Candidate for the post of Deputy Secretary-General

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Dr. Walther Richter
Nationality: Austrian
Born: 28 April 1940 in Vienna, Austria
Marital Status: Married, 2 daughters

Address : Postgasse 8
A - 1011 Vienna, Austria
Telephone : +43 664 222 5059
Fax : +43 1 513 5921
Email : walther.richter@pta.at

Education and Professional Training

Period School or University Field of study Degree
1946 - 1958 Primary and High School
in Graz, Austria Special award

1958 - 1962 University of Graz Engineering Economics Dipl.Ing. (distinction)
1962 - 1963 University of Graz General Engineering Dipl.Ing.
1963 - 1964 Stanford University, USA Industrial Engineering Master of Science
1964 - 1966 University of Graz Computer Science PhD
1980 - 1983 International Education Centre, Brussels
(Professors from Harvard Business School,
INSEAD, London School of Economics,
MIT, Oxford, etc.) General management
Personnel management
Financial management
Information management
1968 - 1998 Professional training courses Many different subjects

1996 - today Chief Executive Officer Telecom - Post & Telekom Austria

The Post & Telekom Austria was transformed from a government department to a corporation only in 1996. I joined its newly created Board as Chief Executive Officer Telecom in a company where 19 500 staff members are serving about five million subscribers. I was instrumental in the following areas:

Fixed network

Introduction of a new corporate culture

Elimination of the waiting list

Installation of telephones normally within one working day

Guaranteed service within a few hours

Selection of a strategic partner

Professional training for all staff

Introduction of new Internet services

Introduction of a new billing software

Introduction of graphical software for network planning and management

Introduction of wireless local loop technology

Introduction of Intelligent Network services

Introduction of a country-wide single point of contact for all customer matters

Expansion of the optical fibre network (up to 40 Gbit/s)

Introduction of ATM based services

Mobile Network

Increase in the number of mobile subscribers from 450 000 to 1 200 000

Search for and selection of a strategic partner for the mobile network

18% profitability

Introduction of modern services like:

– Closed User Groups

– Internet access

– banking via GSM handies

– fleet management with GPS and GSM handies

– access to company databases

Roaming agreements with 114 operators in 67 countries

Data Network

Enormous expansion of the transmission capacity

Special focus on value added services like:

– Business Information

– Electronic Commerce

– Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

– Message Handling

Strategic partnerships with selected top companies

Other activities

Heavy involvement in drafting the new Austrian telecommunication law

Intense lobbying concerning regulatory issues, especially in the areas of:

– tariff guidelines

– a new numbering plan

– interconnection

Member of the Supervisory Boards of:

– the company which produces the White and Yellow Pages in Austria

– a telecommunications research and development company

1991 - 1996 Chief of Department - International Telecommunication Union

As Chief of the Support, Organization and Methods Department of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau my responsibilities included:

Selection of Experts
As chairman of the Expert Selection Panel I evaluated hundreds of curricula vitae.

Organization of fellowships
During these years, ITU awarded more than a thousand fellowships annually.

Purchasing of equipment
I presided not only over the Purchasing Panel for technical cooperation projects but supervised all purchasing activities from public bidding through billing.

Choosing consultant firms
I was involved whenever ITU chose a consultant firm for a developing country.

Budget control
I was responsible for supervising the proper execution of the applicable regulations concerning the financial supervision of all technical cooperation projects.

Creation of an information system
I was heavily involved in the expansion of an information system to support the administrative work of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau.

1988 - 1990 Key Account Manager - IBM Austria

My responsibility included managing all contacts with big companies and governmental organizations. Most of my time was spent on informing the customers and servicing them.

ITU Expert
I assisted Telemalta in the preparation of an information processing master plan.

1983 - 1987 Senior Economist - International Telecommunication Union

The Maitland Commission with which I worked as an assistant concluded that it was important to prove the benefits of telecommunications for social and economic development to convince decision-makers to assign a higher priority to telecommunications investments. By demonstrating these benefits I convinced many organizations to increase their spending for telecommunications. I initiated the Economics Forum at ITU Telecom exhibitions to make the relevant research results as widely known as possible.

1974 - 1983 International Account Manager - IBM Austria

I was in charge of business relations with UN and other international organizations.

My most important projects were AGRIS and INIS, the two largest text databases of the UN system, and the administrative system of UNRWA, the biggest UN organization at that time.

1971 - 1974 Advisor - Office of the Austrian Prime Minister

Member of the government's supervisory Data Processing Commission
I supervised the major hard- and software investments of the Austrian federal administration, including those of the "Post & Telecom Administration".

Member of the Commission to reform Austria's Federal Administration
Two colleagues and I introduced notions like efficiency and cost/benefit analysis into the Austrian Federal Administration and had them applied in various cases.

1965 - 1971 Group Leader - Hamburger/Salzer Pulp, Paper and Paper Products, Austria

I was responsible for the organization and information systems and focused on efficient structures, customer orientation and application software that could be easily maintained.

1964 - 1965 Research assistant for Industrial Economics - University of Graz, Austria

I prepared my thesis and taught graduate students and businessmen.

General Assembly Chairman - European Telecommunication Network
Operators' Organization (ETNO)

My responsibility consisted of organizing and chairing key meetings of this principal Trade Association of the incumbent and other operators from 33 European countries as well as representing it at various global and European top events. ETNO's object is to encourage and contribute to a constructive dialogue between its Members and with other actors involved in the development of the European Information Society, for the benefit of users. Among other things, it promotes its Members' common interests, in particular by developing positions in relation to third parties, especially to European organizations; contributes to the development of policies leading to an efficient and fair regulatory and trading environment for the European telecommunications marketplace, and for its Members when operating outside Europe; facilitates the cooperation, and the coordination of activities between its Members, in developing harmonized public telecommunications networks and services.

1988 - today Member of the Board - International Telecommunication Society (ITS)

I have participated in guiding and managing this Society since it was created in 1988. It unites approximately 350 academics and practitioners from universities, operators, regulators, manufacturers, governments and international organizations around the world who share an interest in the field of telecommunications and economic decision analysis. It arranges the distribution of information, discussions and research concerning telecommunication issues including legislative and policy decisions, and organizes various conferences.

Selected Publications in the Field of Telecommunications

Telecomunicaciones y desarrollo
In: Revista T, Número 6, Primavera 1985

The Role of Telecommunications for Socio-Economic Development
In: Voordrachten, Den Haag, 1987

The role of management in the formulation of a national telecommunication policy
In: Telecommunication Journal, Vol. 54 - IV/1987

The Impact of Telecommunications on Economic Growth in Developing Countries
In: Geneva News and International Report, October 1987

Impact of Information Technology on Education and Employment in European OECD Countries
In: Information Technology and Global Interdependence, edited by Meheroo Jussawalla et al., Greenwood Press, New York, 1989

Rural Telecommunications as a Vehicle for Economic Growth
International Center for Telecommunications Management, Omaha, Nebraska, 1990

Wanted: a Satellite Communications Board to sort out the ISOs
In: INTERMedia, August/Sept. 1994

Der Beitrag der Telekommunikation zum Standort Österreich
In: Technologiegespräche, Alpbach, 1998

I contributed substantial parts to the following ITU publications:

Information, Telecommunications and Development, 1986

Socio-Economic Benefits of Improved Telecommunications in Developing Countries, 1988

Benefits of Telecommunications to the Transport Sector of Developing Countries, 1988

Contribution of Telecommunications to the Earnings/Savings of Foreign Exchange in Developing Countries, 1988

Telecommunications and the National Economy, 1988

Other information

Experience with Telecommunication Conferences:

Chairman: – General Assemblies of the European Telecommunication Network
Operators' Organization (ETNO)

– Economics Forum of the ITU Telecom exhibition

– Numerous small conferences

Panellist: – In a multitude of telecommunication conferences

Participant: – In a great number of ITU conferences, meetings and seminars since 1983 as delegate, speaker and support staff, as well as in many other conferences

Languages: English (fluent), French (UN proficiency), Spanish (some), German (mother tongue)

Hobbies: Piano, history, applied mathematics, alpine skiing

Expanding Telecommunications with Vision and Action

What I will bring to the ITUSource of my experienceIn full cooperation with the other Elected Officials, I will be pleased to share my experience with top officials and managers from all ITU Members who request me to do so. Moreover, I will convince my former CEO colleagues that strengthening their involvement in ITU is both in their and in everybody's interest.I am CEO of a major operator of fixed and mobile networks.I will provide neutral advice concerning telecommunication laws and regulations from an angle that is sometimes overlooked: What will be the practical consequences of the drafted texts once they become law?I had to cope with the consequences of such laws.I can offer advice in balancing operational freedom of the management of network operators with the control requirements of the networks' owners.I transformed a government department to an enterprise.When a partnership is being considered, I can assist in assuring that the partnership turns into a win-win situation.I selected partners for fixed and mobile networks.I can make use of my in-depth understanding of the ITU's internal working methods to implement changes in line with the changing requirements of the ITU Members.Nine years in ITU and two years to think about it.Whoever needs reasons why telecommunications should get a higher investment priority - I know them all. I focused on this question for five years.I can assist in implementing information technology in a way that matches its importance.25 years of professional involvement.My emotional attachment to the plight of those who have no access to telecommunications prompts me to use all my energy to improve their situation. I will never in my life give up working towards this goal.

Nine years in ITU's BDT.I am happy to share the visions of the global research community with those ITU Members who are interested to hear about them.Ten years on the Board of a research society.

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