Leadership
The leadership includes a Chairperson of the wider UK SPF, the Steering Board Chair, the Steering Board Vice Chair and the Cluster Chairs.
Chairman
David Meyer MA
David served in the British Army as a Royal Signals officer from 1978-2010, during which he worked in a variety of roles and units around the world, but with a consistent theme of using, managing and exploiting spectrum from LF to the upper reaches of SHF, for a range of applications. His last army post was as the deputy CIO in MOD in which he was responsible for reform of MOD's spectrum policy following Martin Cave's audit of public sector spectrum holdings in 2005. He drove the policy changes in Whitehall that enabled release of MOD spectrum, including Ofcom's forthcoming auction of former MOD 2.3 and 3.4GHz holdings. Given this background he is particularly keen to pursue opportunities for release (or possibly sharing) of commercially valuable public sector spectrum in future.
Steering Board - Chair
Dr. Abhaya Sumanasena
Abhaya is a leader with a strategic approach and hands on experience in solving problems on spectrum, technology and techno-economic issues. His wealth of knowledge gathered over 20 years has helped a wide range of international companies, regulators and governments. Abhaya currently champions the spectrum and regulatory practice at Real Wireless and is the Chairman of the UK Spectrum Policy Forum (UK SPF) Steering Board. He has recently led teams in delivering spectrum valuation for auctions, techno-economic and business case analysis for 5G use cases, 5G spectrum benefit assessment and developing future telecom strategy for MNOs, regulators, and governments.
Steering Board - Vice Chair
Luigi Ardito
Luigi Ardito is currently working as a Senior Director of Government Affairs EMEA at Qualcomm. He is leading Qualcomm spectrum and regulatory policy agenda in Europe dealing with various government entities and industry organizations.
Cluster 1: Future Spectrum Demand
Saul Friedner
Chair of Cluster 1 is Saul Friedner who is associate director of spectrum services at LS telcom UK, which is a leading global spectrum management company specialising in spectrum management and consultancy solutions for international regulatory bodies, mobile and broadcast operators and many of the vertical sectors.
Cluster 2: Spectrum Access and Sharing
Stephen Temple
Cluster 2 is chaired by Professor Stephen Temple visiting Professor at the Surrey University 5G IC and Technical Secretary of their Strategy Advisory Board.
Cluster 3: Spectrum Value and Efficiency
Tony Lavender
Tony has extensive experience across a wide range of telecommunication and technology industry issues gained through working as a consultant, for the UK telecommunications regulator Oftel and for a network operator over a period of more than 30 years. Tony is particularly interested in public policy, regulation and the relationship between technology, and the economy. In recent years Tony has focused on radio spectrum issues and much of his client work at Plum has focused on the benefits of innovation in the radio spectrum field.
Cluster 4: International Spectrum Issues
Kumar Singarajah
Kumar has worked for over 25 years in international and national spectrum management on behalf of several European governments, European space/satellite operators (including SES, Inmarsat/ICO, Avanti and Viasat) and non-UK terrestrial wireless operators in a range of senior engineering roles, senior management positions and advisory roles on comms systems engineering, regulatory / spectrum and business development matters. He has extensive experience of UK, CEPT, ITU (including ITU-WRC) spectrum management activities. Kumar has a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College, a MSc in Mobile Communications and Satellite Communications from the University of Surrey and a MBA from the Open University.