Biography

Catherine Gabay holds the position of Deputy Director of the Spectrum Monitoring and Enforcement Directorate of the French Spectrum Authority (ANFR), since April 2017.

In her capacity, Catherine Gabay participates in the definition and the follow-up of the strategy of ANFR for policing the Spectrum and responding to the evolution in number, complexity and criticality of interference cases.

She chairs several national working groups and participates in diverse European and international fora (CEPT, EC, ITU) to enhance capacities to fight the threat of interference. She is particularly dedicated to securing GNSS frequencies and fighting the spread of illegal jammers. She co-wrote an ANFR book aimed at reducing the risk and impact of interference,"Brouillages d'Ondes, l'ANFR mene l'enquete!, which will soon be translated in English, "Radio Frequency Interference : ANFR investigates!".

Prior to joining ANFR, Catherine Gabay gained a thorough knowledge of the diverse technical, regulatory and legal issues of the Digital Economy through her professional experiences both in the private and public sectors.

She started her career as a Systems Engineer in image processing in EADS, THALES then SAFRAN from 1988 to 1994.

In 1994, she joined FRANCE TELECOM - ORANGE, in the Worldwide networks and services Business Unit as a Project Engineer of communications networks' billing and management systems. In 1996, she transferred to GLOBAL ONE, then joint venture between France Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and Sprint to follow the building of its international network, as Project Director of the billing systems. In September 1997, Catherine Gabay became Responsible for Regulatory Affairs in the Public Affairs department of FRANCE TELECOM. In June 2000, she became Director Regulatory Affairs of WANADOO, the then Internet services subsidiary of FRANCE TELECOM.

In December 2001, she joined the MEDEF, the French Business Confederation, where she held until 2008 the position of Director for Innovation, Research and New Technologies.

From May 2008, she was appointed Information and Communication technology (ICT) Advisor to the Minister of Education, successively Xavier Darcos (2008 - 2009) then Luc Chatel (2009 - 2010).

In March 2010, she joined FREE MOBILE, the mobile communications operator, subsidiary of the ILIAD Group, as Director for Regulatory and Public Affairs. Since January 2015, in addition to her responsibilities for FREE MOBILE, she took in charge complementary functions for digital fix and mobile networks territorial deployment as Director for Local Authorities Relations for the ILIAD group. Furthermore, she was elected in 2016 Chair of the European Health and Environment Expert Group of the International Mobile Operator's Association (GSMA).

Catherine Gabay was graduated in 1987 from Ecole Superieure d'Electricite (CENTRALE-SUPELEC) in France. Consecutively, she obtained in 1988 a MASTER of Science in Communications, with distinctions, at IMPERIAL COLLEGE, London.

Additionally, in the period 1992 to 1994, she studied (through evening courses) to receive a Postgraduate professional Degree in Industrial Marketing and a Postgraduate professional Degree in International Trade at Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers (CNAM) in Paris.