Seizo Onoe, Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau at ITU, spoke during the general session of Quantum World Congress 2023 on "Developing Quantum Technology Standards".

Seizo Onoe took office as Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023.

Before his election as TSB Director by ITU Member States, he completed a 30-year career with Japanese mobile phone operator NTT Docomo. Starting in 2017, he served as Chief Standardization Strategy Officer for the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corporation and a Fellow of NTT Docomo. He also served as NTT Docomo’s Chief Technology Architect and President of its subsidiary DOCOMO Technology.

Between 2012 and 2017, he served as NTT Docomo’s Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, a Member of the Board of Directors, and Managing Director of the Research and Development (R&D) Center, which became the company’s R&D Innovation Division. Earlier, he served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of NTT Docomo’s R&D Strategy Department and Managing Director of the company’s Radio Network Development Department.

As TSB Director, he heads the part of ITU responsible for the coordination of technical standards and collaborative standardization processes that enable the interconnection and interoperability of for information and communication technologies (ICTs) and telecommunication systems worldwide.

Mr Onoe is committed to facilitating open and inclusive standardization processes, along with promoting digital technologies to address global issues, building a new ecosystem that reflects evolving technologies, and strengthening cooperation and collaboration in ICT telecommunication standardization worldwide.

Known in the industry as “the father of LTE” (Long-Term Evolution), he helped upgrade the wireless broadband standard for mobile devices and data terminals. He now aims for global outreach to bridge standardization gaps, deliver the benefits of technology widely and speedily, and ensure meaningful and affordable broadband access for everyone.

Mr Onoe holds a Master’s in Engineering from the University of Kyoto.