Board of Directors
Antony Ruck
Board Co-President
Antony is the CEO and co-founder of Aventido Limited, an international PR and Marketing agency which specialises in digital assistive technologies. In addition he has also provided volunteer support for the British Standards Institute, co-created ATEC, been Chair of BATA, and along with Christoph Jo. Müller is the first Co-President of DATEurope.
In 2015 Antony was elected Chair of BATA (the British Assistive Technology Association), a UK organisation which campaigns for the rights and interests of those who benefit from AT, and works in collaboration with Government departments such as the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, DfE and DWP.
During his tenure at BATA, and recognising the changing commercial and political landscape in Europe, Antony has been privileged to work with colleagues from the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to found DATEurope – the new European association representing the digital assistive technology sector.
Christoph Jo. Müller
Board Co-President
He is working in the Assistive technology industry since more than 30 years and has a background in electrical engineering. 1990 Founder and CEO of INCAP GmbH, (AT manufacturer and service provider), 2006 Founder and CEO ATNAD, Inc., Texas, USA (AT Distribution), Founder of a few internet platforms for AT.
After a merger of INCAP and CSS MicroSystems GmbH he is member of the board as Executive Vice President Sales and Business Development. He is also working as a consultant for start ups and health insurance companies.
He is Co-President of DATEurope, the European Digital Assistive Technology Industry Association. Since 1997 he is President of the Board of Directors of BEH (Assistive Technology Industry Association, Germany) and was member of the Board of Directors of ATIA Assistive Technology Industry Association 2011 to 2014. He was speaker and moderator at several conferences (e. g. M-Enabling Europe, ATIA, Accessible Europe, ATAAC, MAIK, ZeroProject).
Fiore Capone
Treasurer - Board Director
Fiore Capone is the founder of Active Communication AG, a swiss provider of innovative digital assistive technology solutions. Since its founding year in 1996, Fiore Capone has been the managing director of Active Communication. Through its brand-name “Rednet”, Active Communication is represented by a wide network of supply partners throughout Europe.
Fiore Capone was one of the founders of the first national exhibition for assistive technology in Switzerland (Swiss Handicap, founded in 2013). As a board member of Swiss Handicap, he is a dedicated supporter of this unique national inclusion platform, designed to increase awareness of the UN Convention for the rights of persons with disabilities in Switzerland.
Fiore Capone has been a proud member of the advisory board at the Competence Centre for Rehabilitation Engineering and Science (RESC) at the University for Science and Technology in Zurich since 2020.
A passionate networker, Fiore Capone strongly believes in the strength and the importance of a strong network in the fragmentated AT-industry in Europe. He is immensely proud to be one of the initiators and founders of the first European industry association for digital assistive technology.
DATEurope – a European historical milestone for a sustainable AT-future!
Nadine Farris
Secretary - Board Director
Nadine is International Business Development Director at Inclusive Technology Ltd. As such, she is responsible for actively managing and supporting their worldwide network of valued resellers, as well as actively growing their overseas trade. She has worked within this sector for 20+ years, initially within the family business QED, and has gained a wealth of experience and enjoyed a wide variety of roles.
Her background includes working with students with a diagnosis of autism and a range of additional learning difficulties. She is a qualified Music Therapist and has worked with a wide range of clients. This experience has proved invaluable in giving her a clinical background to inform her work to date.
Nadine was privileged to have the opportunity to become a Board Director of DATEurope, to facilitate in the foundation of this exciting new association. She wishes to encourage and promote collaborative work and the sharing of knowledge and expertise within the Digital Assistive Technology sector.
Gamal Halaga
Membership Secretary - Board Director
My name is Gamal Halaga, I grew up in Toronto, Canada. I graduated with a Diploma in Engineering Technology from Seneca College in Toronto and then received a bachelor’s degree in Administrative Studies from York University in Toronto.
My first experiences with Assistive Technology were while working as an Assistive Technologist in a large AAC Clinic in Toronto. I was fascinated by the synergy between Therapy and Technology and amazed at the quality of life that technology could provide for persons with disabilities.
In 1993 I moved to Germany and co-founded Reha Media GmbH, an assistive technology service provider based in Duisburg. I helped to found three other assistive technology companies in Germany and in Switzerland, two of which are still in business today.
I have been the CEO of Reha Media since 1994 and was incredibly happy to celebrate our 25 years of service with our 22 employees in 2020.
In 2019 I was elected to serve on the board of the German Assistive Technology Association (Bundesfachveband Elektronische Hilfen e.V.)
I have seen the transformation that assistive technology makes in the lives of our customers, and am very honoured to be a founding member of DATEurope.
Filippo Borghi
Board Director
I am a M.Sc. graduate in a scientific discipline. My specialization in assistive technologies stems from my experience in the field, as well as a masterclass in “Tecnologie per l’autonomia e l’integrazione sociale delle persone disabili” (Technologies for the autonomy and social integration of people with disabilities) at the Università Cattolica in Milan, with a final thesis on the project and design criteria of an accessible mobile phone.
Since 2001 I have been working in the assistive technology field.
In 2003, together with my business partner, I founded the Helpicare company.
Since 2018 I am the chairman of Assoausili, Italian Association of assistive technologies manufacturers and distributors.
From the very beginning, I strongly believed in Dateurope’s importance, because I am convinced that sharing experiences is the key to development and growth in our branch. Moreover, I believe in the importance of joining forces in order to guarantee the quality of our products and our services. That is particularly true in a niche market such as ours, that caters to fragile people, in need of professional solutions.
David Banes
Board Director
David Banes is Director of David Banes Access and Inclusion Services and co-founder of Global symbols, having previously led assistive technology services in Europe and the Middle East. He now works across the globe including projects in Africa and South Asia to support access infrastructure from policy to practice, based upon a detailed model of the AT ecosystem that supports implementation.
Recent projects include the development of a response to disruptive innovation in the access industry, whilst supporting entrepreneurs to bring products and services to market. He has a special interest in emerging technologies and the impact upon the daily lives of people with a disability. This has included the use of AI to augment communication and automation, emerging technologies and mobility and the use of innovation to build resilient services for people during the pandemic.
David has extensive experience in the area of accessible design for a broad range of individual needs and writes regularly on the tools and techniques that might facilitate more accessible products including websites and apps in companies, public bodies and NGO’s
Recent publications include emerging technologies and the impact on universal design for learning, economic return on investment in AT, and the potential impact of frugal innovation on provision of assistive products. He maintains a regular written column on Medium to explore trends related to access and inclusion through technology.