István Sebestyén

Between 1970 and 1983, he was a scientific associate at the Computer Science Coordination Institute (SZKI). His duties included hardware and software operation, software development and maintenance of mainframe computers; between 1976 and 1977, he was the deputy head of the systems programming department.
In 1977, he worked as a management information system consultant at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO, Vienna, Austria).

From 1978 to 1983 he was a researcher at IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria). His special areas of expertise were: IIASA Gateway Project (the first East-West international computer gateway used for scientific information exchange, 1978-1982); interdisciplinary study of new information and telecommunication technologies and their impacts; international telecommunication and transborder data flows (Transborder Data Flows; in this regard he was also a member of the editorial board of the journal Transnational Data Report).

Between 1983 and 1985 he was a visiting professor at the Graz University of Technology in the field of applied information processing, informatics and telematics.
Between 1985 and 2006 he taught at the Alpen-Adria University in Klagenfurt - on the topics of office automation, new media, informatics, telematics, data networks, data communication, telecommunications services and applications.

Between 1985 and 2006, he worked at Siemens Communications, Munich, in various management positions. 1985-1992: Product Planning Manager, Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Division; 1992-2001: Standardization Manager, Siemens Enterprise Networks Division; 2001-2006: Standards Director, Siemens Com, Siemens ICN and Siemens ICM Divisions.

Between 2006 and 2019, he was Secretary General of Ecma International (formerly the European Computer Manufacturers Association, later the European Association for Standardising Information and Communication Systems, Geneva, Switzerland).

Since 1971, he has published over 150 articles in scientific journals, including two books. He has given approximately 100-150 conference presentations and holds 15 patents (in the field of multimedia).

His most important awards: IMTC (International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium, USA) Fellow (2006); IMTC Lifetime Achievement Award (2017); Television Academy 2018-2019 Primetime Emmy Award (Los Angeles, USA, 2019); Neumann Award (NJSZT, 2022).