Orange Chief Tapped for MIPCOM Mobile Keynote

PARIS, July 11: Sanjiv Ahuja, the CEO of mobile operator
Orange, will deliver the keynote address during MIPCOM’s Mobile TV day on
October 11.

Ahuja will provide a look at the potential of the mobile
entertainment business and explore the opportunities offered by mobile
broadband. Ahuja will also discuss the content initiatives at Orange, a
division of France Telecom. “Orange is evolving into a one-stop-shop for our
customers’ communication and entertainment needs,” Ahuja noted in a statement.
“Television and TV content is central to our strategy. I am delighted to have
the opportunity of discussing the possibilities of converging technologies with
MIPCOM delegates. Everything we thought we knew about this industry is
changing. With new ways to create, consume and pay for content, only players
with open eyes and open minds can win.”

Ahuja
joined Orange in April 2003 as COO, and was appointed CEO in March 2004. Prior
to Orange, he was CEO of the California-based technology company Comstellar
Technologies and was president of Telcordia Technologies (formerly Bellcore). Previously, he spent fifteen years at
IBM in various executive roles.

Also a highlight for MIPCOM’s Mobile TV day is the Mobile TV Screenings & Awards.
Last year's
attracted 220 entries from 110 companies and 28 countries. The award
categories are: Best Original
Made-for-Mobile Film or Video Content, Best Repurposed Content from existing
Film or TV Property, Best Made-for-Mobile TV Channel, Best Format for
Interactive Mobile TV and Best Mobile Format for User-Generated Content. In
addition to these five categories there will also be The Jury's Grand Prize for Innovation,
given to the most innovative company. The deadline for entries is September 4.

"Last
year's awards already generated great business opportunities for the companies
who entered the competition,” noted Reed MIDEM's director of television, Paul
Johnson. “We expect a growing and thriving mobile content market, and therefore
even more entries this year. And naturally, the Ahuja keynote reflects the
importance the mobile industry places on content within their future
strategy."