Lockdown TV Tech – How to make the most of what you’ve got

About the speaker

Simon was appointed independent Chair of the DTG in February 2019. His career across IT, online and broadcast media, telecoms and airport technology spans five decades.

Simon was most recently Director of Technology & Innovation at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Based in Geneva, Simon led the team driving the industry’s digital transformation and introduced several new initiatives bringing focus to areas such as cyber security and OTT and establishing the EBU Innovation Awards.

Simon also chaired numerous international working groups and standards bodies, as well as represented broadcasters in their negotiations with the EU on spectrum.

Before joining the EBU in 2013 he was CTO at Heathrow Airport where he managed the technical architecture department and introduced an innovation team. He has held several executive positions at UK broadcasters including ITV where he was Director of Future Technologies.

About the speaker

Yvonne Thomas graduated in Television Technologies and Electronic Media Engineering from University of Applied Science Wiesbaden (HSRM), Germany, in Oct. 2010. She received a prominent award of the ARD/ZDF Academy for her thesis in September 2011 at the IFA in Berlin.

Following these studies, she started beginning of 2011 to work at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in the Technology & Innovation Department as Project Manager. She was responsible for projects and strategic programs on 3D and Future Television technologies, such as UHDTV or LED studio lighting and highly involved in its standardization.

In September 2015 Yvonne joined Arvato Systems´ Broadcast Solution division. As a Product Manager, she was responsible for the journalistic frontend “MediaPortal” of the Video Production Management Suite and included trends like AI and machine learning.

At NAB 2017 Yvonne was presented with the annual Technology Women to Watch Award from TVNews Check.

Since September 2019, Yvonne has been the DTG’s Strategic Technologist overlooking the IPTV and UHDTV workstreams. She is active in various industry bodies (e.g. as former SMPTE  Education Director and current Governor EMEA & Latin America) and works together with DTG members to explore the best viewing experience and strategies to move to an All-IP world.

About the speaker

Simon Gauntlett in the Director of Imaging Technology at Dolby, working in the CTO group. His is responsible for the technical input to imaging standards, such as HDR, and exploring immersive applications of spatial computing. Previously, he was the CTO of the DTG for 10 years, bringing together Studios, Broadcasters, CE Manufacturers and technology providers to collaborate on television standards and profiles. He has worked with industry and international standards bodies to ensure mass-market adoption of technology. Coming from the BBC R&D department means he can engage and communicate with both engineers and senior management. He is a Fellow of IET and an Honorary Fellow of BKSTS. Simon is also the current Chair of the SMPTE United Kingdom Section.

About the speaker