MWC26 Barcelona Manufacturing and Production Summit Catch up - Connected Manufacturing

Friday March 20, 2026

MWC26 Barcelona Manufacturing and Production Summit Catch up

Resource thumbnail

As industrial digital transformation accelerates, new challenges and opportunities continue to emerge. The MWC26 Manufacturing and Production Summit brought these to the forefront, delivering fresh perspectives and practical insights for industrial professionals.

The summit explored the topics that matter most, from building AI-ready networks and redefining telco go-to-market strategies to demonstrating how mobile networks can strengthen industrial cyber resilience and enable industrial AI at scale.

Experts from Accenture, Dassault Systèmes, DataCanvas, Druid, IBM, Indra, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories and many others shared how operators can engage more effectively with business leaders, develop propositions that prioritise cybersecurity and data integrity, enhance operational resilience, and support the scalable deployment of AI-powered solutions in an increasingly dynamic industrial environment.

You can now catch up on demand and stay ahead of the next curve in smart manufacturing.

Connected Industries ran four sector-specific summits at MWC Barcelona 2026: Smart Mobility, Fintech and Commerce, Manufacturing and Production, and Sports and Entertainment. Each addressed an industry where network technology is becoming central to how organisations operate and compete. Download the full post-event report to explore audience insights, key trend highlights, and discover why MWC Barcelona Connected Industries continues to be a must-attend event for industry leaders worldwide.

Opening and Building AI-Ready Networks for Resources

Kicking off the MWC26 Connected Industries programme, this session explored how the resources industry is leveraging AI-driven networks and automation to become more resilient, agile, and sustainable, as traditional approaches increasingly fall short.

Speakers

Jo Gilbert, Technical Director – Connected Manufacturing and Production, GSMA
Richard Cockle, Head of GSMA Foundry and Connected Industries, GSMA
Tunc Yorulmaz, Senior Managing Director – Global Cloud First Networks Lead, Accenture
Kevin Kapich, Managing Director – Critical Networks Lead, 5G and Networks, Accenture
Evan O’Mahoney, CIO, CPS Energy
Elisa Garcia Anzano, VP of AI & Telco Partnerships, Cisco
Margaret Rooney, Vice President and General Manager, AT&T Services, Inc.

Speak CEO – Rethinking Operator GTM for Enterprise Impact

A first look at how to build compelling value propositions that resonate with CEOs and decision-makers. This session explored how telcos can reshape their business models and partnership approaches to speak the language of enterprise leaders. Instead of selling connectivity, operators must address business problems, whether it’s operational efficiency, cost reduction, or innovation.

Speakers

Priya Kurien, Research Director, IBM Institute for Business Value
John Robinson, Founder and Creator, The Quorum Principle
Christina Patsioura, Principal Analyst, IoT and Enterprise, GSMA Intelligence
Paul Cobben, Portfolio Lead for 5G Campus, KPN
C Y Feng, General Manager, Business Group of Communication Products, Pegatron
Kallitsa Savvidou, Head of New Business & Innovation IoT, Telefonica Tech

Digital Danger – Tackling New Threats in Industrial Transformation

The session examined how mobile network-integrated solutions can help mitigate emerging risks. It highlighted the role of network slicing in enabling secure operations, the value of private mobile networks in ensuring data sovereignty, and how edge computing supports real-time threat detection.

Speakers

Björn Weidenmüller, Senior Vice President AI Factory Go-to-Market, T-Systems International GmbH
Amir Stephenson, Director, Networked Electromagnetic Systems (NES) & 5G.MIL, Lockheed Martin,
David O’Byrne, Druid Software, VP Business Development
Samantha Kight, Head of Industry Security, GSMA
Florence Verzelen, Executive Vice President Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Dassault Systèmes
Ignacio Martínez González, Managing Director, IndraMind
Drew Ganther, VP, Global Sales, OneLayer
Steve Shaw, 5G Solutions Marketing, Palo Alto Networks

AI in Overalls – Scaling Intelligence Across the Industrial Value Chain

The last session explored how different forms of AI, including machine learning, edge AI, embodied AI and robotics, are transforming industrial operations. It also highlighted emerging trends such as collaborative AI systems, generative AI for industrial design, and the convergence of AI with digital twins.

Speakers

Brandon Barbello, Chief Operating Officer, Archetype AI
Stéphane Sireau, Vice President, High-Tech Industry, Dassault Systèmes
Dr. Lei Fang, Chairman, DataCanvas
Ignacio Martínez González, Managing Director, IndraMind
Jo Gilbert, Technical Director – Connected Manufacturing and Production, GSMA
Diego Romeres, Team Leader, Senior Principal Research Scientist, Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories
Jason Slater, Chief of AI, Innovation and Digital Officer, UNIDO
Kunal Shukla, SVP & GM , Head of Networks APIs, Vonage

Photo gallery

MWC26 Barcelona Manufacturing and Prodution Summit

MWC26 Barcelona Manufacturing and Prodution Summit

Like what you read? Share.