Laurent Balmelli

I have a rich experience in engineering, information security and international business. In particular:

• I am the director of Snap Switzerland and manage an office developing and deploying cyber-security technologies for Snap Inc. and its affiliated apps.

• I have co-founded a start-up in the domain of software security that won two start-up prizes.

• I have co-founded a successful service company -www.sanaelias.com- in the domain of product innovation and strategy (technical and financial) and helped several international companies develop their business, go through an acquisition and complete a merger.

• I worked 12 years at IBM across three business divisions (Research, Product Development, CTO office) and have several management roles and positions in the global CTO team. I lived and worked in the US (8 years), Japan (5 years), and Switzerland.

• In my spare time, I am lecturing in the fields of Security, DevOps, Product Development, Analytics and Innovation at the following institutions: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO), International Institute of Management in Technology (IIMT Fribourg) and Keio University in Tokyo, Japan.

• I received both my engineering and doctorate degrees from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in 1996 and 2000, respectively. I did my PhD under the supervision of Prof. Martin Vetterli who is the current president of EPFL.