sales and Marketing, in Corning Inc.- Telecom Photonic Division responsible world-wide for the P&L; including Business management and strategy definition, Marketing, Product Line management.
Stefano holds a Master in Business Administration from Bocconi University in Milan and a degree in Electronics Engineering from Politecnico di Milano University.
Scott Langeland became co-CEO of APWireless in December 2019. Previously, Scott had been an Executive Vice President and senior counsel for APWireless, overseeing the legal and underwriting functions within the AP Wireless business, including leading the efforts to enter, and to formulate asset acquisition structures in, new jurisdictions.
Scott joined APWireless in October 2010 and significantly contributed to APWireless’ growth from a startup to a $3 billion leader in the industry, driving key initiatives and fostering innovation. His legal experience covers areas such as structured finance, commercial real estate, and civil litigation. Scott is a Cum Laude graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law and holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Durga Malladi is Senior Vice President and General Manager, Technology Planning & Edge Solutions, at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. He joined as a Senior Engineer in 1998. Since 2023, he has been responsible for technology product management and roadmap planning across all businesses in Qualcomm Technologies. This spans artificial intelligence (hardware, software, tools), connectivity (5G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, satellite communications, positioning), processors (CPU, GPU, NPU), multimedia (computer vision, audio, video, sensors), central software, developer ecosystem, and data management and analytics platforms. In addition, he is responsible for Qualcomm’s cellular infrastructure business. In prior roles, Durga led wireless research in 5G and 4G LTE/LTE-Advanced, and drove the 5G Modem-RF technology roadmap and mobile broadband business in Qualcomm. Durga is a senior member of IEEE and holds 581 U.S. patents. He is a recipient of Qualcomm’s IP Excellence Award, Qualcomm Distinguished Contributor Award for Project Leadership, Qualcomm Upendra Patel Achievement Awards for Outstanding Contributions, and Distinguished Alumnus Award from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He is a member of the AI Governance Alliance Steering Committee at the World Economic Forum. Durga holds a B.Tech (’93) from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, M.S (’95) and Ph.D. (’98) from UCLA, and an AI Graduate Certificate from Stanford (’23). His Ph.D. dissertation is on adaptive estimation and filtering techniques, and his research interests include artificial intelligence, signal processing, communication theory, and quantum computing.
Daddy Mukadi is the Chief Regulatory Officer of Airtel Africa, a position he has held since January 2015. Mr. Mukadi previously worked at Vodacom Group, where he was the Executive Head of International Regulatory Affairs and the Executive Head of International Commercial Legal Affairs. Prior to joining Vodacom Group in 2010, he was Group Corporate Legal Counsel at Gateway Communications Group. He previously worked at MHA Attorneys in South Africa, the Communication Users Association of South Africa and the Cabinet M.T in DRC.
Daddy is currently the Chair of GSMA Sub-Saharan Africa Policy Group and a member of the GSMA Global Policy Group.Daddy holds a Masters of Law Degree in Communications Law (i.e. Broadcasting, Telecommunication, Space / Satellite and Media Laws) from the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa), an Executive Dev. Program from Witwatersrand Business School (South Africa), a Strategic Leadership Certificate from INSEAD (France) and an LLB from the University of Lubumbashi (DRC ). He co-authored (with Justine White, Visiting Senior Fellow at Wits School of Law – South Africa) volumes 2 (2005) and 3 (2006) of the SADC Media Law Book, a handbook for media law practitioners.
In March 2023, Nasr Eldin was named Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Egypt. He also serves as a member of Telecom Egypt’s board of directors, representing the Egyptian government, after previously serving as a non-executive Board member from July 2020. He joined Telecom Egypt in 2004, eventually becoming Head of the International Cables and Networks Business Unit in 2014. During that period, Eng. Nasr Eldin undertook several initiatives that contributed to maximizing Telecom Egypt’s revenues and capitalized on Egypt’s strategic position as a route for international submarine cables. From May 2020 until March 2023, he was Deputy ICT Minister for Global Information Infrastructure at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. With over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, Eng. Nasr Eldin specializes in the planning, development, and operations of submarine cables and international networks. He also has extensive experience in managing international programs and projects, having held several positions since 2016 at PCCW Global–the global operating division of Hong Kong Telecom–including Head of Subsea Cable Infrastructure; Vice President of Cable Innovation, Planning, and Management; as well as Assistant Vice President of Cable Development for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. His key role at PCCW included planning for new submarine cables and carrying out the corresponding feasibility and investment studies.
Eng. Nasr Eldin earned a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering from Al-Azhar University in Egypt in 2001 and also holds an MBA.
Henry Samueli was born in Buffalo, NY and grew up in Los Angeles, CA. He earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from UCLA in 1975, 1976 and 1980, respectively. Since 1985 he has been a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UCLA, and in 1991 he co-founded Broadcom Corporation, a global leader in providing semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. He took a leave of absence from UCLA in 1995 and joined Broadcom full-time as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In 2016 Broadcom was acquired by Avago Technologies Limited and renamed Broadcom Inc. He retired as CTO of Broadcom in 2018 and now serves as Chairman of the Board. In 2005 the Samueli’s purchased the Anaheim Ducks National Hockey League (NHL) club from the Walt Disney Company. Henry is a member of the Executive Committee of the NHL Board of Governors. The Samueli’s also own the San Diego Gulls American Hockey League (AHL) franchise, which serves as the Ducks’ minor-league affiliate in San Diego, CA. After Broadcom went public in 1998 they created the Samueli Foundation and to date they have gifted over $1 billion primarily in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, Integrative Health, Youth Services, Social and Climate Causes, and Jewish and Israel Culture.
Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt is a leading researcher in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and was one of the originators of the interdisciplinary field of Web Science. He is Principal of Jesus College Oxford and a Professor of Computing Science at the University of Oxford. He is chairman of the Open Data Institute which he co-founded with Sir Tim Berners-Lee. In 2009 he was appointed Information Advisor by the Prime Minister and, working with Sir Tim Berners-Lee, led the development of the highly acclaimed data.gov.uk website. In 2010, he joined the UK government’s Public Sector Transparency Board – overseeing Open Data releases across the public sector. He was knighted in 2013 for services to science and engineering. Nigel has a degree in Philosophy and Psychology from the University of Newcastle and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Edinburgh. In 1983 he joined the Department of Psychology at Nottingham where he established and led an AI group. In 1992 he became the Allan Standen Professor of Intelligent Systems. He moved to Southampton’s School of Electronics and Computer Science in 2000. At Southampton he researched the next generation of the World Wide Web and was the first Head of the Web and Internet Science Group.
Karen is a leading global expert in practical governance strategies for AI and other frontier technologies. She advises Fortune 50 companies, startups, consortia and the public sector on how to manage AI and other cutting-edge technologies in rapidly changing technology and policy environments. Karen was a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP for over 20 years, where she advised global businesses on complex antitrust matters, M&A, governance, and crisis management.
Karen serves on the ABA Task Force on the Law and Artificial Intelligence, is a World Economic Forum Global Innovator and a member of their Experts Network, SME to the Business Roundtable, on the Fast Company Impact Council and serves on the board of AIEDU and Not For Sale and sits on the Advisory Board of Legal Momentum. She is a frequent speaker and author on technology and corporate governance issues.
William is an independent consultant providing advice across all telecommunications matters. He was one of the founding directors of Neul, a company developing machine-to-machine technologies and networks, which was formed at the start of 2011 and became CEO of the Weightless SIG, a body standardizing IoT technology. Prior to this William was a Director at Ofcom where he managed a team providing technical advice and performing research. He has worked for a range of communications consultancies and spent three years providing strategic management across Motorola’s entire communications portfolio, based in Chicago. He was IET President 2014-2015.
William has published 19 books, 100 papers, and 18 patents. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the IEEE and the IET, a Visiting Professor at Southampton University and a Board Member of the Marconi Society. He has been awarded multiple honorary doctorates by the UK’s leading universities and in 2018 was awarded the IET’s prestigious Mountbatten Medal for technology entrepreneurship.
Agenda
25 October
12.00 – 17.00
Connected Lives: What Would Marconi Think?
12.00 Noon – 12:30
Networking and Lunch
12.30 - 12.45
Welcome Remarks
John Janowiak
President & CEO, Marconi Society
Giulia Fortunato
President, Fondazione Guglielmo Marconi, Comitato Nazionale Marconi.150
Vint Cerf
Vice President & Chief Internet Evangelist, Google
12.45 - 13.35
Opening Executive Perspectives
Introduction
Vicente San Miguel, Senior Executive, Open Vision Partners
Executive Perspective
Enrique Blanco-Nadales, Chief Technology & Information Officer (CTIO), Telefonica
Introduction
John Janowiak, President & CEO, Marconi Society
Executive Perspective
Stefano Pileri, Chief Operating Office, Maticmind
13.35 - 13.45
Comfort & Hydration Break
13.45 - 15.00
Session I: Looking to the Future: Creating a More Prosperous World with Broadband for All
Moderators
Professor Giovanni E. Corazza, Founder, Marconi Institute of Creativity
William Webb, Author, Consultant, and Former CTO, Access Partnership
Commentators
Daniele Franceschini, Chief of Network and IT Technology, FiberCop
Scott Langeland, Co-CEO, APWireless
Daddy Mukadi, Chief Regulatory Officer, Airtel Africa
Mohamed Nasr, CEO, Telecom Egypt
Henry Samueli, Chairman, Broadcom
Rapporteurs
Paul Berriman, Former Group CTO, PCCW-HKT Trust
Stefano Grieco, CEO and Vice President, Nokia Italy
15.00 - 15.30
Networking Break
15.30 - 16.45
Session II: New Frontiers: Equitable Connectivity & Frontier Technologies that Will Define Our Future (Roundtable interactive discussion)
Moderator
Karen Silverman, Founder & CEO, The Cantellus Group
Commentators
Fay Arjomandi, Founder & CEO, mimik
Hari Balakrishnan, Professor, MIT, and CTO and Founder, Cambridge Mobile Telematics
Pietro Caminiti, Head of Digital and IT, Terna SpA
Mansoor Hanif, Executive Director, Darabase Durga Malladi, SVP & GM, Technology Planning and Edge Solutions, Qualcomm
Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Professional Research Fellow, Oxford University
Captain Ettore Suraci, Italian Navy General Staff – C4 and Security department, Head of Telecommunications Office
Federico Suria, EMEA Regional Business Leader Telco and Media, Microsoft
Rapporteurs
Chris Earnshaw, Non-Executive Chairman
Gianluca Mazzini, CEO, Lepida
16.45 – 17.00
Closing Remarks
Stefano Borghi, COO of Site and Chairman of the Fondazione Guglielmo Marconi
John Janowiak, President & CEO, Marconi Society
19.00
Reception
