Cristiano Benzi

International Media & Broadcast Executive fluent in 4 Languages

1 | P a g e - C r i s t i a n o B e n z i C V

Paris, France

E: cristiano.benzi@gmail.com

Born in Turin, Italy 21st December 1963

Professional Summary

Seasoned professional with over 20 years’ experience in Broadcast Engineering and Satellite

Telecommunications with strong background in Public Communications, Broadcast

Operations, Product Development and Strategic Marketing.

Areas of Expertise

Research & Development | Advanced Broadcasting Technologies

Procurement & Project Management | Broadcast Operations

Product Development & Marketing | Sales Support & Sales Execution

Company Evangelist & Corporate Communicator

Strengths

Accomplished company evangelist, public speaker and effective communicator

delivering numerous speeches on various broadcasting and satellite

telecommunications topics across the globe

Managed, developed, and accelerated Video and Broadcasting department of Eutelsat

Communications by 79% of yearly company revenue

Sound expertise on new broadcasting technologies continually searching and

identifying new trends and opportunities in the marketplace

Fluent in 4 languages demonstrating strong background in culture diversity having

lived abroad and worked with a company that contains 30 different nationalities

Highly functional and creative leader with proven track record in innovative

leadership and development of collaborative relationships within the broadcast

community

Excellent Technical Editor, author of White Papers, Articles, Technical

Documentation, Contractual Documentation (SOWs, RFPs, and RFIs)

Recognitions and Awards

HD Forum Italia – Chairman of the Board (2009-2012)

Appointed Chairman of HD Forum Italia, non-profit association of Broadcasting and Media

companies (RAI, Mediaset, La7, Telecom Italia, SKY Italia, SONY, Samsung and Panasonic)

aimed at supporting and facilitating introduction of High Definition broadcasting in Italy.

Frequent contacts with Italian Telecom Regulator, Public and Private Broadcasters.

IBC Amsterdam - International Broadcasting Convention - Special Technology Award (2008)

Leading Member of the Broadcast Technology Futures Group awarded a Special Recognition

for first ever transmission of SuperHiVision™ (UltraHD 8k) live pictures via Satellite [link]

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Experience

Eutelsat Communications, Paris FRANCE 1998 – Present

Recognized as the Eutelsat “guru” in Television Production and Broadcasting, regularly

appointed to lead complex and innovative TV Distribution Projects where the maximum

availability and the highest quality of deliverables are required.

2013 - Director Video & Broadcasting - Head of Pre Sales - Head of Occasional Use

Spearheaded Video and Broadcasting Business Line generating 79% of yearly

company revenue. Supervise Video Sales Target coordinating Sales Force activities

including 23 Area Managers and Regional Directors across Europe, Africa, Asia, and

South America

Assess company portfolio of products and services identifying and developing new

market opportunities while conceiving new product offerings to further accelerate

company revenue

Lead Pre-Sales Team activities (staff of 4) supervising the preparation of Commercial

and Technical Proposal for Video and Data Business

Manage the Sales of Occasional Use Capacity supervising the SRC-Satellite

Reservation Center (staff of 8) and assisting in reaching sales target in amount of €10

million. Secure new streams of revenue for Occasional Use by integrating new offers

in Ka Band (NewsSpotter)

2011 - Director of Product Development – Professional Video (NewsSpotter)

Conceived and developed a revolutionizing Satellite Newsgathering product

(NewsSpotter) which delivers IP-based SNG in Ka Band via a range of highly portable

and compact User Terminals providing significant savings in operational costs.

Promoted NewsSpotter to major Broadcasters and Service Providers worldwide [BBC,

BSkyB, CNN, CBS, FOX, RTL, RAI, Al Jazeera, EBU and Globecast] and successfully

signed sales contract with most of them.

Developed marketing materials and trained sales force to successfully launch

product.

2006 – Head of Broadcast Operations – KabelKiosk

Spearheaded Broadcast Operations of KabelKiosk, first satellite TV bouquet operated

by Eutelsat via its German subsidiary.

Designed, procured and supervised the installation of a Digital Compression and

Encryption platform for operations on 12 Transponders, simulcrypt in Conax, NDS,

Viaccess, contributions from Satellite, Fiber and local Playout.

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2004 – Head of Broadcast Operations – Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games

Guided Eutelsat through sponsoring the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games solely

supervising company’s establishment of a complex network utilizing state-of-the-art

satellite and fiber technology (more than 20 racks of equipment installed and

operated at the Host Broadcaster’s International Broadcasting Center).

Achieved tight and high-pressure deadlines conducting operation on a €3.5 million

budget (out of €8 million allotted) allowing a €4.5 million company profit.

Successfully achieved Project Delivery under tight deadlines and within high-

pressure environment collaborating with world-class Olympic organization requiring

highest-quality, expert skills.

Hired and supervised a temporary staff of 20 TV engineers to perform installations as

well as 4 MCR Operators to Manage the Network during event time

1998 – 2003 Project Manager - Procurement Manager

RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana Centro Ricerche - Turin ITALY 1992 – 1998

DVB Systems Senior Researcher: Turin Italy

Research & Development Engineer – Hardware Engineer: Turin, Italy

Spearheaded research projects targeted toward the introduction of innovative services

in the RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana TV programs broadcasted via Satellite and

Terrestrial.

Designed and tested field electronics hardware prototypes for assessment of new

generation TV and Radio digital transmission systems.

ITP Italiana - Turin ITALY 1990 – 1992

Management Consultant

Istituto Tecnico G. Pininfarina – Turin ITALY 1987 – 1988 Professor of Telecommunications & Electronics (High School 11th and 12th grade)

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Education

Master of Science in Electronic & Telecommunications Engineering (110/110)

Politecnico di Torino: Turin, Italy

Speaking Engagements

2014 | “La filiera che verrà : Attori e Scenari di Competizione ” [link]

Round Table at the 11th Forum Europeo Televisione Digitale

Comunicare Digitale (www.comunicaredigitale.it) – Lucca, ITALY

2014 | “Ultra HD: Moves Quickly from Concept to Stunning Commercial Reality”

Round Table Discussion at the Satellite 2014 Conference and Exhibition

Walter E. Washington Convention Center – Washington DC, USA

2014 | “Utilizing Satellite to Promote Digital Broadcasting” [link]

Paper Presented at the Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum organized by the CTO

Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation – Arusha, TANZANIA

2014 | “Les Enjeux de la Télévision UltraHD ” Round Table Discussion [link]

IDIFF Le Salon des Professionnels de l’Image – Paris, FRANCE

2013 | “Assessing the Role of Satellite for Broadcast Distribution” Round Table Discussion

Digital TV World Summit 2013 by Informamedia – London UNITED KINGDOM [link]

2013 | “4K Broadcasting: Hype or Reality?” Round Table Discussion [link]

BroadcastPRO Middle East Summit and Awards 2013 – Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

2013 | “How Can Satellite be Useful for Digital Broadcasting?”

Paper presented at the International Conference on Digital Broadcasting Technologies

Thai BEx 2013 – Thailand Broadcasting Exhibition & Conference – Bangkok, THAILAND

2013 | “New Frontiers of TV Broadcasting: UltraHD, IP SNG, Ka Broadcasting”

Paper presented at the SET Congresso e Feira (Sociedade Brasileira de Engenharia de

Televisão) – São Paulo, BRAZIL [link]

2013 | “KA-SAT: The First HTS Satellite in Europe”

Paper presented at the ABU Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Regional Workshop on Satellite

Technologies – Colombo, SRI LANKA [link]

2013 | “The Last Word: Tracking Trends” Round Table Discussion

CASBAA India Forum - organized by the CASBAA Cable and Satellite Broadcast Association

of Asia - New Delhi, INDIA [link]

* Comprehensive list of speaking engagements available upon request.

5 | P a g e – C r i s t i a n o B e n z i C V

Publications

2012 | NewsSpotter Spotlight

Compact, Innovative, Affordable SNG via KA-SAT [link]

Interviews (Press and Video)

2014 | “UltraHD: Coming to a Screen Near to You”

Interview on Via Satellite Magazine - September 2014 [link]

2014 | “4K: from 405 lines to 4000 Pixels”

Interview on Euromedia – September/October 2014 [link]

2013 | TG Leonardo Ultra HD Interview

Technology News Daily Program aired by RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana (in Italian) [link]

2013 | Ultra HD First LIVE via Satellite

Interview at the IBC - International Broadcasting Convention: Amsterdam [link]

2013 | Millecanali (TV Broadcasting & Production Magazine)

Interview at the IBC - International Broadcasting Convention: Amsterdam (in Italian) [link]

2013 | “4k: Hype or Reality?”

Interview on BroadcastPRO Middle East Magazine [link]

2013 | “Is it Time for 4k?”

Interview on Digital Broadcast Middle East Magazine [link]

2012 | “Eutelsat pone en marcha su servicio NewsSpotter”

Interview on Producción Profesional (in Spanish) [link]

2012 | “NewsSpotter nowa usluga firmy Skylogic”

Interview on Sat Kurier (in Polish) [link]

* Comprehensive list of interviews available upon request.

Languages

Italian (native) | English (fluent) | Spanish (advanced)

French (fluent: living in France 15 yrs.) | Portuguese (conversational)