SPEAKERS' BIOGRAPHIES

Thomas Bollaert is a product marketing manager for high-level synthesis at Mentor Graphics. Prior to his current position, Thomas developed Mentor Graphics’ high-level synthesis product line in Europe during 5 years.  He brings 14 years of experience in digital signal processing and system-level design practices, including a track record of helping electronic design teams move through strategic methodology changes, increasing competitiveness through improved design practices. Thomas started in the EDA industry at Cadence Design Systems, and then held positions at Innoveda and Summit Design. Thomas has an electronic engineering degree from ESIEE Paris.

Yvan Desmartin, is design team leader in STMicroelectronics Home Entertainment & Display Group / Home Video Division. He brings 14 years experience in digital design. His current activities mainly focus on graphic, display and network applications for the Set Top Box market. He received the electronic engineering degree from INSA LYON (France).

Michael Fingeroff has worked as a technical marketing engineer for the Catapult C product line at Mentor Graphics since 2002.  His areas of interest include DSP and high-performance video hardware.  Prior to working for Mentor Graphics, Michael worked as a hardware design engineer developing real-time broadband video systems.  Michael received both his bachelors and masters degrees in electrical engineering from Temple University in 1990 and 1995 respectively.

Bernhard Niemann is a group manager for Multimedia Terminals at Fraunhofer IIS. He has been dealing with C++ based design since 2000, when he developed the SystemC training classes offered by Fraunhofer IIS. Since then he was involved in various C++ based design activities ranging from executable specification in SystemC to the introduction of C++ based synthesis into the design flow at Fraunhofer IIS. His current activities are focused on chipset design for new hybrid (satellite and terrestrial) broadcasting systems.