Chairperson and Lead Speaker
Thomas Glatthard
General Secretary
Swiss Organisation for Geographic Information (SOGI)
Switzerland

Biography
Thomas Glatthard is the General Secretary of Swiss Organization for Geoinformation (SOGI). He is Master of Sciences in Geomatics and Planning from Swiss Federal University for Technology and Natural Sciences ETH Zrich. He is the CEO of Glatthard Planning and GIS Consulting, Luzern.

Abstract
BIG Data and the Swiss Spatial Data Infrastructure

Big data is the term for a collection of data sets so large and complex that it becomes difficult to process using on-hand database management tools or traditional data processing applications. The challenges include capture, curation, storage, search, sharing, transfer, analysis and visualization. The creation of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) aims at a broader and more intensive use in addition to a significantly improved creation of value from existing geo-information. The result for all parties is a marked increase of the socio-economic use: for the administrations on the federal, cantonal and municipal levels, for private businesses and the scientific community as well as for private citizens. Swiss Organization for Geoinformation (SOGI), representatives from the confederation (COGIS), the cantons (CCGEO), cities and municipalities steers the program.