Thibaut Kleiner
Thibaut Kleiner is the Director for Future Networks in DG Connect. He has worked since 2001 at the European Commission. The first ten years of his career in the Commission were spent in the area of competition policy (merger, antitrust and State aid). In September 2011, he moved to the digital policy area, as advisor of Vice-President Neelie Kroes, in charge of the Digital Agenda, and supervised Internet policies at large (Internet Governance, cybersecurity, cloud, data).
From January 2014 to June 2016, he was head of unit in charge of network technologies (5G and Internet of Things) in DG Connect. From June 2016 to December 2019 he was the deputy head of cabinet of Commissioner Oettinger, in charge of Budget and Human Resources and he then came back to DG Connect to head the unit in charge of Research Strategy and Coordination and was subsequently Director for Policy, Strategy and Outreach from December 2020 until March 2025. An economist by training Thibaut holds a Master from HEC Paris and a PhD from the London School of Economics.
Antonio Guzmán
Antonio Guzmán is the Director of Strategic Exploration & Innovation Portfolio in Telefónica Innovación Digital (TID). With a career spanning over 10 years, alternating between leadership positions in innovation or business units within Telefónica, and preceded by many years dedicated to developing his scientific capabilities in the academic field, Antonio Guzmán has demonstrated a pioneering vision by leading highly innovative strategic projects that face the daunting task of complying with strict regulations in multiple countries. He has specialized in cutting-edge fields such as cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence, and lately, quantum computing, merging them to create unique and meaningful solutions that leverage the capabilities of current and future networks.
His work in creating and launching innovative solutions for digital identity management, virtual assistants, digital home proposals, self-care applications, smart device development, and “Digital Twin” solutions for managing WIFI connectivity, are a clear reflection of his ability to understand the emerging needs of the market and translate them into viable technological solutions that reach critical mass.
Today, Antonio is the Director of Strategic Exploration & Innovation Portfolio at Telefónica Digital Innovation (TID). He maintains a balance between his passion for innovation and the need to be relevant to the business, creating a bridge between the innovative and the practical with the challenge of ensuring that Telefónica captures the opportunities brought by early-stage innovation.
