Swiss OFCOM director appointed to ComCom

Michael Hedges October 5, 2004

The Swiss Parliament selected OFCOM director Marc Furrer as the next president of ComCom, the Swiss Federal Communications Commission.

An attorney and former radio journalist, Furrer directed OFCOM, the Federal Office for Communications, since it was formed in 1996.

Marc Furrer

He will assume the new position January 1, 2005, succeeding retiring ComCom president Fluvio Caccia.

ComCom is a parliamentary commission that grants telecom licenses and approves frequency and numbering systems.

OFCOM implements Comcom decisions, grants commercial radio licenses and serves as a public contact point for telecom issues.

Furrer represented Switzerland in World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) activities. At the opening of the Geneva phase of the summit, he notably “surprised” ITU General Secretary Yoshio Utsumi by including the role of media as an issue yet to be resolved by WSIS. Utsumi stated that he considered the issue closed, preferring WSIS concern itself with internet governance and financing.

Furrer has been suggested as a possible successor to Utsumi.