Plenary Speakers



Monday 28 September

 

10:00-10:10 Welcome and opening by conference chairs



 

 

 

 

10:10-10:25 An end to end vision of networks transformation; from access to Core

Francisco Javier Gavilán, Planning and Technology Director of Telefónica, Spain

 

Biography:

 

Since 2014 Francisco Javier Gavilán is the Technology and Planning Director within Telefónica GCTO office, in charge of transformation programs for Networks, including transport, core and platforms. In 2010 he was incorporated within the board of directors of Telefónica Mexico leading several technical responsibilities as Engineering Director. In 2000 he moved to Telefónica Moviles Spain as responsible of Technological Alliances department, until 2007, when he was appointed CTO for Telefónica Panamá & Nicaragua. From 1990 to 2000 he was working in Telefónica I+D in different technical positions related with Radio Communication, participating in a large number of European research projects. Francisco Javier Gavilán received his Telecommunication Engineering degree from Universidad Politécnica (ETSIT UPM) in Madrid. In 1997 he graduated as Master in Business Administration from Instituto de Empresa.



 

 

 

10:25-10:50. Fibre technology and the capacity crunch: Where to next?

Prof. David N. Payne, Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, UK

 

Biography:

 

Professor Sir David Neil Payne CBE FRS FREng is a leading Professor at the University of Southampton and Director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre. A world class pioneer of technology, his work has had a great impact  on telecommunications and laser technology over the last forty years. The vast transmission capacity of today’s internet results directly from the erbium-doped fibre amplifier (EDFA) invented by David and his team in the 1980s. His pioneering work in fibre fabrication in the 70s resulted in almost all of the special fibres in use today including fibre lasers which are currently undergoing rapid growth for application in manufacturing and defence. David has made numerous leading contributions to many diverse fields of photonics and is widely acknowledged as an inventor of key components. Currently, his main research interest is high-power fibre lasers. With US funding, he led the team that broke the kilowatt barrier for fibre laser output to international acclaim and now holds many other fibre laser performance records. An original member of the Highly Cited Researchers (USA) he is honoured as one of the most referenced, influential researchers in the world. He has published over 650 Conference and Journal papers and is a frequent plenary and invited speaker at major international optics conferences. As an entrepreneur David’s activities have led to a cluster of 11 photonics spin out companies in and around Southampton - helping to boost the local economy. He founded SPI Lasers PLC, which has recently been purchased by the Trumpf Corporation of Germany for $40M. Recently elected Chairman of the Marconi Society and to the Russian Academy of Sciences, David is a fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering. He became a Commander of the British Empire in the 2007 New Years Honours list. In addition he has been awarded the top American, European and Japanese prizes in photonics. Recent awards include the Marconi Prize in 2008 and the 2007 IEE Photonics Award the first to be awarded to a person outside the USA. Most recently, in 2010, David received the AILU (Association of Laser Users) Award for his pioneering work with fibre lasers.



 

 

 

10:50-11:15. Optical technologies for 5G

Dr. Thibaut Kleiner, Head of Unit “Network Technologies” at the European Commission DG CONNECT

 

Biography:

 

Mr. Kleiner is heading unit E1 - Network Technologies - in DG CONNECT, European Commission. This unit is in charge of Reasearch & Innovation in the area of wireless optical networks, network architectures, Internet of Things, Satcom and manages the 5G-PPP.

 

Thibaut has worked for the European Commission since 2001, occupying a number of positions, notably in the field of competition policy, where he was head of unit in charge of coordination, and member of Cabinet of Neelie Kroes in her previous mandate, where he notably supervised state aid (including during the banking crisis). An economist by training, he holds a Master from HEC Paris and a PhD from the London School of Economics.





 

 

11:20-11:45. How we created Internet ¿Will you join me to a future that for some people is already the present?

Andreu Veà, Digital Champion for Spain, European Comission

 

Biography:

 

Andreu Veà, PhD Telecommunication engineer, Digital Champion for Spain (European Commission) and “The internet biographer” will conduct the lecture “How we created Internet ¿Will you join me to a future that for some people is already the present?”

 

During his talk, Veà, tell the incredible story of a telecommunication engineer that decided to leave behind his home village to start a lifetime trip to discover the true origins of the Internet. He will share anecdotes while attempting to bring optical fibre cables across countryside villages where telecom operators never go, trying to convince Ministers, EU vice presidents, Prime ministers and majors. This experience took Veá to set an original proposal “Volunteers for the Optical fibre to light Catalunya again”, where he defends the application of the triple helix model in the optical fibre deployment, a simple technic that has achieved spectacular results for little villages where it has been tested: http://wiwiw.org/CatFiber.pdf





 

 

11:45-12:00   Concluding Remarks and Closing

© ECOC 2015, All rights reserved