Ground Report

Washington, D.C., USA. 28 November 2016: The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance today announced a new phase in its history, with the appointment of Kalpak Gude as the Alliance’s President. This exciting development comes at a time when the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance is witnessing continued growth, including the recent addition of 11 new members across four continents. At the same time, policy makers and regulators are recognizing the critical role that spectrum sharing now plays in helping them increase universal access, accommodate wireless data growth, and enable the Internet of Things.

Previous Executive Director, Professor H Nwana, has become Executive Director Emeritus, with the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance continuing to leverage his expertise as he will remain a spokesperson for the Alliance.

Having held several high-profile positions and gaining substantial insight into spectrum policy over an 18-year career, Mr. Gude is poised to lead the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance in the role as President.

“Kalpak’s deep and broad experience in government and the private sector means that he deeply understands the opportunities and challenges faced by spectrum policy makers, regulators, and the industry around the world. The wealth of experience Kalpak has to offer will enable the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance and its 50+ members to partner with governments on critical spectrum policy matters,” said Paul Garnett, Dynamic Spectrum Alliance Chairman of the Board and Director of Affordable Access Initiatives at Microsoft.

Prior to his appointment as President, Mr. Gude was responsible for all spectrum and government affairs as Vice President of Legal, Regulatory, at OneWeb, an organisation tackling the issue of affordable global connectivity. In this role, Mr. Gude worked with government regulators to accommodate a new global network through spectrum sharing techniques that protect incumbent services.

This international experience – coupled with time spent as Associate Bureau Chief at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, D.C., where he gained insight into complex political and regulatory areas – will be crucial for the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance as it drives policy forward whilst building business depth.

“Kalpak understands the direction the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance wants to take, and more importantly, he knows how to get us there,” added Garnett. “Over the coming years, Kalpak will play an integral role in the growth of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance.”

Prior to his appointment at the FCC, Mr. Gude spent almost 14 years at Intelsat, (which acquired PanAmSat in 2002), where he led government and regulatory affairs and spectrum engineering departments in his role as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel.

“As the demand for wireless data grows yet the digital divide remains ever present and persistent, the need to find spectrum policy solutions continues to rise in urgency for regulators,” commented Mr. Gude. “In my role as President, I will endeavour to ensure that the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance will support regulators’ efforts for more robust and efficient use of spectrum. We are passionate about innovative solutions to global issues and believe in utilising spectrum efficiently to address spectrum demands and ease the digital divide.”

One of Kalpak Gude’s important tasks will be leading the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance’s fifth annual Global Summit, which takes place 9-11 May 2017, in Cape Town, South Africa.

For more information about the Global Summit, please visit http://dynamicspectrumalliance.org/global-summit/.