Marco Argenti Managing Director Dada.net
Marco Argenti
With a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Pisa, Marco Argenti previously worked in Canada for Microforum Inc., a company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He returned to Italy in 2001 to become Chairman and Managing Director of Wireless Solutions, a Dada group company, as well as Executive Director of the Dada S.p.A. wireless projects.
In 2003 Argenti was appointed Managing Director of the Dada Consumer Division where he successfully contributed to transforming the activities of this division from ‘network of Portals’ into an ‘Online Operator’, able to offer the Italian market a unique range of Premium community and entertainment services, based on various payment methods and accessible both via web and mobile.
In June 2007 Marco Argenti was elected to the MEF board of directors, the prestigious association that represents all the stakeholders within the Mobile Entertainment value chain; with more than twenty years experience in the technology sector, Marco Argenti will contribute to the activity of the MEF bringing his know how on topics such as Content/IP Filtering, the implementation of mixed billing models and the optimization of web and mobile user experience.
 
Paolo Barberis Chairman & Founder Dada
Paolo Barberis
Paolo Barberis is the Chairman of Dada, a leading international provider of web and mobile community & entertainment services.
He founded Dada in 1995 together with Alessandro Sordi, Angelo Falchetti and Jacopo Marello, after many years of research in digital communications.
Dada supported the development of Internet throughout Italy right from the very beginning by leading online users to discover the new phenomenon of the Net and providing them with new products and services aimed at transforming the Net into a natural meeting place.
In 1999 Barberis founded superEva, a leading brand on the Net which gathered together a large community and offered a wide range of entertainment services.
Barberis was also involved in the creation of the main Italian Internet Associations: in 1998 he became a founding member of the Italian section of IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) and in 1999 he founded the Italian chapter of ISOC (Internet Society).
Barberis brought Dada (dada.dada.net) into the 21st century by transforming it into the Group it is today: it is present in over 40 countries and is organized around 3 main areas of business: Dada.net (community & entertainment services), Dada.adv (sale of advertising space on the web and via mobile) and Dada.pro (professional services for a presence on the Net).
 
Stefano Carboni Program Director of Radio Monte Carlo
Stefano Carboni
Stefano Carboni has been working in Italian radio for more than 25 years. Starting in regional stations, he then became Music Director of the famous Radio Milano International - Radio 101 - for 14 years until 1998. In 1999, he joined Finelco group - holding company of Radio 105 and Radio Monte Carlo, managing its operation in New -York. Since 2003, he is the Program Director of Radio Monte Carlo, in Milan. Stefano is also, since 1984, music consultant for the most important fashion shows of world known brands like Versace, Dior, Armani, etc.
 
Gerard Grech Strategy & Business Dev. Director, Content Division, Orange Group
Gerard Grech
Before joining Orange, Gerard worked in the music and media industries. He was a founding member of Centric Records (signings included Craig David) a new media correspondent for United Business Media; and a business consultant for clients including Warner Music Strategic Marketing, Universal Music Group, and Manga Film Entertainment.
After his MBA, Gerard launched the Orange Consulting Group, before joining Orange International as Head of Music and Video. Forging strong partnerships with media companies, he spearheaded the delivery of several services including personalization, music track download and streaming, video clip services, major artist and film promotions, Caller Ringback Tones and the Orange-Star Wars content proposition. He is now responsible for strategy and business development for Orange’s content division. He is also global board director and European Chair of the Mobile Entertainment Forum.
 
Lilli Gruber Journalist and writer
Lilli Gruber
Journalist and writer, Lilli Gruber was the first woman to anchor the prime-time news in Italy. Professional journalist since 1982, for many years she anchored the evening news on Rai Uno, the national television channel. From 1986 to 2004 she worked as a foreign correspondent and hosted special programs on international politics and on the Pope’s journeys to Palestine and Syria in 2000.
In November 2003 she was awarded the honor of "Cavaliere della Repubblica" by Ciampi, Italy’s Head of State, for her coverage of the war in Iraq as a foreign correspondent. She returned to Iraq for the first anniversary of the war.
In 2004 she ran for European Parliament (with the independent coalition "Uniti nell’Ulivo") and was elected.
Her numerous publications include: "Quei giorni a Berlino" (Those Days in Berlin) in 1990, "I miei giorni a Baghdad" (My Days in Baghdad) 2003, "L’altro Islam" (The Other Islam) 2004, "Chador" 2005, "America anno zero" (America Year Zero) 2006, "Figlie dell’Islam" (Daughters of Islam) 2007.
In 2004 she was bestowed the Honoris Causa Degree by the American University of Rome.
For her coverage of the war in Iraq she’s received many awards including the Ischia award, the Guidarello award, the Chianciano award and the Sirmione-Catullo award.
Among the many honors for her career as a journalist, she was presented the "Premiolino" in 1998 for best journalist of the year, the Spoleto award in 2001, the Fregene award in 1998, the "Carlo Schmid Preis" in Germany in 1995 and the distinction as best female journalist.
In 1992 she was named "best female foreign correspondent of the year" for her coverage of the Gulf war.
In 1993 she won the prestigious Chicago University scholarship the "William Benton Fellowship for Broadcasting Journalists".
 
Peter Kruger New Media consultant for Ministry of Communications
Peter Kruger
Peter Kruger (www.pwk.it), age 37, is a strategy and business development advisor with over ten years experience in media and ICT. He currently works as a consultant for the Italian Ministry of Communications, API (the Italian association of Independent Film Authors and Producers), and sits on several governmental panels as well as board director of Postecom, the ICT company of the Poste Italiane S.p.A. Group. In the past he has worked in RAI (the Italian public broadcaster, from 1997 to 1999), Gruppo Editoriale l’Espresso and Mediaset (two leading private Italian media companies, from 1999 to 2001), and more recently, between 2001 and 2006, as a senior manager in Tiscali, a leading paneuropean ISP. During this last experience he has lead the development and operations of all on line audio-video and IPTV services in the main European countries where Tiscali operates (Denmark, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands and UK). Italian, born in Milan (his father being South African while his mother Polish) he now lives in Rome where he also completed his education as a theoretical physicist with a Master degree in Science. His profile combines a strong scientific and technological background with established business development and strategy experience. An active public speaker and academic lecturer on technology transfer and new media, he regularly reports in leading Italian newspapers and magazines (La Repubblica, Il Sole 24 ORE, Il Riformista, Il Foglio, Liberal, Left). He is also member of the Executive Committee of Glocus, a leading Italian think tank.
 
François Le Genissel Head of Finelco Group's Internat. Relations
François Le Genissel
Since 2005 he is consultant for strategic programming, positioning and new businesses for the Italian Group Finelco, leading company in the Italian and Swiss radio scenario with important names such as Radio Monte Carlo and Radio 105, and different other European radio groups.
Between 2002 and 2005 he was Deputy Director General of Radio Montecarlo Network.
Between 1997 and 2001 he worked in London and Paris as General Manager of the Scandinavian Broadcasting System (from 2006, ProSieben) Radio Division for Business Development. In this role he was involved in many SBS operations in the Netherlands, Greece, Sweden etc.
Between 1997 and 1996 he worked in Lisbon as General Manager of a Portuguese affiliated company of the French Public Radio – RFI.
Between 1998 and 1996 he worked in Paris as Production and Information manager of a Langardère group affiliated company called Ofredia. In this role he was responsible for the production of radio programs for French radio networks (news and music) and productions for stations in Brazil, Portugal, Italy, Russia, Greece and Spain.
Up until 1987 he was journalist and producer in many different French radio stations and newspapers. François Le Genissel is also member of the founding team of France-Info, the first all news station in Europe (n°4 station in France in terms of audience).
 
Massimo Mantellini Blogger
Massimo Mantellini
He's worked in the Internet and new technologies sector for a decade. He has also written for both print and the internet. Editorialist for Punto informatico since 1996, Mantellini collaborates with the newspaper Il Sole 24 ORE and with Impulsoweb, the program on new technologies hosted on rtsi, the Swiss television channel in Italian language.
He has edited ongoing features dedicated to the critical analysis of topics such as laws, and access to networks and their policy, first in the monthly "Internet Magazine" and then in "Internet News".
Since 2001, Mantellini has been writing on his personal weblog called Manteblog (www.mantellini.it).
 
Piergaetano Marchetti Chairman RCS MediaGroup
Piergaetano Marchetti
Prof. Marchetti was born in Milan on November 30th, 1939 and received a degree in law from Milan’s State University in 1962. Initially a voluntary and then an ordinary assistant in civil law with Milan’s State University, Prof. Marchetti served as a full professor in industrial law at Bocconi University in Milan (1971-1981).
Full professor (1980) in commercial law at Parma’s State University and then at Milan’s Bocconi University where he is currently the Commercial Law department chair and pro-rector.
Prof. Marchetti is the author of several publications on privatizations, fair competition, corporate law, stock markets, and industrial law. He edited commentary on TU 58/1998 (the Draghi law) published by Giuffré and the eleven volume commentary on corporate law that is in the process of being published.
He is also the author of several essays on publishing companies and concentrations in the printing business. Prof. Marchetti also edited an extensive commentary on Law 416/1981 dealing with publishing.
He was part of the commission that prepared the new framework statute regulating joint stock companies listed on the stock exchange and the financial markets promulgated at the beginning of 1998 and of the Mironi Commission for general reforms in corporate law. Prof. Marchetti was part of the Consulting and Guarantee Committee for privatizations that was instituted by the Ciampi Government in 1993.
He is part of publications Rivista delle Società’s and Concorrenza e Mercato’s editorial staff.
He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of RCS Quotidiani (as from 15.07.2004), the company that publishes Corriere della Sera, of RCS MediaGroup (as from 29.04.2005) and of the Corriere della Sera Foundation (as from 30.07.2004).
Prof. Marchetti is a member of the Lombardy Institute, Academy of Letters and Sciences.
He is a notary in Milan. He was bestowed with the Republic of Italy’s honorary "Gran Croce al Merito".
 
Marco Montemagno SKY Tg24 anchorman
Marco Montemagno
Marco is the founder and CEO of Blogosfere, one of the main Italian weblog networks. He is currently assistant professor at the Cattolica University in Milan and teaches theories and techniques of online communication at the faculty of Arts and Philosophy.
Marco is a renowned speaker as well, hosting on the SKY Tg24 Television channel, his own TV show "Reporter Diffuso", which deals with Internet, blogs and news.
Marco is a leading expert on Internet specifically on those topics related to web 2.0, blogging and media development. He is a consultant on these issues for a variety of top private organizations as well as the Italian Government.
In addition to his own television show he appears regularly in the media and is a highly respected figure in Italy in the world of IT and the internet. During the last 10 years he has created some of Italy’s most successful websites.
 
Antonello Perricone CEO RCS MediaGroup
Antonello Perricone
Antonello Perricone was born in Palermo in 1947. After his degree in Business and Economics achieved in 1972 at the "Università degli Studi" in Palermo, he became a chartered accountant.
On September 2006 Antonello Perricone became Chief Executive Officer, General Manager and member of the Executive Committee of RCS MediaGroup and Chief Executive Officer of RCS Quotidiani.
From December 2004 to September 2006 Antonello Perricone was Chief Executive Officer of Itedi, General Manager of Editrice La Stampa and Chairman of Publikompass.
Before he was C.E.O. and General Manager of Maserati S.p.A., Sipra S.p.A. and Manzoni S.p.A.
He is married with two children.
 
Marco Pratellesi Editor-in-chief of Corriere.it
Marco Pratellesi
Marco Pratellesi is chief editor of Corriere della Sera, the most prestigious Italian national newspaper. He is also in charge of the newspaper’s website (www.corriere.it). He teaches "New Media's Theory and Technique" at the University of Siena. He worked in various newspapers such as "Il Ponte" of Calamandrei, "Paese Sera", "La Nazione" and "La Voce" of Indro Montanelli.
In 1997 he received the "Reporter of the Year" award for an inquiry entitled "Phoney Money" on the recycling of "dirty money".
In February 1999 he was given the task of building the online websites of the newspapers owned by Monti-Riffeser’s Group (Quotidiano.net, Nazione.it, Restodelcarlino.it, Giorno.it) becoming Director in July 1999.
In May 2001 he joined RCS Group as vice-director of the internet portal Concento (Hdpnet).
In April 2002 Pratellesi moved to Corriere della Sera working as Corriere.it’s manager.
He is the author of the book "New Journalism. Teorie e tecniche del giornalismo multimediale" (Bruno Mondadori, Milan 2004). He wrote the meaning of the word "Blog" in Treccani’s encyclopedia.
Pratellesi is also co-author of a book that talks about the mafia attacks of 1993, entitled "Firenze, quella notte una bomba. Gli Uffizi, la gente, le opere" (Shakespeare and Company, Florence 1993) and "Il giornalismo in Italia. Aspetti, processi produttivi, tendenze" (Carocci, Rome 2003).
 
Kay Rush Journalist, tv and radio anchorwoman
Kay Rush
Kay Rush (www.kayrush.net) was born in 1961 in Milwaukee from a Japanese mother and a father of Swiss-German origins.
After studying Creative Writing at UWM - Milwaukee and completing her courses at the New York’s Actor’s Studio, at a very young age, she moved to Italy where she began a long and eclectic career in the communications field.
Journalist, author, TV and radio anchorwoman - she hosted, co-wrote and prepared the interviews for many important programs on some of the major Italian and Spanish television networks, of which, "Deejay Television" on Italia 1, one of Mediaset’s main television channels; "Discoring", "Hit Parade" and two editions of the "Sanremo Festival" on Rai Uno, the main national public television channel; the Sunday night football program "Pressing" on Italia 1; and four seasons of "Nosolomúsica" on the Spanish channel Telecinco. She was one of the founding members of Radio Deejay and her voice is well known at Radio Monte Carlo for which she collaborated many years hosting, writing, and doing the musical programming for the legendary "Monte Carlo Nights"; the daily talk show, "Rush Hour" dedicated to current international affairs and curiosities; and most recently, "Unlimited", a deep house music program.
She has released four Unlimited music compilations.
Amongst the numerous celebrities she has interviewed in her long career are Isabel Allende, Robert Redford, Miles Davis, Silvio Berlusconi when he was the Italian Prime Minister, Brigitte Bardot, Gino Strada, and David Bowie.
Kay also found time to perform in theater and cinema.
She has won many awards for her accomplishments, such as, two Telegatti (Italian Emmy Award equivalent) and a television Oscar.
She speaks four languages.
She practices many sports, her favorite amongst them is mountain climbing, and she cultivates many hobbies and interests such as wine-tasting and traveling.
Kay has been living in Italy for 26 years spending part of the year in France and Spain.
In June 2006 she published her first novel, "Il Seme Del Desiderio" (Sonzogno, RCS). (www.ilsemedeldesiderio.it)
Kay Rush has opened many blogs, just to name a few: Rush Hour, Blogosfera, Rush Hour Chiama Himalaya, Rush Hour nel Pallone. Her most recent blog is Rush Hour Unplugged.
 
Ralph Simon MEF Americas Chairman Emeritus & Founding Chair
Ralph Simon
Ralph Simon is regarded as one of the founders of the modern mobile entertainment industry. After co-founding Zomba & Jive Records and building both from their formative years into highly successful companies and establishing a career in the recording industry, music publishing and producer management, he moved to California from London in the early 1990s. As Executive Vice President of Capitol Records and Blue Note, he started EMI’s New Media division in the mid-nineties.
Simon correctly predicted that mobile phones would become the indispensable voice-and-music companion for young music consumers, and was responsible for co-founding Yourmobile/Moviso in 1999, the first ringtone company in the USA, UK, Europe, Africa and Australia. Significantly, Simon persuaded US music publishers to embrace this new mobile medium and became a founder of Mobile Entertainment Forum-Americas, the industry trade group of which he is Chairman Emeritus today.
In July 2005, Simon served as the mobile producer of the Live 8 global concerts. In 2005 and 2006, the influential Mobile Entertainment magazine identified him as one of the world’s Top 50 executives in mobile entertainment and made him the recipient of their Outstanding Contribution Award in September 2007. He was the global mobile producer for the successful Live Earth global environmental music concerts/events with Al Gore, held in July 2007 in nine major international cities, including London. Simon will also be global mobile producer of the Pangea Day global film project taking place in May 2008.
Simon was one of the early trailblazers for mobile music internationally, evangelizing artists, managers, media companies and labels to link to artists and their music via their mobile phones. Now based in London, he works with leading companies and executives around the world to strategize and successfully expand their influence and commercial opportunity using wi-fi, Wi-Max, mobile and mobile entertainment.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in the UK, and a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences in the USA.
 
Carlo Verdelli Editor-in-chief of La Gazzetta dello Sport
Carlo Verdelli
Carlo Verdelli was born in Milan on July 15th 1957.
In 1978 he was employed by Mondadori to work in the magazine Duepiù. In 1983 he started working for the magazine PM (Panorama Mese) where he stayed for 3 years as Chief Editor.
At the end of 1986 Alberto Statera asked Verdelli to work at Epoca, another important magazine: he started as a journalist, and worked his way up to become a correspondent, then the Central Chief Editor and finally Vice-Director in 1991.
At the end of the spring of 1994, Paolo Mieli called him to direct Sette, Corriere della Sera’s magazine.
He worked there for 2 years before becoming Vice-Director, on September 12th 1996, of Corriere della Sera.
First with Mieli and then with Ferruccio de Bortoli, Verdelli worked in Corriere della Sera until June 2003.
From January 2004 to January 2006, he was Vice-President Editorial Development of Edizioni Condé Nast and Director of Vanity Fair.
Since February 2006, Verdelli has been the Editor-in-chief of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the main Italian sports newspaper.