GSMA appoints Pierre Combelles as new head of NFC
The GSMA has appointed Pierre Combelles as the new business lead for its NFC programme, which will continue to be ramped-up in the next year.
Combelles joins the GSMA from France Telecom-Orange group, where he was involved in multi-operator NFC projects as vice president of open innovations.
Combelles takes over on November 1, replacing interim business lead Reed Paterson who had been in the role since April.
His role will include helping operators in target markets (including the UK) roll out NFC services, streamlining the testing of new handsets enabled with the technology, and outlining new standards and procedures for the use of NFC.
“I am delighted to be joining the GSMA’s NFC program as we reach a unique turning point in delivering innovative NFC services to mobile subscribers across the globe,” says Combelles. “The work being done already in the NFC arena is showing us that this is a life-changing era in the history of mobile connectivity.
The GSMA’s NFC program for the next year will have three priorities, says Combelles:
- Helping operators in promising NFC markets roll out services using lessons from the handful of rollouts already launched by telcos
- Streamlining testing and certification of NFC handsets
- Filling in the gaps in NFC standards and procedures
Combelles will start work at the GSMA’s London headquarters on 1 November where he will work with James Heaphy, the GSMA’s NFC program director. Overall, the association now has more than twenty staff working on NFC.
Combelles said:
“The work being done already in the NFC arena is showing us that this is a life-changing era in the history of mobile connectivity. I believe that end-users are ready and are looking to the mobile ecosystem to deliver NFC services.
There are many rewarding challenges ahead and I look forward to working with the GSMA and its partners to encourage the development of interoperable NFC services for everyone to enjoy.”
