About

Daniel Pataki

Daniel leads the GSMA’s global engagement on mobile-sector regulatory affairs. Under his direction, the GSMA is contributing new ideas and analysis to the global policy dialogue at a time when emerging digital technologies and widespread broadband connectivity are reshaping society and the economy.

Daniel also leads the GSMA activities in Europe, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). He is responsible for all Advocacy Initiatives (Public Policy, Spectrum, Mobile for Development, External Affairs), Strategic Engagement and Industry Programmes (Future Networks, Identity, Internet of Things) of the GSMA in the wider European region.

Daniel has a unique record of strategic input into Europe’s telecommunications policy agenda, having previously served as head of Hungary’s National Regulatory Authority, chair of the European Regulators Group (ERG, now BEREC) and chair of the European Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG). More recently, Daniel was Director General of the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ association (ETNO).

He holds a MSc in Economics from the Budapest University of Economics and a Postgraduate Diploma from a leading French institutional programme led by Ecole de Mines, Ecole des Ponts and Sciences-Po.

He was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of the Republic of Hungary in 2009 for his work in EU electronic communication regulation and the Order of Merit (Knight’s Cross) of the Republic of Hungary in 2005 for his work promoting the development of the information and communications technology sector.

Laszlo Toth

Laszlo Toth is the Head of Public Policy of GSMA Europe.  Laszlo leads the public policy team in Brussels, overseeing all the advocacy activities of GSMA Europe and representing European mobile operators on a broad range of policy and regulatory matters. He works closely with members to facilitate coordinated advocacy efforts at the EU level in order to create a policy environment that maximizes the mobile industry’s ability to invest in infrastructure and drive economic growth and social development.

Laszlo started his professional career working at telecoms operators. Prior to joining GSMA in 2011, he spent nine years at the Hungarian public administration, including spells at the Ministry responsible for ICT and at the national telecoms regulator. Laszlo has an MSc. in economics and holds a degree in computer sciences.

Tomas Jakimavicius

Tomas Jakimavicius is a Public Policy Director for the European region at the GSMA. He is working on government and regulatory affairs, where he focuses on the EU telecoms & digital regulatory and policy developments that affect mobile communications industry. In his role, he creates public affairs strategies for the GSMA membership, as well as facilitates the association members when executing advocacy campaigns geared toward their public policy and business goals.

Prior to joining the GSMA, Tomas has served as a diplomat with the Lithuanian Permanent Representation to the EU, where he represented Lithuania at the EU Council as the Telecoms and Digital Affairs Attaché in 2010-2014. He was also a Chairman of the EU Council’s ‘Telecommunications and Information Society’ Working Group during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, in the second half of 2013.

Prior to this role, he served at the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania, where he was a Chief Policy Expert at the ICT Policy department in 2009-2010.
Earlier in his career, Tomas held advisory and consultancy positions in the private IT and trade business sector companies.

Tomas received a Masters of Leadership with an International Relations concentration from Boston University, Mass. (US), a Masters of Enterprise Information systems from University of Westminster, London (UK) and a Bachelors of Informatics from the Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania.

Noelle Knox

Noelle is a veteran business journalist with more than 25 years of experience at nine media companies. In 2015, she helped launch Politico Europe in Brussels as the technology editor. Before that, she was the editor of CFO coverage for The Wall Street Journal in New York and reported on the financial crisis whilst at the Associated Press.

Fluent in French, Noelle opened the Brussels bureau for USA Today in 2003 and reported stories from 16 countries. An active mentor throughout her career, Noelle is one of the leaders of the mentoring program for Professional Women International in Brussels. Originally from San Diego, California, she studied economics at the University of California at Berkeley.

Ruta Lynikaite

As Senior Marketing Manager, Ruta is heading marketing and communications activities and partnership management in Europe, Russia, and CIS countries. In her role, she collaborates closely with colleagues from the regional team, Industry Programmes, Advocacy Initiatives, and the Mobile 360 Series team to create and implement region-specific marketing campaigns.

Before to joining the GSMA in 2017, Ruta was responsible for communications and outreach activities at the European Internet Forum (EIF), a high-level platform bringing together members of the European Parliament, tech business leaders and relevant stakeholders to discuss the future of digital/tech/mobile in the EU. Prior roles on her CV include working in the European Commission’s external communications team and within the advertising and banking sectors in Lithuania.

Ruta holds a Master’s degree in Marketing and International Commerce from Vytautas Magnus University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania).

Maria Sendin Valle

As Antitrust Counsel Maria provides advice and counsel to GSMA departments on all aspects of antitrust law and policy. Additionally, Maria follows antitrust policy and enforcement developments in the world with a particular focus in Europe and the European Union Institutions.

Before joining the GSMA in 2017, Maria worked for a Public Affairs consultancy in Brussels, where she developed and implemented public affairs, communications and public relations campaigns for clients in the technology, competition and social affairs sectors. Maria moved to Brussels in 2012 to work for the European Commission Competition department and prior to that worked as a competition and EU lawyer for an international law firm in Madrid (Spain).

Maria has a Bachelor degree in Law, a Bachelor degree in Economics and a Masters Degree in EU and Competition law by Carlos III University of Madrid. She is a native Spanish speaker, fluent in English and Italian and has good knowledge of German and French.

Pierantonio Rizzo

Pierantonio Rizzo is a Public Policy Manager for the Policy & Regulatory Affairs team at GSMA Europe, working primarily on Consumer Protection, Platforms, Copyright and Cybersecurity issues. In his role, Pierantonio creates public affairs strategies for the membership and represents the GSMA towards the EU Institutions.

Prior to joining the GSMA in 2017, Pierantonio worked at the European Parliament, where he followed the workstream of the IMCO and AFET Committees. He began his career as an articled-clerk in an Italian law firm and then moved to Brussels to intern for Rohde Public Policy, a public affairs consultancy firm.

Pierantonio holds a Masters of European Affairs from the Catholic University of Paris and a LLM from the University of Bologna, during which he had an exchange program with the Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas. Pierantonio speaks Italian, English, French and is currently learning Spanish.

Paul Alix

Paul Alix is Government Affairs Coordinator for the Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs team at the GSMA Europe office. His work includes facilitating engagement with EU institutions and policymakers in the EU Member States and supporting GSMA’s advocacy on regulation concerning the European Digital Single Market. Prior to joining GSMA, Paul worked in the US finance and legal sectors and interned at UNDP. Paul holds an MPA in Development Practice from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BA in International Affairs from Vesalius College.