The GSW is proud to present this year's keynote speakers:
Kari-Pekka Wilska
Daniel Filmus
Kent Brittan
José Prado
Juan Figueroa
Mr. Kari-Pekka Wilska, Austin Ventures (formerly president of Nokia, Inc)
One of the cellular industry's true pioneers, Kari-Pekka “K-P?Wilska has been a driving force in Nokia's rise to its position as the largest wireless supplier in the world.
Since joining Nokia in 1973, Mr. Wilska has held numerous management and marketing positions, serving in executive posts with Vertu Ltd, Nokia Mobile Phones, Nokia Cellular Systems, Nokia Telecommunications, Kinex Corporation and Mobira Oy. Mr. Wilska retired from Nokia in 2005, the most recent position being President of Nokia Inc.
In November 2005 Mr Wilska joined Austin Ventures as a venture partner.
Mr. Wilska is on the Board of Directors of Brightpoint Inc (CELL) and Agere Systems Inc (AGR), and on the advisory Board of Sipera Inc, Paragon Wireless Ltd and Bitfone Inc. He served as a Board of Director of Spectra Site Inc (AMT) 2004-2005 and Zarlink Inc (ZL). Mr. Wilska serves as well on the Boards of Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera and Fort Worth Opera.
A recipient of the Order of Lion of Finland , Mr. Wilska holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio and Television Technology from the Helsinki Institute of Technology. He was a recipient of the Electronics Engineering Association of Finland's bi-annual EIS Award in 1995, received the CTIA's President Award in 1999, and was recognized by Wireless Foundation with Industry Achievement Award 2002 and Engineering Association of Finland appointed him as the Engineer of the Year 2003.
Mr. Daniel Filmus, Argentinean Minister of Education and Innovation
Daniel Fernando Filmus was born in the city of Buenos Aires , Argentina . He is a Licenciado in Pshychology (UBA), a Specialist in Adult Education (CREFAL, México) and a Master's in Education (Universidad Federal Fluminense, Brasil). Currently, he is the Minister of Education, Science, and Technology of the Argentine Republic , since May 2003.
Mr. Filmus is also Profesor of Sociology in the CBC-Universidad de Buenos Aires; Category I Researcher of the UBA and of the Conicet. He has previously held the positions of Secretary of Education of the City Government of Buenos Aires between August 2000 and May 2003, and Director of the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales - Sede Académica Argentina (1992/2000).
Mr. Filmus has been Consultant and Advisor for different National and International Organizations. He has received the Primer Premio Academia Nacional de Educación for his work: “Estado, Sociedad y Educación en la Argentina de Fin de Siglo. Proceso y Desafíos?(1995) and the same award and recognition for his work “Educación y empleo en el marco de la globalización?(2000). His most recent book is titled ?Una escuela para la esperanza?( 2002).
Mr. Filmus will be delivering the "Welcome" address on Day 1.
Mr. Kent Brittan, Chairman of United Technologies Internation Operations
Kent L. Brittan was appointed Chairman of United Technologies International Operations in March 2005 after being Vice President, Supply Management since January 1997; both positions at United Technologies Corporation (UTC), a 40 billion annual revenue company. His group procures $16 billion in goods and services for the all UTC divisions: Otis, Carrier, Hamilton Sundstrand, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, and UTC Fire & Security.
Mr. Brittan's strong leadership and organizational experience in dealing with complex situations in a multicultural environment produced a dramatic improvement in UTC's manufacturing operations, which involves 73,000 people and 300 factories. He produced savings of US$ 1 billion, in the first 4 years, by building a cross-divisional commodity-based organization to gain price leverage using the total UTC procurement spends with suppliers versus the traditionally decentralized approach.
Previously Mr. Brittan held executive positions at Otis, including vice president, finance; director, financial planning and analysis; and director of treasury services. Before joining UTC in 1977, he was assistant controller, South American Operations, for Schlumberger.
Mr. Brittan earned an A.B. degree '65 from Harvard College , graduating magna cum laude, and an M.B.A. '67 from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.
Mr. Brittan is currently Member of the Board of Trustees Hartford Stage Company, and Chairman International Programs Advisory Committee, National Minority Supplier Development Council, New York , NY .
Mr. Brittan, who speaks more than 7 languages, has had numerous keynote engagements in the US , UK , Germany , Mexico and China .
Mr. José Prado, President & CEO Grupo Gamesa-Quaker, PepsiCo International
Jose Luis Prado is President and CEO of Gamesa-Quaker, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Gamesa-Quaker is the Biscuits and Oat Cereals market leader in Mexico and it is headquartered in Monterrey , Mexico . Gamesa-Quaker employs over 14,000 employees generating sales over a Billion Dollars and is PepsiCo´s third largest international food business. Gamesa-Quaker also exports biscuits to the USA , where the Company is leader in the rapidly growing Hispanic market, and to six other Latin American countries. Gamesa-Quaker has been broadly recognized within PepsiCo and by local and government institutions for its innovation capabilities, as a pioneer of diversity and inclusion and as one of the best Places to Work in Mexico .
Jose Luis is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of international experience with PepsiCo International in the Snacks Division. He has held a broad array of assignments in IT and Sales in Mexico , USA and Europe and as Chief Financial Officer in Spain . He was President of the PI operations in the Caribbean and subsequently in Argentina and Uruguay . In 2000 he became Area Senior Vice President for Frito Lay International overseeing the company snack operations in Argentina , Uruguay , Venezuela , Colombia , Peru and Ecuador based in Dallas , Texas . In 2002 Jose Luis was appointed President and CEO of Gamesa-Quaker.
Jose Luis is a Mechanical Engineer graduated with Honors from the National Polytechnical Institute in Mexico . He also holds an MS in Systems and Planning from the IberoAmerican University ( Mexico ) and an MBA from the Technological Institute of Monterrey ( Mexico ).
Mr. Juan E. Figueroa, Ph.D., Director of SBIR, National Science Foundation
Dr. Figueroa joined the National Science Foundation in July 2002 as a Program Director of the Small Business Innovation Research Program Information-based Technologies and Electronics areas after spending over twenty years in R&D management positions in the electronics and communications industries. His last position before joining NSF was Product Development Consultant for Material Sensing and Instrumentation, Inc. (MSI), an SBIR participant company.
Prior to MSI Dr. Figueroa was Director of Strategic Development and Project Management for the Home Communications Division of Ericsson, a multinational telecommunications and consumer electronics company. His first appointment after graduate school was with Bell Laboratories working in the development of microprocessor, CMOS and networking technologies. After 13 years with Bell Labs he led the operations of a high-speed networking equipment design startup company. Dr. Figueroa received his Ph.D. in Physics from the State University of New York at Binghamton.
The National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent agency of the US Federal Government, invites eligible small business concerns to participate in the Small Business Innovation Research Program. NSF will support high quality projects on important scientific, engineering, or science/engineering education problems and opportunities that could lead to significant commercial and public benefit if the research is successful. The NSF SBIR Program provides up to $600,000 in early-stage R&D funding directly to small technology companies (or individual entrepreneurs who form a company) in two phases and provides extra supplemental funding opportunities for up to $500K.
