Denmark

On December 14 1998, Mrs. Mai Buch has been appointed as the new Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Research and Information Technology. She is replacing Mr Peter Lorentz Nielsen. Mrs. Buch was formerly director of economics at the Danish National Royal Theatre. She is also chairman of Forum 2000 committee on behalf of the Ministry of Research and Information Technology. It has not yet been decided whether she will continue this work.

The Minister of Justice has set up a committee to discuss the issue of legal effects of the digital signatures. Chairman for the committee is Mr Ove Dam.

The Danish Government has appointed a committee of two members to work within the project "The Digital Denmark": the former Minister for the Environment Mrs. Lone Dybkjær and Mr Jørgen Lindegaard, Managing Director at GN Store Nord.

The Minister of Research and IT, Mr Jan Trøjborg has appointed Mr Mogens Munk Rasmussen as chairman of the board of the new IT University in Denmark. Mr Mogens Munk Rasmussen is managing director at Nykredit.

The Minister of Research and IT, Mr Jan Trøjborg has appointed new members to the IT-security council. At the same time the terms of reference have been changed. The council has to make juridical and technical statements about IT-security questions. Professor Mads Bryde Andersen from the University of Copenhagen will still be the chairman. The other members are:

• Lawyer Janne Glæsel, Bech-Bruun & Trolle
• Director Peter Landrock, Cryptomathic
• Consultant Steffen Stripp
• Director Jan Carlsen, Institute for data security
• Town clerk Estrid Oxlund, The council of Holstebro
• Chartered accountant Carsten Heilbuth, KPMG

The Tele Danmark management group has been restructured during the autumn: the chairman of the board is Mr. Henning Dyrmose, former Minister of Finance in the Danish government. The other board members are Mr. Hans Munk Nielsen (economics) and Mr. John Anderson (from Ameritech). Mr. Gregers Mogensen and Mr. Ralf Egede Andersen are not a part of the directory board any longer. Also the management of the international division has been changed : the head manager is now Mr. Hans Vest (former Executive Vice President at Siemens Nixdorf ). Mrs. Ruth Pierson from Ameritech has been appointed as new director of the network department, which handles the Tele Danmark switching machine. The former director Henrik Thorhauge has been appointed as director of the business-to-business department. Tele Danmark has formed a new department that is going to handle wholesale products for competing telecom operators. The head of this new department is Peder Ø. Andreassen, who has been manager on economics within Belgacom.

Germany

New head at Viag Interkom: becoming effective November 1, 1998 the member of the executive board at Viag Interkom, Maximilian Ardelt, has taken over as head director at Viag Interkom telecommunication provider. Viag Interkom is one of the leading competitors of the Deutsche Telekom AG.

Changes in the management at Tesion: Dr. Wolfgang Hick has left the Tesion management team. Newly appointed managers are Peter Schöpfer (from Swisscom) and Philipp Marquart (formerly Enegie-Versorgung Schwaben). Tesion is a regional telecommunication provider mainly active in Baden-Württemberg and especially in the boarder area to Switzerland.

Mr. Günter Femers has joined the board of directors at TelDaFax on November 1, 1998. He will be responsible for the areas investor relations and public relations. TelDaFax is one of the new telecommunication providers in Germany.

Greece

"Hellenic Telecommunication Organization S.A.": Pr. Xrisolouris, OTE 's Management Director submitted his resignation. Mr. Simeonidis will be the new Management Director after 20 January 1999. Meanwhile, Mr. Skarpelis will be acting as Management Director.

Ireland

Mike Neary has replaced Norman Wilkinson as Director of the Information Society Commission.

Luxembourg

GLOBAL ONE has confirmed its presence in Luxembourg as active operator for large companies. Its Managing Director, Mr Etienne Gaudissart, confirms that Global One aims at offering one-stop shopping global solutions for international corporate clients based in Luxembourg and a estimated 10 MEcu turn-over in 1998.

The Netherlands

In September 1998, Mr. ir. J.A.M.M. Michels has been designated as general director at cable company NV Castel.

In October 1998, Minister Jorritsma has announced the members of the board of directors of Twinning Holding BV. Mr. Pieper, Mr. Driel and Mr. Jonkhart will be members of the board.

In the fourth quarter of 1998, Mr. ir. R.G.F. de Groot has been designated as general manager at WorldCom the Netherlands.

On October 1^st 1998, Mr. J. Uylings has been designated as the director of the first Twinning Center in the Netherlands.

On January 1^st 1999, Mr. J.W. Weck, since seven years directorate-general at the Royal Air Service, will be in charge of the new Directorate-General Telecommunications and Post.

Drs. J.M.F. Diris has been designated as the directorate-general Public Transportation.

Portugal

The Government has appointed a task force to look into the informatic problem of the year 2000, with representatives in all Ministries. It is co-ordinated by the National Body for the development of the Information Society (Missão para a Sociedade de Informação - MSI). Although, this task force was formally created in January 1998, only now the majority of the representatives are being nominated, and some Ministries still do not have an appointed representative. The 2000 year Task Force brings together at present by 51 key persons. Members coming from the Presidency of Ministers Council are Mr. José Manuel Gomes Almeida (Coordinator), Mr. Fernando Soto Almeida, Mr. Pedro Mendes and Mr. António Demony Carneiro Pacheco. The complete list of the Task-forces members is available on the MSI web site.

Sweden

Björn Rosengren, the new Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the new Chairman of the IT-Commission had his first meeting with the Swedish IT-Commission in November, 1998. The IT-Commission discussed priorities of the organisation. A new plan was established at a meeting held on the 10^th of December. Peter Seipel was appointed as vice chairman. At this same meeting Gunnar Hedborg, the Head of Secretariat announced that he would like to resigned from his position, but that he wished to continue to work as an employee within the IT-Commission. Björn Rosengren will appoint a new Head of Secretariat who will start the first of January, 1999.

In 1997 a project of founding a Nordic IT-council started. The Nordic IT-ministers have announced that they will co-ordinate strategies for how to make an impact on the IT-development. And this will be carried out in the Nordic Minister Council management. Elisabeth Ferm at the Minister Council states that the ministers most likely will appoint a committee that will work on the fundamental elements of this constellation. There are still very few sources that can reveal what this particular council will work on, but electronic commerce and equally access for all citizen to the information society are some of the questions that have been discussed.

United Kingdom

Stephen Byers is now the President of the Board of Trade (at the Department of Trade and Industry) following the resignation of Peter Mandelson. He has overall responsibility for all policies, including the Information Society Initiative.

Key IST responsibilities at the Department of Trade and Industry, under Framework V are as follows (this short list is a mixture of new and existing appointments/responsibilities):

• Paul Ayscough - Multimedia Content and Tools
• Martin Boyle - New Methods of Work and Electronic Commerce
• Margaret Dennis - Essential Technologies and Infrastructure
• Alun German - Systems and Services for the Citizen
• John Gilles - Manufacturing and IST
• Andy Rendell - Future and Emerging Technologies (located at ESPRC)

Brian Bender is now the Cabinet Office’s head of public service delivery, including the Central IT Unit.

Rod Olsen has been appointed Acting Chief Executive of Cable and Wireless plc, following the departure of the Chief Executive in December.

Peter Kilfoyle, Parliamentary Secretary, now has responsibility for public sector IT initiatives in the Cabinet Office, and will oversee the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency.

Three new members of the Library and Information Commission have been appointed: Claire Rayner, Lynne Brindley and Professor Wallace Ewart.

Belgium

The WIN society has been created mid-September to manage the fibre infrastructure of the Ministry of Equipment of the Walloon region (see "Alternative Networks report"). Mr Arnaud HURET designated earlier as Administrateur-délégué has resigned by mid-December and has not yet been replaced.

Mr Stanley MILLER, has been presented to the press as General Manager and interim of KPN-Orange Belgium. The company is still looking for a CEO.

Mr Jean-François de Lantsheere has been designated as General Manager of BELGACOM France.

Finland

The administration of the radio and TV networks of the Finnish Broadcast Company (Yleisradio Oy, YLE) was transferred to Digita Oy. Digita is 100% owned company of Yleisradio. Digita started from the beginning of 1999. Mr. Pauli Heikkilä was appointed to the managing director of the new company.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has a new organisation since the beginning of 1999. The Telecommunications Market unit of the Communications department will be split into two units:

• the Telecommunications Market Unit, headed by Mr. Antti Kohtala
• the Network Communications Unit, headed by Mr. Jari Perko.

The former director of the Telecommunications Market Unit Mr. Harri Pursiainen has been appointed to deputy head of department of the Communications department.

Since the beginning of 1999, the Ministry of Labour consists of two departments. The policy department is responsible for strategies of the Ministry. Mr. Pertti Sorsa was appointed to the head of the policy department. Mr. Pertti Toivonen is responsible for preparing programs of the European Social Fund as well as labour policy related coordinating of the structural funds of EU in Finland. Mr. Harri Skog was appointed to the head of the executive department.

Mr. Aulis Salin was appointed as the new managing director of Sonera Oy (former Telecom Finland).

France

Mr Jean-Claude LARUE, has been appointed member of the French Broadcasting Authority (Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel - CSA) in replacement of Philippe-Olivier ROUSSEAU who has his mandate finished.

Mr André-Michel BESSE has been appointed Chairman of the public Radio RFO (Radio France Outre-Mer/Overseas).

Ms Anita Rozenholc left DATAR (public agency in charge of spatial planning policies), where she was in charge of ICTs issues, and joined the MTIC - Interministry mission for ICT. She has been replaced by Mr Bouvier.

Key persons in various Ministries composed the steering committee of the first version of the Observatory of Teleservices (underway) which will be published each year by DATAR at Lionel Jospin's request. These key persons are the following:

• Mr Bouvier, DATAR,
• Ms Anita Rozenholc, MTIC - Interministry mission for ICT
• Mr Thierry Grognet, Ministry of Culture and Communication,
• Mr Yves Laboret, Ministry of Education, Research and Technology,
• Mr Leandri, DIRE - Interministry delegation for the state reform,
• Mr Alain Ducass, and Ms Claire Ancelin, Ministry of Industry.

Italy

After the Government change in Autumn 1998, the new Ministers and Secretaries of State were appointed on October 21st 1998. Massimo D’Alema was appointed as the Prime Minister. The Communication Ministry is the Ministry mainly related with the Information Society development. The key persons appointed in this Ministry are as follows:

• Communication Minister: Salvatore Cardinale 
• Secretaries of State: Michele Lauria and Vincenzo Maria Vita
• Telecommunications Consultant: Angelo Bernardini
• Telecommunications Policy Consultant: Vincenzo Viti

Telecom Italia Group: the CEO Mr. Rossignolo left the company. Telecom Italia Board of Directors on October 23^rd 1998 appointed Prof. Berardino Libonati as Chairman. On 19^th November 1998 Mr. Franco Bernabè was appointed as Chair Executive Officer of Telecom Italia Group.

Spain

The Minister of Industry and Energy, Mr. Josep Piqué i Camps, has carried out important modifications in order to adapt the Minister competencies related to the Industry demand, in particular to technology, innovation and the IS support:

• The former Industrial Technology and Security General Directorate will be called from now on Industries and Information Technologies General Directorate and will include the Information Industries and the Information Society Programmes development Sub-Directorates. The new Information Society Programmes development General Sub-director is Mrs. Concha Mayoral and the IS Initiatives Area Chief is Mr. Luis Prieto Cuerdo.
• The former Industry General Directorate is now the Industry and Technologies Directorate. Its new structure after the last changes will include the following Sub-Directorates: Industrial projects, Technological Programmes, Industrial promotion and Business Strategies, Industrial Innovation Promotion and Industrial Quality and Security.
• The Minister has also transformed the former IS Advisory Group into a definitive Information Society debate Forum. This creation was the first strategic recommendation by the IS Advisory Group and will be in charge of demand stimulation measures, infrastructures endowment and supply creation as well as ICT added value creation measures.

In the Ministry of Fomento, Mr. Javier Monge, is now Assistant Manager of Telecommunications Advanced Services Promotion and Normalisation Area.

On November 20 1998, Mr. Pío Cabanillas Alonso replaced Mr. Fernando López-Amor García as General Director of the Public Spanish Broadcasting (Ente Público Radiotelevisión Española - RTVE). Mr. Cabanillas has nominated the following new managerial staff:

• General RTVE Board of Directors’ Cabinet Director: Mr. Ramón Villot y Villot
• RTVE General Secretary: Mr. Ricardo García Vicente
• RTVE Managing Director: Mr. Lucho González-Aller
• TVE Director: Mr. José Ramón Díez Ferez

Dr. Tomás Tenza (General Organisation Subdirector) chairs the National Health Institute’s Commission which is carrying out at the beginning of 1999, an Action Plan related to Tele-medicine.

The Economic and Social Council (Consejo Económico y Social), within its Annual Report - as a Government’s advisor body- on the Nation’s socio-economic situation, is consecrating a chapter to the Information Society impact in Spain. The co-ordinator is Mr. Ignaci Faura (Advisor).

The Spanish engineer Mr. Eugenio Triana has been summoned as one of the ICANN Technical Government nine members. ICANN (Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers) was created in October 1998. It will assume the Internet management, which depended on the Internet Assigned Numbers Organisation (IANA). The ICANN functions will be the domain names (.com) concession and administration, as well as the IP renewal policy to guarantee the Net’s working.

250 Direct Marketing and e-commerce firms represented by several sector associations have merge into the Spanish Electronic Commerce and Direct Marketing Federation (FECEMD), whose main objective will be a common EU legislative framework on Electronic Commerce and databases management.

In October 1998 was created the Internautics Association, whose President is Mr. Víctor Domingo.

Mr. Jesús Banegas Núñez, the current ANIEL President has announced his resignation. ANIEL is the National Association of Electronic and Telecommunications Industries.

Telefónica’s Board of Directors decided on October 28^th a new data transmission business subsidiary, which is going to be led by Mr. Guillermo Fernández Vidal –at present Firm’s General Manager - as Managing Director. This new branch, which could be called Telefónica Data, will be especially dynamic due to the new telematic services rise, such as tele-banking or electronic commerce. Moreover, the Spanish subsidiary Managing Director Mr. Luis Martín de Bustamante is going to be the main responsible of the Group’s corporate image. His direct collaborators will be Mr. Jose Antonio Sánchez as new Communication General Manager and Mr. Manuel García Durán, as new Publicity General Manager. Telefónica’s Board of Directors also approved the creation of Telefónica Servicios Interactivos (Telefónica Interactive Services), which is going to incorporate all the Internet business and will be lead by Mr. Juan Perea.

On October 2^nd was officially presented the third fix telephony operator, UNI2, the trademark by which will be known Lince Telecomunicaciones. This firm started its services on December 1^st. Mr. Eugenio Galdón is President and Mr. Maurice Bordás is Managing Director.

The satellites company Teledesic has since October 1998 a Spanish delegation, whose President is Mr. Julián Seseña. The Spanish delegation will be in charge of the technical and regulation EU matters as well of the activities in Europe and South America. The main company’s current activity is the development of the global satellite broad band system "Internet on sky".