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Vladimir Galabov, Head of Cloud and Data Center Research Practice, Omdia

Vlad is responsible for the cloud and data center research practice’s expanding roadmap, focused on disruptive trends such as the shift to edge computing, the evolution of compute silicon, and the need for efficiency improvements and sustainability in the data center industry.

Vlad joined Omdia, formerly IHS Markit Technology, in 2016. He developed many of their unique, industry-leading analyses including the flagship open computing equipment research and the three-way server market reconciliation process. He’s held senior positions at Intel and Ciena, where his data-led insights served as a central input into the companies’ strategies. Key market models he developed include an in-depth analysis of telecommunications network operations costs, a PC inventory tracker, and an actionable IOT market forecast. Vlad’s work has even facilitated decision-making in the British Parliament. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and management from Aston University, UK.

Kumar Ramachandran, SVP, Products for SASE, Palo Alto Networks

Kumar Ramachandran serves as Senior Vice President of Products for SD-WAN and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) products. Kumar co-founded CloudGenix (now Prisma SD-WAN) in March 2013 and was its CEO, establishing the category of SD-WAN. Prior to founding CloudGenix (now Prisma SD-WAN), Kumar held leadership roles in Product Management and Marketing for the multi-billion dollar branch routing and WAN optimization businesses at Cisco. Prior to Cisco, he managed applications and infrastructure for companies such as Citibank and Providian Financial. Kumar holds an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and a Master's in Computer Science from the University of Bombay.

Sal Salamone, Editor, Network Computing

Salvatore Salamone is the managing editor of Network Computing. He has worked as a writer and editor covering business, technology, and science. He has written three business technology books and served as an editor at IT industry publications including Network World, Byte, Bio-IT World, Data Communications, LAN Times, and InternetWeek.

Manoj Sukumaran, Principal Analyst, Data Center IT, Omdia

Manoj is Omdia’s data center computing and networking expert. He covers trailblazing technologies such as processors that enable the programmability of compute and networking hardware, edge computing, composable infrastructure, and the adoption of open compute hardware. He has over 15 years of experience in engineering and financial services, consulting, and research.

Before joining Omdia, Manoj was the founder and director of QWave India, a hardware engineering services company that specializes in designing data center hardware for clients such as Facebook and LinkedIn. His team delivered Facebook’s first three open compute switches, pioneering the bare metal switching technology that has revolutionized the data center. He also worked on the architecture and design of Open19’s first switch and server. Manoj has also held senior positions in financial services, consulting, and media companies. He holds two bachelor’s degrees—one in physics and one in information technology—and an MBA from India’s Mahatma Gandhi University.

Steven J. Schuchart Jr., Principal Analyst - Enterprise Networking, GlobalData

Steven covers quantum technologies, networking hardware and software for the data center and campus access, including switching, routing, SDN, SD-WAN, and related technologies. This includes SD-Branch, automation, AI/ML for networking, location services, and the convergence of networking and security. Steven also covers the emerging quantum computing market for Global Data.

Steven's technology career began over 25 years ago in Fortune 500 IT for the retail vertical, where he was a network architect. Prior to Global Data, Steven has served as Managing Technology Editor at Network Computing Magazine, where he did his own testing and writing, Principal Network Analyst for Network Infrastructure at Current Analysis, and most recently at Cisco Systems, where he worked in Data Center switching, Cloud, and Enterprise Switching. Steven lives in Wisconsin, in the U.S. Central time zone.

Chris Tozzi, Technology Analyst, Independent

Chris Tozzi is a freelance technical writer and editor, specializing in topics such as DevOps, security, open source, and cloud computing. His most recent book, "For Fun and Profit: A History of the Free and Open Source Software Revolution," was published by MIT Press in 2017. He is also Senior Lecturer in IT and Society at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Steve Petryschuk, Technology Advocate, Auvik

As Auvik’s Product Strategy Director, Steve works with prospects, clients, and the IT community at large to identify, research, and analyze complex IT Operations challenges, helping guide the Auvik roadmap to better service the IT community. Steve holds a Bachelor of Engineering and Management and is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario with IT, networking, and IT security experience spanning product management, devops, systems admin, solutions engineer, and technical trainer roles.

Dominika Koncewicz, Senior Analyst, Cloud and Data Center, Omdia

Dominika works on data center IT and cloud services research, covering foundational industry topics such as demand for data center computing, adoption of cloud services, and edge computing. She has over 10 years of analyst experience and is a regular on the conference circuit, often quoted in technical media publications.

Dominika started her career at Intel a decade ago. She led the charge on tablet market forecasting and business modeling when the device type was taking off and quickly became a leading adviser to the EMEA leadership team. During her tenure at Intel, she delivered the EMEA region’s forecasting, strategy and goal setting for PCs, tablets, and smartphones. Before joining Omdia, Dominika spent four years at market research company CONTEXT, tracking IT equipment distribution and resale.

She holds a master’s degree in quantitative methods in economy and information systems from Warsaw School of Economy.

Pascal Menezes, Chief Technology Officer, MEF

Pascal is a proven technology thought leader, sales evangelist, product manager and seasoned IP architect with decades of experience in internetworking, next-generation information systems, and communication architectures. Pascal currently serves as Chief Technology Officer at MEF. He is focused on SD-WAN, SASE, cloud scale architectures, real-time media networks, Software Defined Networks (SDN), Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO). He is a former Principal from Microsoft Skype for Business Global Carrier Group where he spent close to 10 years working on many real-time media and network technologies. Pascal has worked on five startups with multiple successes, has received numerous industry global thought leadership awards and presented extensively in numerous events worldwide. Pascal holds 30+ patents and patents pending and has co-authored many standards in the IETF, MEF, and Broadband Forum (MPLS).

Salman Syed, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer, Palo Alto Networks

Salman Syed is technical Marketing Manager Engineer with 15+ years' experience. He is a subject matter expert for Marketing & Sales in Data Center and Cloud Switching Experienced designing, developing, executing and leading test & proof of concept efforts.

Carrie Goetz, Principle and CTO, StrategITcom

Carrie Goetz, Principal/CTO, StrategITcom, has more than 35 years of global experience designing, running and auditing IT departments, data centers and working with intelligent building infrastructures. Fostering women in tech, StrategITcom is founded with a charter to assure that 50% of employees are women and 50% of all partner referrals will go to women owned enterprises of all ethnicities. She is an international keynote speaker and is published in 69 countries in over 250 publications. She holds an honorary doctorate in Mission Critical Operations, RCDD/NTS, CNID, CDCP, CSM-Agile, AWS CCP and is a 2nd degree Master Infrastructure Mason with over 40 certifications throughout her career. She is on the WIMCO national education committee and a long-time participant in 7x24 Exchange, AFCOM and Data Center Institute board of advisors, Mission Critical Advisory Board, Cnet Technical Curriculum Advisory Board, Vice Chairwoman and Liaison for STEM for AATCU, a member of WIMCO, BICSI and champions women in STEM. She holds one telecommunications patent and has submitted two others.

Roy Illsley, Chief Analyst, IT Ecosystem & Operations, Omdia

Roy’s key areas of research include cloud computing, cloud-native technologies, IT strategy, IT operational management, and data center technologies. He also advises on quantum computing, automation, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), and workspaces. Roy uses his extensive experience combined with Omdia’s surveys and market data to understand how technologies will add benefit to businesses.

He works in the enterprise team and has over 40 years’ experience in the IT sector working for a variety of consultancy and end-user companies with experience in defense, utilities, automotive, retail, and fast-moving consumer goods industries. He joined Butler Group as a senior analyst in January 2004. Roy has worked on many major report projects, white papers, and primary research. He also delivers keynote speeches globally. He has a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in electronic engineering and telecommunications, an MBA, and is a Member of the Institute of Engineering Technology (MIET) that holds the registered status of a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

Dave Raffo, Senior Analyst, Evaluator Group

Senior Analyst for integrated systems and container storage at Evaluator Group.

Before joining the Evaluator Group, Dave spent 25 years as a technology journalist and covered enterprise storage for more than 15 years. He most recently worked for 13 years at TechTarget as Editorial Director and Executive News Editor for storage, data protection and converged infrastructure. In 2020, Dave won an American Society of Business Professional Editors (ASBPE) national award for column writing. His previous jobs covering technology include news editor at Byte and Switch, managing editor of EdTech Magazine, and features and new products editor at Windows Magazine. Before turning to technology, he was an editor and sports reporter for United Press International in New York for 12 years. A New Jersey native, Dave currently lives in northern Virginia.

Sue Troy | Editor in Chief, ITPro Today

Sue Troy is Editor in Chief for Informa's ITProToday.com. She has spent more than 25 years writing and editing IT-focused content, with long stints at companies such as TechTarget and Ziff Davis Publishing. Before joining Informa in May 2017, she was Editorial Director of TechTarget's CIO, IT Strategy and Channel Media Group.

Lee Walker, Chief Technology Officer, Park Place Technologies

Lee Walker oversees Park Place Technologies’ network performance management and diagnostics product, Entuity. Entuity delivers completevisibility of the network infrastructure offering intelligent, real-time insights into the network’s health, performance, and configuration in support of today’s increasingly complex digital businesses. Lee also directly supports new product development within the ParkView strategic business group.

Lee has more than 25 years of experience in networking and communications, helping to develop industry leading tools that allow enterprises of all sizes to take control and optimize their network assets. Prior to joining Entuity, Lee worked for 3Com Corporation to lead the design and development of their Network Management software, during which time he added several patents to the company’s portfolio. He also gained critical first-hand experience supporting the corporate network and overall IT infrastructure at Nuclear Electric. Lee graduated in IT and Computer Science focusing on AI and neural network computing.

Bruno Lucas, Head of Engineering Services, eir evo

Bruno Lucas is the Head of Engineering Services at eir evo, where he oversees the systems, architects and development teams of all Service Assurance products. Bruno brings over two decades of experience as a senior IT leader in business and technology management.

Prior to joining eir evo, Bruno was the Director of the European Technology Services division for the Great West Life European group. He led the Shared Service organisation in Ireland, the UK and Germany, covering systems design, development, implementation and support.

In his spare time, Bruno spends time with his family; he enjoys a bit of golf and is the chairman of the Irish Society for Crohn’s and Colitis.

David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, TECH, CT, Chatsworth Products

David Richards has more than 30 years of experience in the information and communications technology industry, having worked as a systems engineer and QA/QC consultant in several organizations, including 19 years as a design and installation Master Instructor and Certified Trainer for BICSI. In 2012, David was awarded the BICSI Presidential Eagle Award for his dedication, vision and volunteerism in leadership of the BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge. As Product Manager of Open Systems at Chatsworth Products (CPI), David manages the lifecycle and performance of CPI’s wide variety of racks, cable management, cable pathway, and bonding and grounding solutions. David also serves as treasurer for the BICSI Board of Directors and was recently named President-Elect, with his term to start in February of 2022.