GSMA Forms Strategic Partnership With Shanghai International Technology Exchange Center for Mobile Asia Expo

- GSMA Also Announces New Event Features, Keynote Speakers, Exhibitors and Sponsors

LONDON, May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA, organisers of Mobile World Congress, the mobile industry's premier event, today announced that it has signed a strategic partnership with the Shanghai International Technology Exchange Center (SITEC) for cooperation on the Mobile Asia Expo event being held 20-22 June 2012 at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC).  The GSMA also announced additional keynote speakers for Mobile Asia Expo, including leaders from Alcatel-Lucent, Bharti Airtel, Datang Telecom Group and NTT DOCOMO, as well as new event features, exhibitors, sponsors and partners. 

"The mobile industry continues to develop at an unprecedented pace, and nowhere is this more evident than in China, which is experiencing tremendous growth and is the world's largest mobile market," commented Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "We look forward to showcasing leaders from China and across Asia on the global stage at Mobile Asia Expo."

GSMA to Collaborate with Shanghai International Technology Exchange Center
The GSMA recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai International Technology Exchange Center (SITEC), which was established in December 2011 and is a joint initiative between the China Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai Municipal Government. SITEC is designed to promote the Chinese technology industry and trade internationally, through information sharing, dialogue on global business processes, resource integration, professional training and industry collaboration. The GSMA and SITEC will initially collaborate in promoting the Mobile Asia Expo event, as well as develop and market future technology events hosted by SITEC.

New Keynote Speakers for Mobile Asia Expo
The GSMA announced that the following mobile industry leaders will be participating in the Mobile Asia Expo keynote programme:

• Rajeev Singh-Molares, President, Alcatel-Lucent Asia Pacific
• Sanjay Kapoor, CEO, India & South Asia, Bharti Airtel
• Dr. Zhen Caiji, Chairman and President, Datang Telecom Group
• Kaoru Kato, President and CEO Elect, NTT DOCOMO

These executives join the previously announced keynote speakers including:

• Xi Guohua, Chairman, China Mobile
• Franco Bernabe Chairman, GSMA and Chairman and CEO, Telecom Italia Group
• Olivier Puech, President, Asia Pacific, Nokia
• Napoleon Nazareno, President and CEO, Smart Communications
• Shi Lirong, President, ZTE

The Mobile Asia Congress keynote programme will include sessions addressing topics such as "Strategies for the New Mobile Era", "Creating the Connected Life", and "Mobile Innovation: What's the Future of Mobile?".  In addition to the thought-leading keynotes, the conference will feature focused breakout sessions providing essential insights on current and future trends impacting the ever-changing mobile industry.

Angry Birds, BMW and Nokia on Show at Mobile Asia Expo
BMW and Nokia will be exhibiting at Mobile Asia Expo, joining previously announced participating companies including China Mobile, China Unicom, Cisco, Datang Telecom Group, Huawei, IBM, MasterCard, Mozilla, NEC, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, PayPal, SanDisk, Tencent, Visa, Yahoo! and ZTE, among others.

The GSMA is introducing several new event features specifically addressing the consumer audience at Mobile Asia Expo. In the Angry Birds Zone, attendees will have the opportunity to compete against each other in Angry Birds Space, the most recent version of Rovio's hugely popular game. In addition, the Mobile Gaming Zone will showcase the latest in mobile gaming from Game Insight and more than 20 other gaming companies. 

The Augmented Life Zone will highlight various applications of augmented reality technology, while the Mobile Fashion Zone will spotlight the intersection of fashion with mobile technologies including NFC, QR codes, mobile apps and augmented reality. For more information on the exhibition, please visit http://www.mobileasiaexpo.com/expo-overview.

Nokia to Host App Developer Conference in App Planet
Nokia will also be holding an application developer conference as part of App Planet, joining previously announced App Planet partners China Mobile and RIM. App Planet presents opportunities for developers and mobile professionals, from operators to value-added service providers to equipment and device manufacturers from around the world, to expand their knowledge as well as connect with other major apps influencers.

GSMA Forum Series at Mobile Asia Expo
The GSMA aims to advance mobile technologies and applications through the sponsored Forum Series at Mobile Asia Expo, bringing together industry players to discuss and debate a range of topics in focused sessions. In the MNO Cloud Forum, Gold Sponsor JDSU will explore the how cloud computing will revolutionise future mobile applications as well as the mobile network operator's role in and vision of the cloud space. Gold Sponsor STMicroelectronics will present at the Augmented Reality Forum where they will offer insights on the latest tools and services for mobile augmented reality.

GSMA Launches Public Policy Forum
At Mobile Asia Expo, the GSMA will hold its first Public Policy Forum, bringing together stakeholders from telecommunications ministries and regulatory bodies to discuss the key enablers for mobile broadband growth and development. The one-day meeting will include keynote speeches as well as panel discussions, where stakeholders will  debate and reflect on the key drivers to stimulate investment in mobile broadband in Asia Pacific, and how industry and governments can work together to achieve this. China Mobile is the Platinum Sponsor for the Public Policy Forum. For more information on this meeting, please visit http://www.mobileasiaexpo.com/public-policy-forum.

For more information on Mobile Asia Expo 2012, including details on how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, please visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com.

About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. 

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at www.mobileworldlive.com. 

Media Contacts:
Xiong Wen (Beijing): +86-10-8569-9918
wxiong@webershandwick.com or press@mobileasiaexpo.com

Mia Kuo (Shanghai): +86-21-2411-0208
mkuo@webershandwick.com or press@mobileasiaexpo.com

Abigail Faylor (London): +44-(0)2070-670-851
afaylor@webershandwick.com or press@mobileasiaexpo.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsm.org