Editor of Data Centre Management Magazine, the UK's leading Data Center magazine. He launched the magazine in 2006, having previously worked as a journalist in the IT Storage sector for five years. He was subsequently involved in organizing the Data Centre World conferences, which grew to be the largest Data Center specific event in the UK. He was Conference Director for the event until it was sold in 2013. John has 20 years experience in business-to-business journalism across a wide range of industries and has freelanced for a number of national titles.

Nexans Corporate Vice President Technical since 2011, after serving as Technical Manager for Energy Infrastructure, and then Superconductor Activity Manager. Fifteen years at Alcatel Cable in the field of optical fibers, holding various positions in France and the US, from Research Engineer to R&D Project Manager, Technology Transfer Manager and Engineering Manager. With an engineering degree in physics and chemistry from the École Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles  of Paris and a post-graduate degree in Materials Sciences, co-author of several scientific papers.

Founder and Managing Director of BL International Consultant, a company specialized in implementing industrial restructuring and set-up projects, including Access Networks, Transmission and Industrial Strategy. Holding an MBA, he has worked for the AMP Group (TYCO), BICC (components and cables), Siemens and Corning. He is Vice President of the Co-hosting Association, Chairman of the European Data Center Association , and sits on the EC Commission for Data Centre Code of Conduct. A regular speaker at Data Center forums worldwide, he has authored several papers and a book about marketing.

An independent UK-based Principal Consultant specializing in cabling and network technologies, with over 30-years experience in the electronics and computer industries. As a doctorate-holding Chartered Engineer, he is also a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. He represents the UK on both International and European cabling standards committees, and has made major contributions to industry standards in Europe and the US. An active contributor to IEEE 802, and an essential link between cabling and network technology groups.

Since 2007, Senior Product Manager for the LANsense range of Intelligent Infrastructure Management products at Nexans. Holding a BSc in Control Engineering, he is a Chartered Member of the British Computer Society (BCS), and has served in the Structured Cabling industry on BSI (UK) and CENELEC (Data Center Infrastructures) working groups. Now editing an important clause of the ISO/IEC Standard which will specify requirements and recommendations for Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) systems used to manage complex cabling installations.

Chief Technology Officer for Emerson Network Power – a leader in Data Center power and cooling and integrated DCIM software company – and Visiting Professor at the University of Leeds. With degrees in Mathematics, Technology, and Design and Innovation, he is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of IET, CIBSE and BCS. Ian is an expert mechanical and electrical engineer, he has written several White Papers on Data Center engineering and participates on international Standards committees. Since 2013, Chairman of Judges for the Data Center Council Awards.

Sales & Marketing Director for Nexans’ LAN and Datacom activities. After graduating in sales and marketing, he now has 25 years of experience in the data network market, and 15 years with Nexans. Previously, various management positions in system integrator and contractor organizations, and worked on large Telephony over Internet Protocol (ToIP) and Centrex projects, and also on major LAN and Telecom maintenance contracts for EDF.
Recent projects include the design and promotion of innovative infrastructure solutions for telecom and data networks both in Asia and Europe.

Sales and Project Manager, Busbar Technologies, at Nexans. Studied mechanics at Da Vinci College in Dordrecht and electrical engineering at LOI College, Leiden, in the Netherlands. Later studied Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) at the University of Arnhem and Engineering Management at the University of Rotterdam before working for Rayon, ETA-COM, and Legrand. Recent busbar projects include two Erasmus Hospitals in Rotterdam, the WFG Hsopital in Hoorn, a railway substation for the Infrabel railway infrastructure in Belgium, and ArcelorMittal Steel in Gent.

With Nexans since 2002, he is now Director, Sales & Marketing, Superconducting systems, based in Hanover, Germany. A graduate engineer from the University of Karlsruhe (Germany), he has held various management positions since 1989 within the ABB Group in both Germany and Sweden; after 1999, he was Managing Director of Winkhaus, a medium-sized home-security firm. Since joining Nexans, he held several management positions, among others he has implemented the Global Key Account organization for the company, and served as VP Marketing for European Power Utilities.

Juan TOBIAS,
Segment Solutions Vice-President, Energy Business, Schneider Electric France

Vice-President Strategic Marketing at Schneider Electric Energy Business Unit.  He obtained a BSc in Electrical Engineering in 1977 from Un. of Bahia Blanca (Argentina), then a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Strathclyde University (Glasgow, UK). After working in an electric utility in Buenos Aires, Juan moved to UK, eventually joining Schneider Electric where he held many positions. From 2007 to 2010, V-P Strategic Marketing for Medium Voltage Switchgear business. Author of over 40 international publications on electrical power distribution, and since 2012, visiting professor at the Grenoble School of Business.

Co-founder of CNS Communications in 2004, he respected LAN, WAN and Data Center network engineer and “troubleshooter,” especially for complex building environments. After graduating in electronics, optics and high-frequency applications, Jacques worked for Dimension Data (1997) and SPIE Communications (from 2000) in France in network integration. Later moved on to advanced LAN/WAN/MAN and DC architectures. Today, he is increasingly involved on the evolution of DCs in terms of transition, upgrades and migration, and is a regular consultant on infrastructure networks and modern Data Center designs.

A Data Center Business Development Manager for Telecom Infrastructure Projects and Data Centers for Ingenium (Belgium) since 1993, Wim has often been a bridge between the two complementary worlds of IT management and facility management. A certified Data Center Engineer, Code of Conduct Data Centre Endorser, Green Grid member, university lecturer, author of several articles about DCs and Chairman of DatacenterDynamics Benelux. His many projects and studies include healthcare institutions, universities, government buildings, city telecom networks, data management systems and installations for the European institutions.

Sophie SABANADZE
Global Director & Industrial Business Development Marketing Manager, Veolia

Global Director Integrated Facility Management for Veolia, in charge of business development particularly for critical environments such as data centers. International sales and marketing experiences in large groups such as Lectra (Fashion industry), CHEP (logistics) and Veolia Water (water cycle treatment and services associated).Graduated from Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, Sorbonne University and René Descartes University.