GSMA Announces New Keynote Speakers for 2018 Mobile World Congress

The GSMA has announced nearly a dozen new keynote speakers for the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2018, as well as updates on exhibitors, sponsors, partners and programmes.

Mobile World Congress will be held 26 February – 1 March 2018 at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, with events also taking place at Fira Montjuïc and La Farga L’Hospitalet.

“We have an amazing show lined up for 2018, across the conference, the exhibition and the many programmes and events that comprise Mobile World Congress,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “Attendees will have the opportunity to experience many new elements this year, most notably the hospitality and networking areas in the new South Village at Fira Gran Via. We’re looking forward to showcasing how mobile is creating a better future for all.”

New Keynote Speakers Confirmed

The GSMA announced nearly a dozen new keynote speakers for the Mobile World Congress conference programme, representing organisations spanning the broad mobile ecosystem, as well as government and the development community. Recently confirmed keynote speakers include:

• Brigitte Baumann, Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Go Beyond Early Stage Investing
• Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director, Hyperledger
• Ricardo Antonio Rosselló Nevares, Governor, Puerto Rico
• Marie Ehrling, Chair of the Board, Telia Company and Chairwoman, Securitas
• Alastair MacLeod, CEO, Teralytics
• Kathy Calvin, President and CEO, United Nations Foundation
• Ajit Pai, Chairman, United States Federal Communications Commission
• Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank

New for the 2018 programme, the Women4Tech keynote will be held on Thursday, 1 March, featuring speakers including Emma McGuigan, Group Technology Officer at Accenture, Berit Svendson, CEO of Telenor Norway and Susana Balbo, Congresswoman and Chair, W20 Group Argentina. The session will put a spotlight on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the communications industry and more broadly in society. Other Mobile World Congress keynote sessions will explore topics including content and media, the digital economy, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, mobile operator strategies, smart services, and sustainability, among others. For more information on the Mobile World Congress conference, visit: www.mobileworldcongress.com/conference-programmes/agenda/.

Additional Exhibitors, Sponsors and Partners Confirmed for 2018
The GSMA announced several new exhibitors, sponsors and partners for Mobile World Congress. In the automotive sector, BMW Group will showcase its BMW i brand in a driverless car demonstration, while Byton will highlight its new connected car, joining other automakers including Mercedes-Benz, SEAT and Toyota on the show floor. Kazakh Telecom and Salesforce are also among the latest companies confirmed to exhibit at Mobile World Congress, joining previously announced exhibitors including Alibaba, AT&T, China Mobile, Cisco Systems, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Essential, Facebook, Google, HTC, Huawei, Intel, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft, NTT DOCOMO, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm Incorporated, SK Telecom, Telefónica, Verizon, Vivo, Vodafone, Xiaomi and ZTE, among others.

New for 2018, the GSMA has expanded the footprint of Mobile World Congress to include the South Village, located at the South Entrance of Fira Gran Via. This new outdoor hospitality and networking area serves as a vibrant welcoming point for Mobile World Congress, while offering additional meeting facilities for exhibitors and casual seating for attendees. Additionally, a second Meet & Eat venue will be located adjacent to the South Village, with food stands featuring local cuisine. For more information on the exhibition, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/exhibition/.

New Mobile World Congress sponsors include Oath, which has signed on as a Networking Garden Sponsor alongside Android, Celtra, Citi, EY, HTC, Ogury and Visa. Verizon has joined as a Sponsor for Women4Tech Speed Coaching and Networking and Supporting Sponsor for the Women4Tech Summit, while Unilever is confirmed as a Supporting Sponsor for Women4Tech at 4YFN. For more information, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/about/sponsors-partners/.

Innovation City 2018 to Showcase 5G, AI, Drones, IoT
In the GSMA Innovation City, visitors will experience how mobile-connected products and services are creating a better future for citizens and businesses around the world, in diverse areas such as home, automotive, health, agriculture, utilities, industrial and more. The City will feature leading-edge demonstrations of technologies including 5G, artificial intelligence, drones and the Internet of Things, among many others. Innovation City partners including Cisco IoT, Huawei, KT Corporation, Sierra Wireless and Turkcell, alongside GSMA programmes including Future Networks, Identity, Industry Purpose and Internet of Things, will showcase how mobile is positively impacting the lives of billions of people around the world. For more information, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/exhibition/gsma-innovation-city/.

4YFN 2018: First Keynote Speakers and Mentoring Sessions
The first confirmed keynote speakers for 4YFN include Kathrin Buvac, Chief Strategy Officer at Nokia; Andrew Bolwell, Vice President and Global Head at HP Tech Ventures; Naveen Jain, Founder and CEO of Viome and Founder of Moon Express; and many others. A key element of the 2018 4YFN programme are the mentoring sessions, which are designed to help accelerate startups’ international growth and improve their relations with clients and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Over four days, 4YFN will provide an opportunity to connect international startups, investors and large corporations in several different meetings, pitching competitions, “pitch the press” sessions and networking activities, as well as exhibition areas. For more information, visit: www.mobileworldcongress.com/experiences/4yfn/.

New Developments in Women4Tech
In addition to the Women4Tech Keynote, the Women4Tech Summit taking place on Thursday, 1 March will examine a range of topics, from equality and career development to mentoring and education, from entrepreneurship to communication. The Women4Tech Summit will feature speakers from leading companies including AT&T, Cisco, Deloitte Digital, EY, Facebook, Qualcomm, Syniverse, Telefónica, Verizon and many others. At 4YFN, Women4Tech will host a diversity panel on Tuesday, 27 February and an interactive workshop focusing on female leadership for startups on Wednesday, 28 February. For more information on Women4Tech, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/experiences/gsma-women4tech/.

More than 30 Partner Programmes from Mobile Ecosystem Leaders
With the addition of several new Partner Programmes and Power Hour Sessions in the Hall 8.0 NEXTech Theatres, attendees now have access to more than 30 programmes developed by leading players from across the mobile ecosystem. New full-day events include the CMO Summit, GameLab Mobile, GTI, Huawei, Samsung and the Sports & Entertainment Summit 2018, while half-day sessions feature the 5GAA Automotive Association, Alibaba and Shanghai Gotell Communication Technology Holdings. New Power Hour sessions include ACI Worldwide, AppDirect, Equinix, Software AG and Xilinx. For more information on Partner Programmes, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/conference-programmes/partner-programmes/.