Gabriel leads mobile network research for Heavy Reading. He covers system architecture including RAN, core, and service-layer platforms. Key research topics include 5G, LTE Advanced, software-based mobile core, and the application of cloud technologies to mobile networking. Gabriel has more than 15 years’ experience as a mobile network analyst. Prior to joining Heavy Reading, he was Chief Analyst for Light Reading’s Insider research service; before that, he was editor of IP Wireline and Wireless Week at London's Euromoney Institutional Investor.

Jim leads Heavy Reading’s research on the impact of NFV on the control plane and application layers at the core and edge. This includes the evolution path of SIP applications, unified communications (UC), IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), session border controllers (SBCs), Diameter signaling controllers (DSCs), policy controllers and WebRTC. Jim is also focused on the network and subscriber impact of Big Data and Analytics. He authors Heavy Reading's NFV and SDN Market Trackers. Other areas of research coverage include Subscriber Data Management (SDM) and fixed-line TDM replacement. Jim joined Heavy Reading from Nortel Networks, where he tracked the VoIP and application server market landscape and was a key contributor to the development of Wireless Intelligent Network (WIN) standards. Additional technical experience was gained with Bell Canada, where he performed IN and SS7 network planning, numbering administration, technical model forecast creation and definition of regulatory-based interconnection models. Jim is based in Ottawa, Canada.

Azhar Sayeed is currently at Red Hat Inc., as a Chief Architect driving their Service Provider Architectures and solutions with Openstack, SDN, NFV and DC orchestration. Prior to Red Hat, Azhar is a 17 year veteran of Cisco Systems Inc. His last responsibility there was a Sr. Director of Solutions Engineering. Azhar was responsible for developing System Architectures, developing and delivering Cloud based solutions and bringing them to market as whole offers for SPs. He is an active participant and contributor to industry forums and standards bodies.

Keith Basil is focused on leading the product management, positioning, and business strategy for security within the Red Hat Cloud Platform business unit. Within Red Hat, he introduced and structured an effective, compliance-driven approach to cloud infrastructure security. Compliance and evaluation frameworks of interest include NIST, FISMA, FedRAMP, ANSSI, ETSI, Common Criteria and the work being done by the Cloud Security Alliance. Keith is an evangelist and champion for various Compliance as Code initiatives and the co-author of the OpenStack Security Guide and the OpenShift Security Guide. Keith is also passionate about the next generation of edge and decentralized computing models. He works with the world's largest telecommunications companies to establish converged infrastructure architectures and meaningful risk management frameworks for edge and decentralized computing.

Francois is a Senior Solutions Architect in the Red Hat’s Telco Technology Office and collaborates with telecom service providers and partners across EMEA. Passionate about security, Francois leads the NFV security domain and is the Red Hat’s technical interface to the National Cybersecurity Agency of France (ANSSI). Before Red Hat, he spent more than 15 years contributing to network evolution especially towards cloud platforms.