One-day Conference: Perth, 14 March 2024

Chris Stevens

Managing Director, CartGIS

Chris Stevens is Managing Director of CartGIS Pty Ltd, an emergency management, GIS and mapping and communications consultancy company based in Melbourne. Chris has extensive experience in LMR network design, planning and implementation as well as GIS and mapping application design and commissioning.

CartGIS Pty Ltd also specialises in bespoke training and education for the critical communication community. Chris has extensive qualifications and experience in secondary, tertiary and workplace training and education, which, coupled with his communication experience, delivers industry and client focused outcomes.

Chris is also Co-Vice President of ARCIA, and Sub-committee convenor of training and education for ARCIA.

Simon Lardner

Head of Wireless business—Vocus, Vocus

Simon is the Head of Wireless business — Vocus at Vocus/Challenge Networks, a telecommunications system integrator specialising in the design, build and management of small-scale carrier networks around the world. 

More recently, Challenge has become a world leader in the deployment of private LTE networks for the resources sector. Simon has over 27 years of international experience in the telecommunications industry specialising in mobile network design and implementation.

Eddie Stephanou

Regional Technical Manager for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, Cambium Networks

Eddie Stephanou is Cambium Networks’ Regional Technical Manager for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands.  He is responsible for technical development, support and growth of fixed wireless solutions portfolio.

With almost 20 years Australian industry experience in fixed digital microwave systems, Eddie has worked with, and alongside, leaders in the microwave space both locally and abroad. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master of Engineering Degree in Telecommunications.

Graham Tait AFSM GIFireE

Mesh Solutions Lead, Hypha

Graham Tait AFSM is a former firefighter with Fire & Rescue NSW for over 40 years, including 37 years as a career firefighter and officer, he is also a current serving volunteer firefighter with the NSW Rural Fire Service where he has over 46 years service.

During his career, he specialised in the areas of both Rescue and Operational Communications. He was a member of the AUS2 Urban Search & Rescue team for 12 years which saw him deployed to various incidents including the Christchurch Earthquake, Japan Tsunami, Vanuatu Cyclone and Indonesian Earthquake as both a rescue team member and communications lead officer.

Serving in the Operational Communications role for the final 17 years of his career, he dedicated himself to the key areas of managing the Computer Aided Dispatch system, Automatic Vehicle Location and Mobile Data system, radio networks and hardware, GIS, and field deployable communications systems.

He has been recognised for his leadership in the Public Safety and technology space both in Australia and Internationally, and continues to advocate for advances in communications and technology that will provide improvements in safety and efficiency for front line emergency personnel.

Following his retirement from full time firefighting in 2022, he has taken up a role with Hypha Solutions to ensure he can continue to bring his experience to the business continue to advance technology for the first responder community.

Andrew May

Executive Manager, Spectrum Engineering Australia

Andrew is the Executive Manager of Spectrum Engineering Australia and has been with Spectrum Engineering for 19 years.

During this time he has amassed a broad and intimate working knowledge of the regulatory environment and the coordination and licensing requirements for radio services in Australia. He now leads a team of professional engineers who provide licensing solutions to all sectors of the radio industry including the major carriers, government and the private sector.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering with First Class Honours from the University of Wollongong. He holds accreditation under the Australian Communications and Media Authority to issue Frequency Assignment Certificates and Interference Impact Certificates, and holds Approved Radio Certifier (ARC) status under New Zealand’s Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) branch.

Justin Wyatt

Principal ICT Consultant, Titan ICT

Justin Wyatt is a Principal ICT Consultant specialising in ICT networks and infrastructure solutions. He is a respected subject matter expert in systems engineering and telecommunications architecture and is equally comfortable in the design office or on site using his broad range of experience.

With deep domain understating of wireless, fibre optic and IP systems, including both enterprise and carrier technologies, Justin has advised major corporations in setting a platform within their wireless and transport operational strategies.

Justin’s expertise lies in end-to-end engineering, from stakeholder engagement and requirements gathering through to design, installation, commissioning, customisation and integration into existing systems/applications.

An advocate for knowledge sharing, Justin happily imparts his learnings as a mentor to Titan ICT’s junior and graduate engineers.

Vishal Kohli

LTE/5G Specialist, Commtel Network Solutions

Vishal Kohli is LTE/5G Specialist at CommTel Network Solutions, a company that specialises in providing solutions, products and professional services for mission and business critical networks.

Vishal has extensive experience in designing, engineering and commissioning of business critical and mission critical systems as well as carrier market across APAC.

He has experience in planning, designing, deploying, and operating networks with a wide range of technologies over the time from GSM to 5G.

David Deacon

CEO, Etherstack Plc

David Deacon founded Etherstack in Sydney in 1995 and oversaw the company’s expansion around the world including the establishment of R&D offices in New York, Yokohama and Reading (UK).

David’s original vision for Etherstack was as a specialist wireless technology licensing company providing underlying technologies for the land mobile radio and defence communications industries. As the company grew, Etherstack branched out into transceiver design, manufacturing and deployment of complete turnkey digital radio networks.

In recent years, Etherstack has developed underlying network components for 3GPP MCX networks and is currently the lead supplier of the LMR InterWorking function for the AT&T FirstNet project in the United States. The company has also been at the forefront of PTT over Satellite solutions and has deployed a P25 over Satellite solution for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police inside the Arctic Circle.

Peter Scarlata

CEO Australasia, Simoco Wireless Solutions

Peter Scarlata has close to 25 years of experience working at senior levels in national and multinational engineering, system integration, product management, sales and marketing and general management in companies such as Bosch, Intelematics, CNG Systems and most recently Simoco Wireless Solutions.

Peter’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.), Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering and a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.App.Sci) in Computer Science. At system integrator CNG Systems, Peter drove the organisation into a period of significant company growth focused on the transport infrastructure and government verticals. He has held several senior positions at Bosch and has spent time globally in Germany, US, China and Australia leading teams of product managers, engineers and purchasing personnel in driving high volume, quality and value electronic, audio and RF products to market.

Peter is CEO of Simoco Australasia and is responsible for business growth within the Australasia division. His focus is on important infrastructure projects and overseeing all management, system engineering, sales and marketing activity, as well as national and multinational product management and development.

Paul Whitfield

Research and Development Manager, Omnitronics

Paul has more than 30 years experience in developing embedded software across several industries, including rail, mining, power, banking, and communications.

He was instrumental in developing Radio over IP technology more than 15 years ago, which was among the first in the world to be commercialised for mission-critical and other applications. Paul remains a thought leader in Radio over IP technology and continues to develop ground-breaking communications solutions.

Over the years, Paul’s ingenuity has shaped a number of radio & communications products to world-class standards, including as Team Leader Embedded Development for Omnitronics Radio over IP products and Digital Radio Interfaces.

Currently, Paul leads the Innovation and New Product Development teams at Omnitronics. Paul holds a Bachelor in Engineering, and Grad Dip in Management degrees and is an adept public speaker.

Hamish Duff

Managing Director, Mastercom | President, ARCIA

Hamish is the Managing Director of Mastercom and a founding Director of the Orion Network. A specialist in wide–area radio networks, Hamish has a genuine understanding of the pressures faced out in the field and the role that efficient communications plays to help people every day.

With a career in communications spanning more than 40 years, Hamish is skilled in making the complex, simple–engineering communication solutions to support the needs of all users—from the control room to the field.

Lee Mason

Lee Mason, Account Manager ANZ – Public Safety & Professional Communications, L3 Harris

Lee holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA), is a Veteran and a senior business leader with proven experience in the Defence, Government, Public Safety and technology industries.

Privileged to work for global technology leaders such as L3Harris Technologies, Raytheon, and Downer Group, Lee has also consulted to the Commonwealth of Australia, Army Headquarters LandC4 Directorate, and the Australian Antarctic Division ICT Capability Management team. Lee is passionate about unlocking Australia’s technological competitive advantage and delivering customer value.