Prof. Paschal Preston has been engaged in research on socio-economic and policy aspects of technology and knowledge for almost 20 years. He devised and managed one of the first international studies of innovation and industrial growth dynamics of the IT sector (key findings published as P. Hall & P. Preston (1988) ‘The Carrier Wave’, London & New York: Unwin Hyman). After extensive research and consultancy experience in the UK, he returned to Ireland in 1989 and is now Professor in the School of Communications. In 1991 he founded the COMTEC research centre and the STeM research centre in 2000, both in Dublin City University. His research and teaching interests are focused on the socio-economic and policy aspects of new ICT, media and communication services and theories of information

society . He led the establishment of new teaching programmes in digital media (authoring/design and publishing). He also leads the modules on the changing role of communication and information services in international relations to masters students majoring in IR. Paschal Preston has conducted research and consultancy for governmental and international policy organisations, including British and Irish government departments, the EC and OECD. He has wide experience of multi-country research and networking, including participation in many prior EU-funded projects. He is a co-opted academic member of the Telecoms and Internet Federation (TIF), the industry body representing firms in the Internet and telecommunications sector in Ireland. He is member of the Scientific Committee responsible for the annual Euro Communications Policy Research Conference and he is an active member of several international professional associations. He has acted as consultant to the Irish government agencies on information society, media sector, and broadband policies. His most recent book is (2001) ‘Reshaping Communications: Technology, Information and Social Change’, London and Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. His current research interests include: socio-economic aspects of digital media and related technologies; innovation in new media services; the fate and future of the public sphere and creative commons; gender and new ICTs; broadband trends and policies; global governance of electronic communication services.

Michael Blakstad, Visiting Professor of Digital Media at the University of Glamorgan: Michael is Visiting Professor of Digital Media at the University of Glamorgan and lead advisor to the Skillset IBD scheme, helping media companies futureproof themselves against the incursion of Web and Mobile television. Michael was a BBC series editor in the 1970s, responsible for Tomorrow’s World and The Burke Special. He was Director of Programmes at Television South in the early ‘80s and Executive Chairman first of Blackrod, then of Chrysalis Television and finally of Workhouse. He was Chairman of the Edinburgh Television Festival and has received awards from BAFTA and the RTS; he was elected a Fellow of the RTS. Since he retired from Workhouse in 2000 Michael has specialised in interactive media and especially in distance learning projects. He was a broadband pioneer, chairing the broadbandshow and a member of the Parliamentary Advisory Group on broadband penetration.

Gigi Johnson, Principal, Maremel Partners; Lecturer, Entertainment and Media Management Institute, UCLA Anderson School of Management: President, Maremel Media LLC; Lecturer, Entertainment and Media Management Institute, UCLA Anderson School of Management; Producer, How2Kids.com: Gigi Johnson enjoys an interesting combination of adventures. She educates the next generation of new media executives -- from graduate management students, undergrad students, and current media executives -- at UCLA Anderson School. Through Maremel, she consults for new and old media companies in business development and related issues. And she practices what she preaches as a "new media producer" through Maremel Media with destinctively missionary zeal. Since January 2006, she has been hip-deep in creating and distributing "How2Kids," a cable and broadband TV show featuring kids teaching other kids how to use technology to expand their lives. Until August 2005, she was Executive Director for UCLA Anderson's Entertainment and Media Management Institute. Ms. Johnson was responsible for all elements of this 27-year-old endeavor, running all of the Institute's activities in new business model research, graduate education, and industry relations and events. She joined UCLA Anderson in 1999 as Director of its renowned Applied Management Research/Field Study Program, working with more than 300 organizations on strategic consulting engagements with over 1,000 students. In addition, she had helped launch UCLA Anderson’s Center for Management in the Information Economy as its acting Associate Director. Prior to UCLA Anderson, Ms. Johnson had been Managing Director at Bank of America, where she had financed major entertainment and media companies' mergers and acquisitions for most of a decade. Ms. Johnson received her MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and holds a Bachelor’s degree from USC’s School of Cinema-Television in Production.

Tony Hart, Telecoms & Media consultant at Saïd Business School, has 25 years' experience in marketing and sales in the computer, networking, telecoms and media industries. He has worked for leading companies in these sectors including Intel Corporation, where he ran the European videoconferencing business, RM plc, where he was sales manager for the education market, and Cisco Systems, where he ran the European telecoms marketing team. He is now involved with a number of start-ups in the new media sector and the convergence of TV and the internet.