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The MEF CONNECTS ID & Data hybrid event in London provides a unique 360-degree view of identity and data through the eyes of government, business, academia, and the connected individual. Identity and data are a team sport played on an ever-evolving multidimensional field comprising identity and data technology, legal, cultural, customer experience, and commercial models. We cannot go alone to succeed in this multi-trillion-dollar world of identity and data. It takes everyone. We all need each other to thrive.

Our goal for this event is simple: to bring the ecosystem together to crack the digital identity and data code—to unlock the value of identity and data throughout the mobile ecosystem and beyond.

Why attend: Learn and experience first-hand a unique identity and data narrative: glean identity and data insights that are impacting industry power dynamics and shaping business, public policy, technology, and consumer experience. Network and interact with like-minded industry professionals. Prepare yourself and your organization for today and the future.

How attend: You can join us in-person or virtually. REMEMBER: It is FREE to attend.

What you will learn:

  • How to embrace intrapreneurship to drive innovation within your company and industry.
  • How Bhutan, with ten people and using open standards, rolled out the world’s first national self-sovereign decentralized identity and data solution in less than three years in partnership with industry (banks, telcos, utilities, education, healthcare, and more) and how Bhutan’s efforts are a precursor to other countries and enterprise sectors’ efforts, especially given the background of the recent EU eIDAS 2.0 regulations approval.
  • What are digital wallets and digital credentials about, and why should you care about them? Hint: They’ll fundamentally change nearly every aspect of the consumer experience in the coming years.
  • How industry leaders are combating fraud and revenue leakage and creating new frictionless customer experiences by adopting new identification, authentication, account onboarding, and business model strategies, including new entity identity, verified caller, and verified sender initiatives.
  • How current and future data of identity and data protection regulations, specifically through the lens of children, and how new requirements are impacting and will change all consumer interactions.
  • About the latest trends in identity & data technology, standards, protocols, APIs, and regulations and what you and your organization need to look out for.
  • About new empowerment tech, including personal information management systems, digital wallets, and personal AI, and how they’re shifting power to the connected individual.

Who should attend:

  • Anyone who is looking to learn and make a difference in their career, in their organization, and their industry
  • B2B and B2C brands (e.g., CPG, retailers, banks, etc.) executives that are looking to prepare themselves and their companies for the future of people-centric digital identity and data management
  • Mobile operator executives who are looking to embrace the Open Gateway and the latest identity & data innovations
  • CPaaS and related intermediary players that are at the center of the industry’s efforts to create a more safe, secure, predictable, reliable, and trusted end-to-end value exchange
  • Entrepreneurs and consultants who are seeking partners to find exposure and channels for their solutions.
  • Academics and scholars who are looking to embrace identity and data “praxis,” rather than just theory.

 

Day 2: MEF ID & DATA Working Group Empowerment Tech Unconference

Join MEF and the University College London Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (UCL IIPP) on Wednesday, May 22nd, for an unconference (in person only). With this experience, those who show up set the agenda for the day. Our goal is to have an open exploration and discussion surrounding ID & data empowerment tech, governance models, technologies (e.g., solutions & services, APIs, protocols), and especially emerging business models and legal frameworks. This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community in an unscripted format to discuss what’s needed to create responsible, safe, secure, and commercially viable interoperable ID & data solutions, services, best practices, regulations, and “customer” experiences. Space is limited to 50 people, so claim your spot ASAP.

 

Call for Sponsors

Your support is welcome; there are several partnership, press, and sponsorship opportunities to support
this groundbreaking event. Please send your engagement inquiries to Michael Becker, MEF ID & Data
Working Group Chair.

Special Thanks to our Programming Advisors

We’d love to give a special shout-out to Adam Elboim, Director of Product Management at Twillio, and Noah Rafalko, CEO TSG Global, Inc., for having advised Michael Becker, MEF ID & Data Chair with programming the event.

Our Speakers

Pallavi Sharma

Pallavi Sharma

Lead, Marketing & Communications

Bhutan National Digital Identity Project & Department of Innovation & Technology (Buthan)

Louis Gump

Louis Gump

Author, The Inside Innovator: A Practical Guide to Intrapreneurship

Cambian Solutions (United States)

Adam Elboim

Adam Elboim

Director, Product Management

Twilio (United States)

Andrew Bud CBE FREng FIET

Andrew Bud CBE FREng FIET

Founder & CEO, Founder and Emeritus Chair MEF

iProov (United Kingdom)

Andrew Tobin

Andrew Tobin

Commercial Director, Europe, Digital Trust Services

Gen (United Kingdom)

Annet Steenbergen

Annet Steenbergen

Owner

Circletree Ltd (Netherlands)

Atul Purohit

Atul Purohit

Head of Technology (Europe Customer CTO), Nokia Cloud & Network Services

Nokia (England)

Claire Quinn

Claire Quinn

Chief Privacy Officer

Privo (United Kingdom)

Claudine Bell

Claudine Bell

Partner Business Manager, Messaging and Payments

Virgin Media O2 (United Kingdom)

Colin Brown

Colin Brown

Chief Commercial Officer

Haud (United Kingdom)

David Marquez

David Marquez

Director of Economic Development

Bexar County Texas (United States)

Denise Tayloe

Denise Tayloe

President and CEO

Privo (United States)

Eric Drury

Eric Drury

Founder & Director

ForthCo.io (United Kingdom)

Eric Scouten

Eric Scouten

Identity Standards Architect for Content Authenticity Initiative

Adobe (United States)

Glyn Povah

Glyn Povah

Founder & Director Global Product Development Smart Digits

Telefonica (United Kingdom)

Harsha Appuhami Ralalage

Harsha Appuhami Ralalage

Product Manager/Senior Solution Expert

Sinch

Ian Deasha

Ian Deasha

Group Manager - Technology (Identity and Trust)

Information Commissioner's Office (United Kingdom)

Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith

Co-Founder

Mission (United Kingdom)

John Bruner

John Bruner

President and CEO

Aegis Mobile (United States)

John Collomosse

John Collomosse

Principal Scientist, Adobe Research

Adobe (United Kingdom)

Katerina Tassi

Katerina Tassi

Senior Associate, Privacy and Data Protection

Group-Bird & Bird (United Kingdom)

Kevin Sullivan

Kevin Sullivan

President, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Leading Points (United States)

Dr. Marco Lafrentz

Dr. Marco Lafrentz

Vice President, Business and Market Development

Netnumber (Germany)

Marie Shabaya

Marie Shabaya

Contributor

Forbes Africa (Kenya)

Marie Wallace

Marie Wallace

Managing Director, Digital Identity Lead

Accenture (Ireland)

Mark Harvey

Mark Harvey

CEO

Sekura (United Kingdom)

Markus Lampien

Markus Lampien

Co-Founder & CEO

Prifina (United States)

Michael Becker

Michael Becker

CEO, MEF ID & Data Working Group Chair

Identity Praxis, Inc. (United States)

Nai Lee Kalema

Nai Lee Kalema

Ph.D. Candidate

University College London (United Kingdom)

Rob Hughes

Rob Hughes

Director

Transit 3 Consulting Inc, (England)

Simon Sun

Simon Sun

S.J.D. Candidate

Indiana University (United States)

Singe StJohn Deakins

Singe StJohn Deakins

Founder & CEO

CitizenMe (United Kingdom)

Surash Patel

Surash Patel

VP EMEA

TeleSign (United Kingdom)

Tim Ward

Tim Ward

VP Number Information Services

XConnect (United Kingdom)

Viktorija Radman

Viktorija Radman

Telecom Business Director

Infobip (Croatia)

Open Event

Event Info

Date

21/05/2024

Time

All day

Location

IET London: Savoy Place, 2 Savoy Place, London, WC2R 0BL, United Kingdom

Organiser

Request your ticket here

Categories

Personal Data

Type

Hybrid

AGENDA

Andrew Bud – CEO, Emeritus Chair MEF – iProov

Louis Gump, Author, The Inside Innovator: A Practical Guide to Intrapreneurship – Cambian Solutions

Join Louis Gump, a veteran digital media leader, as he shares insights from his new book, The Inside Innovator: A Practical Guide to Intrapreneurship. Drawing from interviews with dozens of innovators, Gump provides a playbook for intrapreneurial success. He will share personal and professional stories, highlight how innovation has transformed industries, and discuss the characteristics of successful intrapreneurs. Learn how to evaluate your fit for innovation roles, create environments where innovation flourishes, and understand the symbiotic relationship between intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs. Walk away with practical ways to achieve more through innovation and build stronger relationships.

Pallavi Sharma, Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications-Bhutan National Digital Identity Project & Department of Innovation & Technology

Bhutan is the first sovereign nation to roll out an SSI-based digital identity system at a national scale. With the passing of the National Digital Identity Act 2023, Bhutan also became the first country in the world to adopt a comprehensive decentralized digital identity regulation. Bhutan National Digital Identity (NDI) aims to create a thriving digital ecosystem that is rooted in trust. Acknowledging identity as the cornerstone of every trusted digital interaction, Bhutan NDI’s decentralized technology-enabled digital wallet has been designed to not only bolster digital trust but also to provide every citizen with the fundamental right to privacy. In this session, we discuss Bhutan’s journey towards the nationwide launch of the Bhutan NDI platform, including: * Bhutan’s national context * The vision and goals of the project * Product/platform design * Live and upcoming use cases * International standards and compatibility * Implementation/development challenges pre- and post-launch

 

Pallavi Sharma, Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications-Bhutan National Digital Identity Project & Department of Innovation & Technology

Eric Drury, Founder & Director-ForthCo.io

Following Pallavi Sharma’s Keynote, Eric Drury and Pallavi will engage in a fireside chat. They will explore the intricacies of the Bhutan National Digital Identity solution role out and share behind-the-scenes insights into the journey they and the rest of the NDI team to create such an aground breaching suite of services. They will also explore what’s next on the horizon, including their search for additional use cases and global partners.

David Marquez, Director of Economic Development -Bexar County Texas

In the summer of 2023, Bexar County Texas embarked on a program that helped them better understand and serve their community, specifically vulnerable members of the community. Using anonymized mobile AdTech, the country was able to reliably estimate the demand for several of it services and necessary supplies, such as shelters, work support programs, medical services, and blankets. David Marques will share the inspiration behind the program, how the insights helped inform their public policy development efforts, and what’s next as they continue to support their community.
Tim Green, Features Editor MEF
 
Claire Quinn, Chief Privacy Officer-Privo
 
Katerina Tassi, Senior Associate, Privacy and Data Protection Group-Bird & Bird
 
Ian Deasha, Group Manager , Technology (Identity and Trust) -Information Commissioner’s Office
 
Denise Tayloe, President and CEO-Privo
 
Children & Online Identity: an in-depth look at children’s online identity, privacy and the fast-evolving regulatory landscape. This session will look at personal data collection and use, identity and age assurance from a global viewpoint. The panel will bring together experts from PRIVO, the ICO and Bird & Bird.
 
 
 

Andrew Tobin, Commercial Director, Europe, Digital Trust Services-Gen

The starting gun has been well and truly fired, with the adoption of the pan-EU eIDAS 2.0 legislation. It promises a standard for digital identity and credentials for all EU citizens, transforming government and business processes and citizen privacy and security. There is now a 24 month period for governments, companies and people to get ready. What should they be doing, what should they watch out for, and what do you need to do? In this talk, Andy Tobin who set up one of the eIDAS Large Scale Pilots with the Swedish government, will take you through five focus points that you need to keep a close eye on. If all five are successful, eIDAS 2.0 will be huge. If any one of them fails, the whole programme will fail.

Annet Steenbergen, Owner-Circletree Ltd

Following the approval of the eIDAS 2.0 regulation, governments, industry, and individuals must prepare for the introduction of EU digital identity wallets. Annet Steenbergen, with her vast array of government and industry experience and as a member of the EU Wallet Consortium (EWC), will provide a detailed overview of EU digital identity wallets: what they are, why everyone will need one, and what they can do with the them once they have them. Specifically, Annet will explore the role digital wallets will play in travel. Annet will provide important context and background for the rollout of EU digital identity wallets. She will highlight several challenges that must be overcome in the months ahead for the promise of digital identity wallets to be fully realized and highlight the many opportunities to be attained for their use.

Marie Wallace, Managing Director, Digital Identity Lead – Accenture

In the months and years to come, digital identity wallets will play a central role in our daily lives. One of the many exciting things about digital wallets is that they empower people; they put people at the center of the experience and in control of their digital identities and data. Marie Wallace will illuminate the day in the life of an individual with their digital wallet. She will explain how digital wallets will help people freely, safely, securely, and efficiently traverse their day through different experiences and contexts (travel, border crossings, transportation, lodging, shopping, and more), all while maintaining their privacy and agency.
 

Andrew Bud, CEO, Chair Emeritus MEF – iProov

In this session, Andrew explains the foundational role that biometrics, particularly live facial recognition, is and will continue to play in the future ID & data landscape. From identification, credential issuance, and management to account onboarding and authentication, liveness and facial recognition will help organizations combat cybercrime fraud, streamline operations, and create and maintain safe, secure, and frictionless experiences for their customers. Andrew explains what is happening in the market and will help us understand what steps we should all be taking to fully embrace liveness and facial recognition.

Adam Elboim, Director, Product Management – Twilio

Tim Ward, VP Number Information Services – XConnect

Harsha Appuhami Ralalage, Product Manager/Senior Solution Expert – Sinch

Glyn Povah, Founder & Director Global Product Development Smart Digits – Telefonica
 
In this session, Adam, Tim, Harsha, and Glyn are going to provide a comprehensive analysis of the present and future of user authentication, balancing technological advancements with privacy and security concerns. They will explore the evolving landscape of user authentication in the era of advanced mobile technologies. They’ll delve into whether current innovations have resolved authentication challenges or if newer technologies are needed to fill existing gaps. They’ll discuss the trajectory and relevance of traditional methods like SMS OTP, address the complexities of age verification for minors without excessive data collection, and finally, they’ll wrap up by examining the potential threats posed by AI in the hands of fraudsters and its implications for authentication security.
 

John Bruner, President and CEO – Aegis Mobile

Glyn Povah, Founder & Director Global Product Development Smart Digits – Telefonica

Claudine Bell, Partner Business Manager, Messaging and Payments – Virgin Media O2
 
Knowing and authenticating the individual is crucial, but so is understanding the authenticity and legitimacy of the enterprise and its delegated agents. In this session, John Bruner, Glyn Povah, and Claudine Bell will explore the world of entity identity (also known as organizational identity). They will explain the evolving strategies and tactics that are being employed to identify organizations and their agents, at scale, for a wide range of use cases, especially calling and messaging. They will discuss how entity identifiers are being embedded in next-generation RCS messaging, for instance, and how this will help improve the overall experience for the recipient and enhance the end-to-end integrity of the messaging experience.

Viktorija Radman, Telecom Business Director – Infobip

Rob Hughes, Director – Transit 3 Consulting Inc. 
 
Atul Purohit, Head of Technology (Europe Customer CTO), Nokia Cloud & Network Services
 
In this session, Viktorija, Rob, and Atul will present the opportunity and challenges with the recently accounted GSMA-led Open Gateway initiative, an initiative that transforms telecommunications networks into standardized platforms through APIs. These APIs enable them to provide digital services like Device Status, Device Location, Number Verification, and Quality on Demand. This initiative offers telecom companies, their partners, and brands significant opportunities, but challenges in scaling and speed remain. Brands, with access to mobile network operators’ data, and by combining this data-rich communication channels, can combat fraud and enrich the experience of their customers. The initiative simplifies access for developers and cloud providers, enabling the creation of secure, interoperable apps and services. By ensuring GDPR compliance and leveraging mobile identifiers, it accelerates the growth of digital services and seamless integration across global networks.

Colin Brown, Chief Commercial Officer – Haud

Mark Harvey, CEO – Sekura

Surash Patel, VP EMEA –  Telesign

Join Colin, Mark, and Surash to understand the dynamic interplay between technology, business, and individual empowerment in shaping the future of mobile identity and the future value exchange through the mobile ecosystem. In this session, the panel will explore how new technologies and services are transforming business models, enhancing security, and combating ever-present cybercrime fraud. They’ll highlight the challenges and opportunities presented by these advancements, how they are fundamentally changing the mobile ecosystem landscape, and what we can and should do to thrive in this ever-changing and dynamic field.
 

Dr. Marco Lafrentz, Vice President, Business and Market Development – Netnumber

Opt-in capabilities and affirmative actions on the part of digital users allow the world to feel more secure in the use and management of digital identities. In a world that puts security and choice at a premium, the opt-in pays a critical part — but when it comes to leveraging data en masse to create real innovation, it also holds the industry back substantially. Complete data sets are needed to harness data’s full power and pave the way for groundbreaking enterprise use cases. Right now, tools and data-based solutions are reinventing authentication protocols for telecommunications providers. However, the key to expanding significant value into a host of business spaces requires thoughtful and ethical problem-solving around implicit opt-in protocols or other unique workarounds. How can we preserve privacy while making data accessibility function less like a brick wall and more like a permeable membrane? In this session, MEF Board Member and VP of Business and Market Development for global phone number intelligence leader netnumber will explore opportunities around ‘scoring’ methodologies, advanced subscriber profiling, anonymizing data without sacrificing demographic insights — and how all of that can herald a new world of powerful enterprise transactions across finance, e-commerce and beyond.

Eric Scouten, Identity Standards Architect for Content Authenticity Initiative – Adobe

John Collomosse, Principal Scientist – Adobe Research
 
Imagine knowing who produced the content you are viewing and how they produced it? In this session, we will talk about the work being done to make that dream a reality. Eric will provide an overview of the work of the Content Authenticity Initiative, the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), and the Creator Assertions Working Group (CAWG), and how these organizations are working together to help content producers build authentic connections with their audiences.

Nai Lee Kalema, Ph.D. Candidate-University College London

Marie Shabaya, Forbes Contributor – Forbes Africa

Simon Sun, S.J.D. Candidate – Indiana University

Personal data can empower more than just the individual, it can empower the community through pooled data—the data commons. Nail, Marie, and Simon, will help us understand how the spirit of Ubuntu can guide the creation of a unified, inclusive, and thriving African data landscape. They will explore the transformative potential of African Data Commons through the lens of Ubuntu, a philosophy emphasizing interconnectedness and community. This talk delves into how embracing Ubuntu can foster a collaborative data ecosystem across Africa, promoting shared growth, innovation, and resilience. Learn how collective data stewardship can address regional challenges, empower local communities, and drive sustainable development. Discover the importance of ethical data practices and equitable access in building a robust data commons.
 
 

Michael Becker, MEF ID & Data Working Group Chair – Mobile Mobile Ecosystem Forum

Michael Becker will share the findings from a groundbreaking study—factors that predict personal information management systems (PIMS)—that he recently completed for his doctorate in business administration (DBA). A PIMS is a new class of software that empowers people to have control and agency over their digital identities and data (a digital identity wallet is a type of PIMS). In this session, Michael will summarize his findings and discuss the factors that may influence people’s intention to use and their actual use of a PIMS. Hi will highlight key PIMS use cases, how the concept of a PIMS has evolved (from as far back as 1890), and how businesses and governments can leverage these findings for PIMS development, marketing, and education.
 

Michael Becker, MEF ID & Data Working Group Chair – Mobile Mobile Ecosystem Forum

 

Jamie Smith, Co-Founder – Mission

 

St John Deakins, Founder & CEO – DataSapien

 

Markus Lampinen, Co-Founder & CEO – Prifina

In this session, Jamie, Singe, and Markus will help us understand what happens when a PIMS is overlayed with a personal AI, an AI that is trained to serve the individual rather than the industry. Not only will people be able to understand themselves and their behaviors, but they will also have an ever-diligent agent that will help them navigate the complexity of our increasingly digitized world.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Michael Becker, MEF ID & Data Working Group Chair – Mobile Mobile Ecosystem Forum

 

Kevin Sullivan, President, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.) – Leading Points

With over 30 million people strong, the marketplace made up of active and non-active duty U.S. armed forces and their family members is a microcosm of the U.S. population. What sets these people apart from the rest of the country is that they are immediate family members who served their country. At Military Connect, to honor our veterans every day is Veterans Day! It is Military Connect’s mission to help this vibrant community. It accomplishes this mission through the Military Connect Network, a marketplace that brings members of Military Connect and brands and services providers together; Military Connect advises and works with brands and service providers to develop military offers and benefits programs. Central to the Military Connect experience is a reusable digital ID, which, via the Military Connect digital identity wallet, can be used online line or offline to unlock a vast array of offers and benefits from the Military Connects partners network. Kevin Sullivan will share his journey on building Military Connect and the potential that lies ahead.
 
 
 
 

Michael Becker, MEF ID & Data Working Group Chair – Mobile Mobile Ecosystem Forum

 

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