Connected Airports Forum 2025
22 April 2025
Nokia - Sunnyvale, California, United States
Join us at the Connected Airports Forum 2025 – The Future of 5G-Powered Aviation, located at the Nokia HQ in Sunnyvale. Explore the transformative impact of 5G technology on the aviation industry with industry leaders, insightful discussions, and live demos showcasing the future of connected airports.
Partners and sponsors
- Wipro
- OneLayer
- SmartCone
- Graybar
- PaloAlto
Speakers
Keynote speakers
Mike Young - Chief Information Officer, DFW International Airport
Mike Young serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). With over two decades of experience in the technology and aviation sectors, Mike is responsible for overseeing the airport's IT strategy, infrastructure, and innovation initiatives. Under his leadership, DFW has implemented cutting-edge technologies to enhance passenger experience, operational efficiency, and cybersecurity. Mike's visionary approach and commitment to excellence have positioned DFW as a leader in the aviation industry.
Johnathan Lewis - Innovation Director, Miami Airport:
Johnathan Lewis is the Director of Innovation at Miami Airport, where he oversees the strategic planning, development, and implementation of innovative technology solutions to enhance airport operations and passenger experience. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Johnathan has a proven track record of driving digital transformation and fostering a culture of innovation. In his role at Miami Airport, Johnathan is responsible for managing the airport's IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, data analytics, and digital services.
Moderator & presenters
Cornelius Honour Jr - VP Infrastructure DFW Airport
Samuel Ingalls – Chair ACI 5G Airport Working Group/ Principal
Norman Fekrat – CEO Imagine Wireless – Aviation Consultant
Valentin Bléhaut - Director Aviation & US Airports – Wipro
Joel Lindholm – CEO & Co-Founder - InfiniG
Drew Ganther – VP Sales – One Layer
Christina Mendelsberg – BD Manager Enterprise 5G Security – PaloAlto Networks
Martin Beltrop – Global Head of Portfolio Management – Aviation & Logistics - Nokia
Agenda
Keynote speakers
Mike Young - Chief Information Officer, DFW International Airport
Mike Young serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). With over two decades of experience in the technology and aviation sectors, Mike is responsible for overseeing the airport's IT strategy, infrastructure, and innovation initiatives. Under his leadership, DFW has implemented cutting-edge technologies to enhance passenger experience, operational efficiency, and cybersecurity. Mike's visionary approach and commitment to excellence have positioned DFW as a leader in the aviation industry.
Johnathan Lewis - Innovation Director, Miami Airport:
Johnathan Lewis is the Director of Innovation at Miami Airport, where he oversees the strategic planning, development, and implementation of innovative technology solutions to enhance airport operations and passenger experience. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Johnathan has a proven track record of driving digital transformation and fostering a culture of innovation. In his role at Miami Airport, Johnathan is responsible for managing the airport's IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, data analytics, and digital services.
Moderator & presenters
Cornelius Honour Jr - VP Infrastructure DFW Airport
Samuel Ingalls – Chair ACI 5G Airport Working Group/ Principal
Norman Fekrat – CEO Imagine Wireless – Aviation Consultant
Valentin Bléhaut - Director Aviation & US Airports – Wipro
Joel Lindholm – CEO & Co-Founder - InfiniG
Drew Ganther – VP Sales – One Layer
Christina Mendelsberg – BD Manager Enterprise 5G Security – PaloAlto Networks
Martin Beltrop – Global Head of Portfolio Management – Aviation & Logistics - Nokia
Registration
Registration
Opening remarks
Welcome, overview of the day’s themes, and framing the “Why” of private network adoption at airports.
Keynote: “Transforming airport operations with 5G private networks”
Strategic insights on operational efficiency, innovation, and the evolving digital ecosystem at DFW & Miami Airport, challenges, use cases and next steps.
Panel discussion: “POC dilemmas & deployment barriers: From pilot to production”
Examination of the challenges in transitioning from proof-of-concept trials to full-scale Private Network deployment, including common barriers and strategies for overcoming them.
Coffee break
Coffee break
Presentation: “Use cases & vertical applications: Innovating airport operations”
Case studies from various verticals illustrating real-world applications and how airports could benefit from other verticals. More of an outside view for Airport digital transformation.
Panel discussion: “Securing the skies & augmenting spectrum & regulatory compliance”
Experts and CIOs debate device/data security, network resilience, and spectrum allocation strategies essential for modern connectivity.
OneLayer and PaloAlto
Lunch break
Lunch break
Presentation: “Neutral host & private network ecosystems”
A focused conversation on leveraging PN-neutral host frameworks, collaborative strategies, and multi-tenant infrastructure in airport settings.
InfiniG/Wipro
Presentation: “Monetization, ROI & future innovation: Making the business case”
Discussion on Monetization with ROI expectations, business models, and the future integration of emerging technologies like AI.
Norman
Presentation: “Smart airports of tomorrow: Choosing the right tech & driving innovation”
Forward-looking session covering strategic decision-making around technology stacks, innovation trends, AI, Passenger Experience and preparing airports for next-generation connectivity.
Samuel/Nokia
Live 5G network and application demo
Opportunity to interact with a live 5G network and see real-world applications and use cases demonstrated on a Private Network.
Closing remarks
Recap of key insights, final thoughts, and actionable next steps for adopting 5G private networks in airport environments.
Happy hour & networking
Happy hour & networking
Dinner
Dinner
Preferred hotel
Hilton Garden Inn
767 N. Mathilda Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
We look forward to seeing you at the Connected Airports Forum 2025, where together we will shape the future of 5G-powered aviation.