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ROCOC IOO 2024 Jury

Why ROCCO IOO

Why ROCCO 100

Roaming and Interconnect wasn’t built in a day. It’s existed over 30 years and for the first time we would like to recognise the people who have made our industry what it is today, the 100 most influential people in Roaming and Interconnect.

What’s really special about this community is the many outstanding people. Some who have been on astonishing journeys in their careers, moving around the industry but always staying part of it. We have a rich culture of people helping and supporting each other and making a difference. People whose ideas and actions have made a significant contribution to the industry.

We all have people who teach us, some we know intimately, others who speak to us in conferences or whose wisdom appears only on our device screens. Many of them we admire for their commitment and for inspiring us, but we don’t always have an opportunity to share this feedback.

ROCCO 100 is a time to pay tribute

We want to generate a culture of appreciation by recognising people known and unknown who have played a part in shaping it. The ones in spotlight at conferences and the ones who quietly make a difference from their cubicle or corner desk. From Andorra to Zimbabwe there’s people in every organisation, male or female, young or old, who often get forgotten under the pressure of our day to day work.

We are therefore building a community of leaders, who will be at the forefront of sharing ideas, who will challenge each other and from whom we can all learn. When you can connect exceptional people, who knows what exceptional things our industry can produce.

The History of ROCCO 100

2019 marked the start of ROCCO 100, but the idea was on our minds for a few years already.

In 2017 a number of significant voices were crying out for more equality in telecoms. Panel sessions filled with white men, seemed to be more and more common and to a great degree the unconscious bias and traditions of our industry were not enabling women to be recognised or visible as men. The people who use the products and services we make are diverse, so it only made sense that the people who designed them so also bring diverse opinions on how they should be made. This is when we had the idea to create a survey were the most influential women in telecoms could become more visible. However, on sharing the ideas it became clear women didn’t want to be treated differently to men on any level. What we really needed was inclusion.

Some years ago the team at ROCCO also recognised that many significant people in our industry were not active on social media, they had other platforms and what they were saying and sharing was often lost, much of which was great wisdom and learnings about our industry we felt needed to be more remembered and made more visible. ROCCO Radio’s “Well Connected”, “Big Interviews” and “Mastermind” podcasts started the journey to bring visibility to people in a small way but there was still some way to go.

In April 2019 the team at ROCCO decided that as well as the other industry wide initiatives we were doing such as “The Innovators”, there was also need to uncover who were the people behind the best companies in our industry and what were they doing.

We knew that great companies usually had great leaders, but leaders weren’t always the ones at the top or in the spotlight. We knew by identifying the progress of individuals in the industry, we could also spot their progress and encourage learning, mentorship and inspire a new generation of people to be part of our roaming and interconnect world.

However, then came the difficult part. We didn’t want the selection of these people only to be based on the number of people who voted for them (wouldn’t everyone just vote for their boss? and would the boss ask them to do that?) it needed to have more integrity.

There needed to be reasons why the people were selected and our methodology needed as with all our projects to have integrity. Different to all other 130+ research projects we have conducted, this was not about or product or service this was about people. People, with all their complexity, personality and characteristics, we would be recognising individuals which whomever they worked for had an influence on the industry.

A complex task lay ahead for the team. Months of debate ensued, calling in confidants from the industry to test theories. This was our most important research project of all time and the first time any organisation in our industry had even attempted to do this.

In October 2019 we came to our conclusions on our scope and methodology:

  • The scope is Roaming and Interconnect people in any kind of company, role and at any level, anywhere in the world
  • Who have done influential things in the last year.
  • Who were necessarily “influencers” in the social media sense, they could be known or simple unknown to the industry.
  • They would be rated based on several factors, number of votes, characteristics and examples of influential things they had done
  • We would have two stages, nominations first, then voting, to ensure we had generated enough awareness of the programme and ensure inclusion.
  • We decided at the analysis stage to have a panel of people who were known for identifying leadership in people, analytical and who would be able to judge what was influential and what wasn’t
  • Above all we wanted to be sure we identified extra-ordinary people whomever and where ever they were and we gave them some visibility and a chance to be heard

Our methodology is documented and our dates are set and we have now started the most interesting study of our history which we believe will change the course of the industry and lead us all into a new chapter. ROCCO 100 connects the most influential people in our sector to see what our industry can do next.

Nominations are closed, now it’s time to vote!

This is the final list of nominees for ROCCO IOO 2024:

NameCompanyRole
Adeep MaharajBayobab AfricaManager International Roaming
Alaa AbouelmagdEtisalat EgyptDigital Finance & Fintech
Alex PereiraInfobipOperator partnership
Alexander Zeren3 ScandinaviaManager, Operations
Alexandros GonidisRDCOMHead Of Global Sales & SMS Procurement
Alexandros MygdaliasiBASISCarrier Relations
Ali Syed GMSChief Operational Officer
Amer FaresWAYVZHead Of Sales
Amer SirajGMSChief Revenue Officer
Amna MukhayerBayobab AfricaSenior Manager Wholesale Mobility Sales
André NunesVodafone GroupIPX Engineering & Carriers
Andreas MannVodafone BusinessPrincipal Product Manager
Andrés SánchezIdentidad TechnologiesCEO
Andrew Munene MuriithiBayobab AfricaWholesale Mobility Sales- Manager IOT
Asha Mary Thomas Etisalat Director
Assem MedaniZain SudanWholesale
Astou Diallo Mattel Head of Roaming
Awatif Al MandhariZain Omantel InternationalRoaming
Bonnie KimmelCellusysPR & Marketing Director
Brendan ClearyCellusysCEO
Brian D'ArcyInfobipDirector of Telecom Business Development
Bruno De Abreu Cortezi MouraTelefónica Global RoamingRoaming - Commercial Manager
Bruno LimaVodafone GroupIPX Engineering & Carriers
Carlos Da SilvaPCCW GlobalProduct Management
Carlos LosadaMittoRegional Director for Latin America
Charles BernardZARIOTCTO
Chris LennartzCellusysproduct management
David BishayNextgenManager of IOTRON Clearing Support
David MansisidorAT&TIntercarrier Services and Development
David VigarTruSenseVP & GM
Dawood GhalaienyZariotCEO
Daxesh ParikhPinnacle TeleservicesSr. Vice President
Derek MoserComfone AGVP Business Development, 5G Project Leader
Ellen VelickovskaGMSManaging Director GMS CPaaS
Eric Nadalintru.idCTO
Fabrizio SalanitriHorisenCEO
Fatih TuranQoolizeCEO
Francesco FerreroVodafone GroupSenior Consultant Roaming
Fredrik N Nilsson Télé2 ABHead of International Roaming & Interconnect
Gehad HamdounMTN SudanManager B2B partnership & GTM
Gery VerwimpBICSPrincipal Network Architect
Ghada KhalilEDCHSales - Data Clearing House
Gregory GundelfingerTelnaCEO
Grzegorz BartosikPlay PolandWholesale, Partnership Projects and MLE Sales Director
Heba Abd ElghafaarRakutenRoaming Wholesale Senior Manager
Irfan Abubaid HGC Global CommunicationsVP- Global Messaging & Digital Services
Islam Abdel AzimOrange EgyptInternational, Roaming and Wholesale
Janis LietavietisMessenteBusiness Developement Manager at A2P SMS Departement
Jimmy KassisAT&TDirector of Global Connections
Joanna KuligowskaHAUDHead of Global Market Intelligence & Managed Services
Job OnsinyoSafaricomCore Network Engineer
Jocelyne PaqueteBayobab AfricaRoaming Business Operations
John SicilimaTigo TanzaniaChief Business Officer
Jordi MartinezVodafoneNetwork Strategy & Engineering, IPX Manager
Jose Manuel Rondon RiveroPacific Telecom GroupProcurement & Mobile Services Manager
Juan Felipe SantosVox SolutionsVP of Strategic Parnership
Khaled SayedEtisalat Digital payment strategy
Konstantinos Bitsanis Info TelecomGlobal Head of Sales Messaging
Kyriaki IoannidouPrimetel PLCSenior Manager Customer & Sales
Luc LamoureuxReliance JioDirector of Roaming
Luisa SánchezIdentidad TechnologiesVP of A2P Messaging Solutions
Maissa JamliiBASISRoaming Product Management
Manik Lal DasAxiata GroupHead of Wholesale Roaming for Axiata Group
Maria HochreiterCKH IODSenior Roaming specialist
Maria NaumovaVEONSenior Manager of Global Wholesale Roaming
Mariam ShaerSAMA TelecomSMS & Voice, CEO
Mario MuthSyniverseGlobal Telco, Business Development
Mark KellerhuisT-MobileDirector of IoT Roaming & Global IoT Connectivity
Matija RažemInfobipSVP Business Development
Mattias StillnerusTelenor LinxRoaming Negotiator
Mauro FondacaroPCCW GlobalVP Sales & Business Development
Mehdi TrikiRoamsmartVP Sales & Marketing
Metin ŞahinQoolizeSales Director
Michael PowerEngage MobileFounder & CEO
Michelle Rachevsky SerebrenickTIM BrazilInternational Roaming & New Business Specialist
Miguel Calvo VervaetDigicel GroupGroup Director International Business & Wholesale
Mihaela AmbrozieVodafone Roaming ServicesHead of operations
Mikael SchachneBICSVP Telco Market
Mila BudyloBSGCCO
Miriam PercanInfobipTelecom Business Director
Miroslava IvantsovaIntis TelecomAccount Manager at A2P SMS Departement
Mohamed AdelOpen ValleyHead Solution Architect
Mohamed Fawzystc KuwaitDirector - Roaming and Interconnection
Mohammed Al-Rashdanstc KuwaitManager - Service Assurance
Mountasser Hachem Monty MobileFounder & Chairman
Murad Issa GlobitelRegional Sales manager
Nadir PatelOmantelGeneral Manager Carrier & Roaming Services
Nancy ElnaggarTwilioSMS Yield Management
Nasreen IbraheemZain SudanCarrier Relations
Nataliya KosyakovaLANCK TelecomHead of Analytical Department
Nathan LiChina Telecom GlobalDeputy Director, CTG Europe
Nermeen SobhyCequensVP Carrier Relations
Nicholas SooIndosat Ooredoo HutchisonSVP B2B Wholesale
Nure Resulbegovic-KurtolliTelefónica Global RoamingCommercial Roaming Manager
Ori SharonSalt SwitzerlandWholesale Director
Ornella SicilianoCKH IODKey account manager
Paul JohnsonVodafone BusinessBusiness Development
Peter MorganCellusysSolution Engineering
Prakash KumtaOoredoo GroupDirector of Voice, Roaming & Messaging
Rajdip GuptaRoute Mobile CEO
Rajiv SinglaGlobe TeleservicesCEO - Global Messaging
Raul García InfobipOperator partnerships
Ravinder SinghEITC - duSenior Director Wholesale Voice, Roaming & Messaging
Ravindra GhulghuleKPNProgram Manager B2C
Ricardo MartinsiBASISGlobal Messaging Sales & Business Development
Richard WoolhouseGoogleCommunications Platforms - Messaging and Voice Infrastructure
Rob KoehlerVinculum Communications IncSales
Ross FlynnMobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF)Project Manager
Rubén DíazVodafoneVoice & Roaming Services, Principal Technology Platform Manager
Said AlliGreen TelecomChief Operating Officer
Samuel HerringReloadlyOperations
Samwel WaiyakiTelkom KenyaTelecommunication Wholesale Department
Sandeep KumarGreenAds GlobalCEO
Sarah BarakatMonty MobileDirector - Operator Partnerships
Sarah Keller GMSChief Global Enterprise Officer
Saurabh ManroyKPNCloud and Infra Architect
Scott WarnerS and BTS GlobalDirector of Emerging Services
Shirley DiasZain Kuwait Roaming
Silvio KutićInfobipCEO
Suhail SyedVesper TelecomDirector
Sunga MkandawireBayobab AfricaWholesale Mobility Sales-Partner Markets Manager
Tamara Al BakriVodafone QatarInterconnect and Roaming
Tarek ZeidRakuten MobileVP of International Business
Tarun KalraiGlobe Director
Thangaraj DurairajVodafoneVoice & Roaming Services, Voice & IPX Product Owner
Theodosis TheodosiouPrimetel PLCCEO
Theresa AdadeBayobab AfricaMarket Management
Uku TomikasMessenteCEO
Valeria MagoniKaleyraProduct Marketing
Vitalii Chupakhin Hansa TelecomCEO
Vlad Ellis SPEEDFLOW CEO
Vladimir SmalAVISO MessagingCo-founder & CEO
Walid Ben ChamekhRoamsmartCEO & Co-Founder
Yanci AlvaradoTigo MillicomRegional Roaming Manager
Yusuf VahedCellFindDirector of Messaging
ROCCO IOO 2024 Dates

The ROCCO IOO Methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can people from my company nominate/vote for me?: Yes
  • Can I nominate/vote more than once?: Yes up to three times
  • Can people outside of the industry nominate/vote for me?: No, we don’t believe they would have the perspective on the industry
  • Can I see how many votes Nominees has received?: No
  • Can I create my own promotional campaign?: Yes, If you want any materials (logo, etc)  just contact hq@rocco.group 

The nomination phase of ROCCO 100 is very simple. Anyone in the Industry can nominate anyone in the sector of Roaming and Interconnect for what they consider to be influential work within 2022-2023 (ROCCO employees including its directors are not eligible to nominate or be nominated).

Please note, that self-nominations are not considered valid. 

The Nominations are now closed!

Here are the steps:

  • The nominator enters the survey.
  • They choose 3 characteristics from a list of 12 they consider are representative of an influential person.
  • They then choose 3 people they would like to nominate.
  • They provide their contact details incase ROCCO needs to check anything about the nominated people.
  • The contact details will also be used to notify the nominators about when to vote.

On the 6th November 2023 the nominations close and all the nominated people will be listed here and voting will be begin.

On the 6th November 2023 until February 14th 2024 voting is open.

Voters will have seen the list of nominated people and can choose to vote for up to three people.

  • They will enter the ROCCO 100 Voting survey.
  • They will select a nominated person
  • They will state which three characteristics represent that specific person
  • They will state in a sentence why they think the nominated person is most influential from their perspective.
  • They will have the opportunity to do this for three people.

Voting closes on the 14th February. Then it’s over to ROCCO to analyse the data.

The analysis stage runs between 14th February and March 4th 2024. The point of this stage is to rank the people according to the three elements of their votes which all hold equal importance in the overall ranking.

  1. The number of votes they have received. ROCCO will rank all the people according to the number of votes they have received.
  2. The Character