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GLOBALPLATFORM APPOINTS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR TO TAKE OPEN PLATFORM FORWARD

GlobalPlatform, the cross industry organisation promoting a standardised technical framework for multiple application smart cards, has appointed Marc Kekicheff to the position of Technical Director. The role was created by GlobalPlatform to drive forward the development of Open Platform, and other open standards, as well as co-ordinating the activities of GlobalPlatform’s four committees. Marc will act as the lead technical official and chief strategist in the development of new specifications.

Marc Kekicheff has twelve year’s experience in smart card technology and comes to the job from Visa International, where he is Vice President of Emerging Technologies. Marc’s key role at Visa International has been to design, develop and implement open standards for smart cards in a multi-application, cross industry environment. Together with a team of experts, Marc has been a key architect of the Open Platform standard, which has been transferred to GlobalPlatform for management and evolution.

Marc Kekicheff says, “I saw this as a great opportunity to further promote and expand the Open Platform technology in which I so strongly believe. GlobalPlatform offers an ideal, open environment that has an international, cross industry focus, taking into account the interests of many parties: vendors, developers, issuers and service providers.”

“One of the first projects in which I’ll concentrate is the technical supervision of the development and delivery of GlobalPlatform Website Secure Access, via smart card technology, for members. The GlobalPlatform members only website plays a key communications and resources tool amongst members and committees, and it will provide a great showcase for Open Platform technology in action.”

“Another key role for me as Technical Director is to support, and ultimately guide, the activity of the four GlobalPlatform committees: business, card, systems and devices. In order for efficient and cost-effective solutions to be developed, it is crucial that the card, device and systems elements remain, interoperable, and that all elements are enhanced with complementary features and maintain backward compatibility with previous releases. I will ensure that the efforts of the committees and working groups pursue this goal.”

Marc’s previous positions include Director of Chip Card Acceptance Technology at Visa International, and Head of Terminals and Software Applications at Cartes Bancaires in France, where he was responsible for conceiving, developing, and monitoring a global policy for all French credit and debit terminals during the French smart card program.

Steve Brown, Chairman of GlobalPlatform says, “The GlobalPlatform board of directors combine their director responsibilities with the pressures of a full-time job. We decided that we needed a dedicated professional to push forward development of Open Platform and our other standards development activity, as well as co-ordinating the activities of the committees to ensure that each one is working towards a common goal. The specification that we wrote for this position asked for extremely high levels of experience and technical ability – we were fortunate that Marc managed to meet and exceed these. I look forward to working with him!”
-ENDS-

For further information, or to set up an interview with Marc Kekicheff, please contact Laura White or James Hedges at Sinclair Mason
Tel: +44 207 7470 8737 Fax: +44 207 470 8738
E-mail: lauraw@sinclairmason.com or jamesh@sinclairmason.com

NOTES TO EDITORS
GlobalPlatform is the only cross-industry forum focused on the development, management and promotion of specifications for multiple application smart cards, smart card applications, and enabling devices. With support from its global member organizations, GlobalPlatform promotes a standard framework facilitating the implementation of smart card programs in any industry around the world. GlobalPlatform allows flexibility in the choice of technologies and vendors through an emphasis on open standards for cards, terminals and support infrastructure.

The Open Platform card and terminal specifications are the first open standards adopted by GlobalPlatform and will provide a solid foundation from which the organization will define the future of multiple application smart cards.

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