Breakthrough in Electromagnetic Physics

Shaygan Kheradpir

Dr. Kheradpir is best known for driving transformational change using technology at Verizon where he was Group CIO, at Barclays Bank as Group COO, at Juniper Networks & Coriant (formerly Tellabs, Siemens Optical, Sycamore) as CEOs and Chairman.

Dr. Kheradpir was on the founding Executive Leadership Committee of Verizon helping it to transform from a phone company to a premier telecom worldwide with products such as FiOS and 4G-LTE, interactive multi-media, and world-class customer service and efficiency through automation. At Barclays, he was on the bank’s Global Executive Committee as Group COO and helped set the course for 21st century industrialization in financial services — pioneering industry first FinTech products such as peer-to-peer mobile money, bank digitization and automation, lowering risks, and cost reductions via the company’s TRANSFORM Program. As CEO of Juniper, he focused the company by creating and executing its Integrated Operating Plan (IOP) that ultimately drove EBITDA growth double digits, launching Cloud-Builder and High IQ networking products, automation and machine learning. As Chairman & CEO of Coriant, he integrated and reinvented three predecessor companies of Tellabs, Siemens Optical, and Sycamore, dramatically lowering costs, and creating the industry-first Hyper-scale Carrier Architecture (HCA) products that propelled Coriant to become a leading insurgent telecom equipment company across high-speed packet-optical, cloud interconnect, and 5G. The new disruptive products ultimately drove hundreds of millions of dollars of new revenue.

Dr. Kheradpir currently works with high-tech startups and is also a senior advisor and operating executive at Cerberus Capital with special focus on 5G, Industrial Internet, AI, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Semiconductors, and Autonomous Systems.

Dr. Kheradpir received his BS, ME, and Ph.D. in electrical & computer engineering from Cornell University in 1982, ’83 and ’87, respectively. He is on the board of MTN Group (260 million subscribers across MEA), Cornell University Engineering Council, the US Department of State’s International Digital Economy & Telecommunications (IDET) Advisory Committee, and served on the Advisory Board of the US National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST). He was inducted into CIO Hall of Fame in 2006, selected as outstanding young engineer by the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 1990, and awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2014.

Kyle Pickens

Kyle Pickens, CFA, is a partner at Thermo Companies, a private holding company based in Denver, Colorado, where he directs the investment activities in Thermo’s public, venture, and fixed income portfolios. Thermo is an active investor across telecom, energy, real estate and other technology sectors.

Mr. Pickens serves on the boards of several Thermo companies including Pivotal Commware (Telecom), ARES North America (Energy Storage), SeQure (Cybersecurity), Entanglement (Technology), Global Telecom (Telecom), and Recon Dynamics (IoT). In an operational capacity, he serves as Vice President of Strategy at Thermo-controlled Globalstar, with the responsibility of driving the company’s growth initiatives, most notably commercialization efforts for its global terrestrial spectrum and technology assets.

Mr. Pickens joined Globalstar from Steelhead Partners, a Seattle based Hedge Fund. Mr. Pickens joined Steelhead as an analyst at the end of 2009 and was promoted to Partner of the Navigator funds in 2015. At Steelhead, his responsibilities included coverage of the Telecom, Media, and Technology space. Previously, Mr. Pickens was with New York-based Cadogan Management LLC, where he was a director and an investment committee member. He interned at Cadogan while an undergraduate student, then joined full time as an analyst upon graduating in 2002.

Mr. Pickens holds a B.S. in Finance and Information Systems from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife and two daughters.

Glenn Lurie

Glenn Lurie is the former President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Synchronoss Technologies. Glenn joined the Synchronoss team in November, 2017 with nearly 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications and wireless industries.

Prior to joining Synchronoss, Glenn was President and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T’s Mobility and Consumer Operations where he successfully grew the nation’s leading wireless and consumer business. During this time Glenn managed sales and distribution, customer care, operations, home entertainment and video services. Glenn and his team were also responsible for the integration of AT&T’s Direct TV and the company’s digital business.

After starting his career in the early days of the wireless industry at McCaw Cellular, Glenn helped usher in the modern smartphone era by leading AT&T’s negotiations with Apple to introduce the first iPhone and iPad. He built three groundbreaking business for AT&T: IoT business – bringing wireless connectivity to tablets, cars and consumer electronics; Digital Life – AT&T’s home automation and security business, and finally the launch of Aio Wireless – now Cricket Wireless, the companies’ industry leading prepaid flanker brand.

In 2014, Glenn was named as one of just 10 “MobileGameChangers” by Russell Reynolds Associates for his mobile-first approach to developing innovative services that enhance the way people live. Glenn was named to the Global Telecom Business “Power 100” multiple times, awarded Wireless Week’s Telecom Leadership Award in 2010, and presented the Atlanta Telecom Professional of the Year Award in 2009 from the Atlanta Telecoms Professionals Association.

Glenn is active in industry associations and within the community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors Avis Budget Group, Inc., Pivotal Commware, Inc., Teal Communications, Inc., and Blue Link Wireless, Inc., and serves on multiple companies advisory councils.

Tony J. Blevins

Tony J. Blevins is a 22 year veteran of Apple, Inc in Cupertino, CA. As Vice-President of Procurement, he supervised a 1000+ person international staff that enabled innovative Apple products that include the original and all later versions of the iPhone, iPad, iPod and Apple Watch. In 2002, he was named one of thirty ‘Global Leaders of Tomorrow’ in conjunction with the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Prior to joining Apple in 2000, Blevins held positions at IBM in both supply chain and engineering and worked/resided in Florida, New York, Tokyo and Seoul, culminating in the position of Program Director of IBM’s Scotland laboratory.

He also serves on NextGen Cyber Talent’s Board of Directors and was a Board of Trustee member at Semi, Inc.

Blevins is a 1989 Summa Cum Laude graduate of North Carolina State University’s engineering program. He is also an NCSU Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) Distinguished Alumni as well as an NCSU ISE Board of Advisory member. Blevins was the 2022 recipient of the International Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering’s most prestigious award — ‘Captain of Industry’.