Today, ETSI members re-elected Prof. Vladimir Poulkov as Vice Chairman of the ETSI General Assembly. Prof. Poulkov will continue to represent Small Business Standards, the European association representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in standardisation, in the ETSI General Assembly.
Standards are crucial for smaller companies operating in the field of telecommunications. They enable market access, allow the use of proprietary technologies at a fair price and ensure interoperability, safety and reliability of products. Participating in standardisation enhances and secures SMEs’ enormous potential for innovation.
As Vice Chairman of the General Assembly, Prof. Poulkov will represent the interest of all SMEs in ETSI, as well as further facilitate positive dialogue between industry players, universities and administrations. He will hold the mandate for his second two-year term, until November 2020.
In reaction to his election Prof. Poulkov commented: “During my mandate, I would like to work on making ETSI a successful European and global standardisation organisation by championing
inclusiveness. ETSI is committed to the inclusion of SMEs in the standardisation work, through which they can benefit greatly. It is important that SMEs become standard makers and not just standard takers.”
Prof. Poulkov has more than 30 years of teaching, research and industrial experience in the field of telecommunications. Until 2015, he was Dean of the Faculty of Telecommunications in Sofia. He founded and is the head of telecom labs at Sofia university, namely the Electromagnetic Compatibility of Communications Systems R&D centre and the Teleinfrastructure lab. He also runs his own
telecommunications engineering SME, Balkanbit Ltd, and chairs the Bulgarian Cluster of Telecommunications.
Meanwhile Nevania Nikoloski, from Swiss company Phonak Communications AG, was elected as Chair of the General Assembly, and is the first woman to hold the position. Dominique Wurges, from the telecommunication company Orange, was appointed as the second Vice Chair alongside Prof. Poulkov.
