‘H’ goes to Ofcom
Chris Forrester
09-09-2009

Hyacinth ‘H’ Nwana, an extremely well-known face amongst the UK’s transmission business, is to lead the Spectrum Policy Group at UK broadcasting regulator OFCOM. OFCOM has also appointed Steve Unger as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO).





Ofcom’s Spectrum Policy Group oversees the management of the allocation of the UK’s airwaves - the valuable resource behind all wireless communications for mobile phone networks, broadcasting, businesses, consumers and essential services.

Hyacinth, known as ‘H’, joins from Arqiva, where he has been Managing Director, Mobile Media Solutions since 2005.

At Arqiva he has been responsible for all the company's activities in Mobile Broadcast TV, Wireless Broadband (WiMAX/WiFi), Datacasting and new wide (WANs), Metro (MANs) and/or National network roll out opportunities. Previously he was Executive Director at Quadriga Worldwide.

Prior to this, H was Executive Director and Global Chief Technology Officer & Investment Manager at antfactory Holding Ltd - a $500M technology investment firm and also worked for BT as a senior manager at the Advanced Communications Research (ACR) department at BT Laboratories, Adastral Park - now BT Exact.

H holds a first degree in Computer Science & Electronic Engineering, an MSc in Computer Science, a PhD in Artificial Intelligence/Computer Science, an MA in Computer Science Education and an MBA from the London Business School. He is a Visiting Professor at Brunel University in West London.

H will join Ofcom on 28 September 2009 and report to Ed Richards, Chief Executive.

Ed Richards said “I am delighted we have been able to recruit someone of ‘H’’s calibre. His experience as a technical expert and as a successful business executive will provide an important contribution to the development of our spectrum work in the years ahead.”

Steve Unger has been Director in the Competition Group where he has led many projects, most notably the current Pay TV Market Investigation. He joined Ofcom in 2003 as Director of Telecoms Technology having been Head of Network Analysis at Oftel.

Prior to this he worked in industry – for two technology start-ups, both of whom designed and operated their own communications networks, and as a consultant advising a variety of other companies on the commercial application of new wireless technologies. Steve has a Physics MA and a PhD in Astrophysics.

The CTO is the most senior technical policy colleague leading Ofcom’s specialists who advise on current and future technologies. He will take up the post immediately, reporting jointly to Peter Phillips, Partner for Strategy and Market Developments as well as to Stuart Mcintosh, Competition Group Partner.