Real-Life Experiences in Mobile Value-Added Services Dr. George Kontopidis CTO NMS Communications USA Abstract Behind every successfully launched mobile value-added service is not only innovative technology but also a sound business model that incorporates local culture, user behavior or need. Even the best technology cannot guarantee a positive return on investment to the operator and a tangible value to the consumer. Dr. George Kontopidis, Vice President Engineering and Strategic Direction at NMS Communications, will provide several real world examples of application innovation in mobile value-added services and describe both the technology and business model that lead to their success. Speaker’sBiography Vice President of Engineering As vice president of engineering, George Kontopidis directs the company’s product and technology activities including hardware and software development. During his nearly 20-year tenure with NMS, he has participated in the architecture, design and implementation of many of the company’s flagship products, helping NMS grow into an industry leader in media and signaling products, with a global presence and hundreds of OEMs customers. Prior to joining NMS, he worked for several startup companies and consulting firms in the U.S. and Europe, including Sea Data Corp, Philips, and General Automation. George also taught engineering courses at the Harvard Extension School for 10 years. He has a degree in electrical and mechanical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, and an MSEE in computer engineering and automatic control and a PhD in signal processing from the University of New Hampshire. He is an active member of various professional groups including IEEE, ACM, MIT Enterprise Forum, Tie Group and Mobile Mondays.