Speaker Biographies

Confirmed Speakers

Daniel Pataki

Director, ETNO

Daniel Pataki, former President of Hungary’s National Communications Authority, the European Regulators Group (ERG) and the EU’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) became ETNO’s new Director in February, 2012.

Mr Pataki was President of Hungary’s National Communications Authority from 2004 until 2010. During his term, he was in charge of regulation of the electronic communications and postal sector as well as spectrum allocation.

In 2008 he was Chairman of the ERG and of the International Regulators Group (IRG). In this capacity, he played a key role in advising EU institutions during the review of the EU Regulatory framework. From November 2008 until November 2009, he was Chairman of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group, an advisory body to the European Commission on spectrum policy, composed of the 27 EU national spectrum regulatory bodies.

Prior to working in the regulatory authority, Daniel was Hungary’s Deputy State Secretary in charge of Communications at the Ministry of IT and Telecommunications, from 2002 to 2003. Before that, he held several positions in the private sector.

A Hungarian national, Daniel Pataki graduated from the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and holds a postgraduate degree from Programme Copernic organized by leading French institutions such as Science Po, Ecole des Mines, Ecole des Ponts, Paris. He also finished an undergraduate management programme (CEMS) at HEC.

He was awarded the Officer Cross of the Order of the Republic of Hungary in 2009 for his work in EU electronic communications regulation and the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary in 2005 for his work promoting the development of the ICT sector.

Danilo Riva

Chair, Corporate Responsibility Working Group, ETNO

Danilo Riva was born in Torino, Italy in 1954. He received a degree in applied physics from the University of Torino in 1978, and in the same year he joined Telecom Italia’s research labs (CSELT/TILab) where he had been head of the Environment and Energy unit from 1996 to 2001. Then he was appointed EH&S head in the NW territorial area, a position he held from 2003 to 2009. Currently he holds the position of Sustainability manager within TI’s Group Sustainability department, with specific responsibility on environmental issues and international cooperation. Danilo has chaired the Corporate Responsibility Working Group of the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO) since 1997, and is one of the founders and current members of the Board of Directors of the Global e-Sustainability Initiative, serving as Treasurer.

Didier Pouillot

Head of Telecom Economics and Business Modelling Practice, IDATE

Didier Pouillot has been with IDATE since April 1986, and worked as the Head of the Industrial Analysis Department, then Head of the Telecom Strategy Business Unit.

In this capacity, Didier coordinates IDATE’s research and study assignments on telecom service market trends (mobile, broadband, …), on the sector’s regulatory, technological and industrial issues (broadband outlook, telecommunications investments and employment, European industry’s competitiveness…). He is also publishing supervisor of the annual DigiWorld Yearbook, dedicated to the digital world's challenges.

Before joining IDATE, Didier worked as a consultant for Paris firm, B.I.P.E.

Mr. Pouillot holds a post-graduate degree from ESSEC (1982).

Colette Maloney

Head of Unit, Smart Cities and Sustainability, European Commission

Colette Maloney is Head of Unit Smart Cities and Sustainability unit at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology.

The unit is charged with developing policy around ICT contributions to smart cities, and to delivering triple-bottom-line sustainability in response to societal challenges in resource efficiency, climate, transport and energy. It is also responsible for R&D activities on ICT and sustainability including energy-efficient buildings and cities, smart electricity grids, low-carbon transport and mobility, and efficient water management.

From 2004-2008, she was Head of Unit Cognitive Systems and Robotics and was responsible for building up a substantial R&D initiative in this domain.

Prior to this she held various assignments in the Commission in the field of ICT, from microelectronics, to telecommunications and digital content.

Before joining the Commission in 1994, she held research positions in Ciba, Switzerland and Dartmouth College, USA.
She has a BSc in Mathematics and Physics (summa cum laude) and a PhD in Physics (1982 and 1986 respectively) from Trinity College Dublin. She was born in Ireland in 1962.