27 February 2023: At its traditional Welcome Cocktail on the opening evening of Mobile Congress, the GTWN honored three industry pioneers and issued a Call to Action for Digital Inclusion for All in the iconic and elegant Golden Hall of the medieval Casa Llotja in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
GTWN International Board (L-R) Dora Petranyi, Bridget Cosgrave, Keri Gilder, Janice Hughes, Michele Merrell, Victoria Hernandez, Candace Johnson, Viviane Reding, Lucy Lombardi, Jessie McLeman, Myla Villanueva, Isabelle Paradis, Sallye Clark, Leticia Latino, Ana Tavares- Lattibeaudiere and Laureen Cook
GTWN Welcome Cocktail 2023 guests
GTWN President Keri Gilder paid tribute to the father of the cellular phone, Martin Cooper, (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Cooper) for not only for having developed the cellular phone and made the first call from a cell phone 50 years ago, but also to him and his wife, Arlene Harris for having continued to enable the acceptance of the cell phone by adding services and features to make it be one of the biggest factors in bringing about social and economic wellbeing to citizens around the world.
Martin Cooper
It was particularly fitting and poignant for the GTWN to launch its Call to Action for Digital Inclusion for All, (https://www.gtwn.org/gtwn-call-to-action-to-ensure-digital-inclusion-for-all/ ) together with the GSMA in the presence of its CEO and Board Member, Mats Granryd and Claire Sibthorpe, who is Head of Digital Inclusion in the Mobile for Development (M4D) team at GSMA.
Mats Granryd
Claire Sibthorpe
The GTWN then called Dr. Mike Short[1]to the podium to be honored for his work of 45 years during which he played a central position in the development of the wireless industry. Mike’s enthusiasm and encouragement of every kind of wireless business is boundless and he is one of the industry’s greatest proponents. As was rightly noted by the entire GTWN International Board[2], present that evening, Mike has also been one of the greatest supporters of women executive leaders in our industry.
Mike Short
Keri Gilder then called GTWN Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Viviane Reding[3] to the podium. Viviane is the former European Commission Vice President, a tireless fighter for capping mobile roaming costs, ensuring data privacy for citizens with GDRP and establishing quotas for Women on Boards. to deliver the laudatio for Candace Johnson[4], GTWN Founding President and second recipient of the GTWN Lifetime Achievement Award in its 31 year history. In particular, Viviane Reding paid tribute to Candace’s numerous entrepreneurial ventures in satellites and telecommunications over a lifetime of dedication to our industry and to the GTWN.
(L-R) Keri Gilder, Candace Johnson and Vivian Reding (photo courtesy of Kaela Loffler of Accedian)
During the evening, the GTWN also launched the 2023 edition of The Mobile Century magazine[5] with the theme of “Digital Metamorphosis”, sponsored by CMS . CMS Chairman Chris Watson and CMS Deputy Chair Technology, Media & Communications, Dora Petranyi presented the magazine and the authors who were present, while recognizing the contribution to the GTWN of the Editor in Chief and GTWN Secretary General Vicki MacLeod and GTWN Digital Manager, Marge Salem.
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeshort2/?originalSubdomain=uk
[2] https://www.gtwn.org/international-board/
[3] https://www.gtwn.org/viviane-reding-receives-gtwn-silver-anniversary-lifetime-achievement-award-for-ground-breaking-work-in-shattering-mobile-roaming-costs-glass-ceilings-for-women-on-boards-and-guaranteeing-data-privacy/
[4] https://www.linkedin.com/in/candace-johnson-2966054a/?originalSubdomain=fr