Maximizing benefits, minimizing risks and bridging the AI tooling gap

Doreen Bogdan-Martin took office as Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023. Ms Bogdan-Martin was elected as ITU’s first-ever female Secretary-General by Member States at the Union’s Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest, Romania.

Ms Bogdan-Martin was previously the Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. She took office on 1 January 2019, becoming the first woman in ITU history to hold one of the organization’s top elected management positions.

Stuart Russell received his B.A. with first-class honours in physics from Oxford University in 1982 and his Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford in 1986. He then joined the faculty of the University of California at Berkeley, where he is Professor (and formerly Chair) of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences and holder of the Smith-Zadeh Chair in Engineering. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Neurological Surgery at UC San Francisco and Vice-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Council on AI and Robotics.

Russell is a recipient of the Presidential Young Investigator Award of the National Science Foundation, the IJCAI Computers and Thought Award, the World Technology Award (Policy category), the Mitchell Prize of the American Statistical Association and the International Society for Bayesian Analysis, the ACM Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award, and the AAAI/EAAI Outstanding Educator Award. In 1998, he gave the Forsythe Memorial Lectures at Stanford University and from 2012 to 2014 he held the Chaire Blaise Pascal in Paris. He is a Fellow of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence, the Association for Computing Machinery, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

His research covers a wide range of topics in artificial intelligence including machine learning, probabilistic reasoning, knowledge representation, planning, real-time decision making, multitarget tracking, computer vision, computational physiology, global seismic monitoring, and philosophical foundations. His books include “The Use of Knowledge in Analogy and Induction”, “Do the Right Thing: Studies in Limited Rationality” (with Eric Wefald), and “Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach” (with Peter Norvig). His current concerns include the threat of autonomous weapons and the long-term future of artificial intelligence and its relation to humanity.

Dr. Rumman Chowdhury is a data scientist and social scientist. She is the CEO of the tech nonprofit Humane Intelligence, which builds a community of practice around evaluations of AI models, as well as the United States Science Envoy for Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Chowdhury is also Responsible AI Fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Previously, Dr. Chowdhury was the Director of the ML Ethics, Transparency, and Accountability (META) team at Twitter, as well as the as Global Lead for Responsible AI at Accenture Applied Intelligence. She was named one of Time’s 100 most Influential People in AI, BBC’s 100 Women, Worthy Magazine’s Top 100, recognized as one of the Bay Area’s top 40 under 40 and named by Forbes as one of Five Who are Shaping AI. Chowdhury holds two undergraduate degrees from MIT, a master’s degree in Quantitative Methods of the Social Sciences from Columbia University, and a doctorate in political science from the University of California, San Diego.

“Harris is the closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience.”The Atlantic

Lane Dilg is the Head of Strategic Partnerships on the Global Affairs Team at OpenAI, where she supports OpenAI’s mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. Prior to joining OpenAI, Lane spent more than 15 years in the public sector, including advising U.S. Department of Energy leadership on the deployment of billions of dollars in public investment in clean energy technologies; managing a city through the COVID-19 pandemic; drafting and defending precedent-setting public health, affordable housing, and worker protection laws; counseling CXO leadership of a global research university and leading health care system; prosecuting child exploitation offenses as a federal prosecutor; and serving as counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, & Homeland Security. Lane is a graduate of Yale Law School, Harvard Divinity School, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr Robert F Trager is Senior Research Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government. He is Co-Director of the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, and International Governance Lead at the Centre for the Governance of AI. He is a recognised expert in the international governance of emerging technologies, diplomatic practice, institutional design, and technology regulation. He regularly advises government and industry leaders on these topics.

Dr Trager has written two books and numerous articles in leading social science journals, including the American Political Science Review, International Organization, International Security, Foreign Affairs and many others. His award-winning research has been covered in popular press outlets like the New York Times, Economist, Financial Times, Washington Post, NPR, Fortune, Foreign Policy, and Foreign Affairs. From 2017–2021, he was the Assistant Director for Research of the Burkle Center for International Relations. He was Associate Editor of one of the international relations field’s leading journals, the International Studies Quarterly, and sat on the boards of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Conflict, the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab, and the Burkle Center. Before moving to the University of Oxford, Dr Trager was Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles and held faculty positions at Yale University and an Olin Fellowship at Harvard University.

Anka Reuel is a Computer Science Ph.D. Student at Stanford University. Her research focuses on enabling organizations to develop and deploy responsible, socially beneficial AI systems. Most recently, she published an op-ed in The Economist with Gary Marcus, calling for international coordination on AI governance. She is also an advocate for more collaboration between the field of technical AI safety and AI governance and is a founding member of KIRA, an independent German think tank facilitating the discourse across academia, policymakers, and civil society in the field of responsible AI. Anka is a Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and an incoming Stanford HAI Graduate Fellow

His Excellency Mr. Jürg Lauber is Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and other Organizations in Geneva. Prior to this appointment in September 2020, Ambassador Lauber served as Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York since 2015, During this time, he also served as President of the Burundi Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission. Previously, he was Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Office at Geneva from 2009 to 2011, and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament.  

Before joining the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in 1993 he worked in peacekeeping missions in Namibia (UNTAG) and Korea (Panmunjom). Between 2007 and 2009 he served as chef de cabinet to the president of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. Between 2011 and 2015 he served as head of the United Nations and International Organizations Division in Bern. Jürg Lauber has a law degree from the University of Zurich. 

Career:

1987. Joined Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT)

2007.　Director, Terrestrial Broadcasting Division, Information and Communications Policy Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

2008.　Director, Terrestrial Broadcasting Division, Information and Communications Bureau, MIC

2012.　Director, Telecommunications Policy Division, Telecommunications Business Department, MIC

2015. Counselor, Minister’s Secretariat, MIC
2016. Counselor, Global ICT Strategy Bureau, MIC

2017.　Deputy Director-General for IT Strategy, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

2019. Deputy Director-General, Information and Communications Bureau, MIC
2020. Director-General for Policy Coordination

2021.　Director-General of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau

2022. Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination (International Affairs)

Lina María Duque Del Vecchio holds a Law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with a specialization in Business Law and a Master’s degree in Law from the Universidad Externado de Colombia.

She has held several positions at the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC), including Executive Director, Coordinator of Legal Advisory and Dispute Resolution, Acting Executive Coordinator (General Secretariat), Acting Commissioner for the Communications Session, and Legal Advisor.

As Coordinator of Dispute Resolution, she led sensitive and high-impact matters in the industry, contributing significantly to the effective implementation of regulatory policies—particularly those aimed at fostering competition and safeguarding user rights. Her outstanding performance resulted in the CRC being recognized by the National Agency for Legal Defense of the State (ANDJE) as one of the entities with the highest judicial defense success rate, achieving 95% effectiveness.

Dr. Mercedes Aramendía is the President of the Communications Services Regulatory Unit (URSEC) and the National Council of Innovation, Science and Technology (CONICYT) of Uruguay.

She holds a PhD in Legal Sciences from the University of Granada (with distinction cum laude), Spain; LLM in Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship from Cornell University Law School (Cornell Tech), United States; MBA from the EAE Business School, and Master in Business Management, Administration and Organization from the Camilo José Cela University, Spain; Lawyer and Master in Economic Administrative Law from the University of Montevideo, Uruguay.

She is the Professor and Director of the Postgraduate Course in Digital Transformation and Law at the University of Montevideo.

Mr Dick Christophe NG SUI WA was appointed Chairperson of the Information and Technologies Authority (ICT Authority) in February 2020. He has been a practising Barrister since 1991, is partner in the legal firm De Castelnau-Sui Wa and has extensive experience as a legal adviser and advocate. 

He holds an LLB Honours from the University of London, United Kingdom; was called to the Bar at the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, United Kingdom after succeeding in the Bar Professional Qualification of the Council of Legal Education. He also obtained a Diploma from the United Nations Research Institute, Geneva and a Certificate in Good Governance from the Commonwealth Association for Corporate Governance. In 2021, he completed his Master of Business Administration in Innovation and Leadership, University of Mauritius with Merit, as part of a programme delivered in collaboration with Ducere Global Business School, Australia.  

Mr Ng Sui Wa has occupied high-level positions in several state institutions. He is currently a Board Member of the Independent Broadcasting Authority. From May 2018 to October 2019, Mr Ng Sui Wa served as Commissioner of the newly constituted Independent Police Complaints Commission as appointed by the President of the Republic of Mauritius. Mr Ng Sui Wa has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care, the specialised health unit of the Cardiac Surgery and Neurosurgery Hospital where he  was tasked with reforming the centre. At another juncture in his illustrious career, Mr Ng Sui Wa served as Chairman of the Mauritius Film Development Corporation (MFDC) by the Cabinet of Ministers and was given the responsibilities of developing the MFDC’s economic activities. Mr Ng Sui Wa was also Chairman of the Institute for Corporate Governance (Mauritius) in 2003-2004.  

Mr Ng Sui Wa has been providing the leadership to enable the ICT Authority to meet the complex challenges of regulation in an age of ICT convergence and rapid technological advancements. Under his Chairmanship, he has ensured that ICT regulation plays its role as a nexus for sector transformation. His vision is to promote Mauritius as a strategic leader for ICT regulation in Africa. In a short span of time, the Authority has enhanced its international cooperation and signed agreements with its counterparts including regulators in India, France, Congo Brazzaville and Comoros. 

Mr. Ng Sui Wa has been actively participating in a number of  international forums including the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation where he steered Mauritius to Executive Committee membership. The ICTA Chairperson has also represented the Authority as one of the the high level speakers on the panel at the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2023. He was a panel member and speaker at the International Institute of Communication’s International Regulator’s Forum. Mr. Ng Sui Wa was also the Head of Delegation for Mauritius at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 in Dubai. 

Bridging the Digital divide has been high on the agenda of the Authority under the Chairmanship of Mr Ng Sui Wa.  Universal Service Fund projects implemented include the provision of 234 Free WiFi Zones across Mauritius as well as the setting up of a satellite link between Mauritius and Agalega, an island which is a dependency of the Republic of Mauritius. Since 2020, donations of ICT equipment have been made to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The NGOs include those whose areas of work focus on the empowerment and rehabilitation into society of the former inmates and those specializing in the support to families of children with special needs. The ICT equipment (laptops, computers) donations form part of a policy of sustainable partnership between the Authority and civil society organisations.  This partnership is a tangible contribution towards the goal of leaving no one behind (LNOB), the overarching promise in the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

 Javier Juárez Mojica has been Commissioner of the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) since October 2016 and acting chairman since March 2022. He is an honorary member of the Commission on Ethics in Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has been member of the OECD Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (AIGO), former Vice-chair of the Working Party on Communication Infrastructures and Services Policy (CISP) at the OECD (2019-2021), former president of the Technical Committee on 5G networks deployment in Mexico, and currently serves as chair of the Small Operators Committee. 

Commissioner Juárez has devoted a professional career of more than 15 years to the study of telecommunications and to the promotion of innovation and competition in this sector. He has participated in conferences and lectures on interconnection, community and indigenous networks, local loop unbundling, virtual mobile operators, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), cybersecurity, and digital transformation, among others. 

Author of the books Mi Neighbor is a Robot (Penguin Random House 2022) and The Future of Computing in Mexico: Proposals from the Mexican Academy of Computing (2018), as well as of several articles and book chapters on telecommunications regulation (2007) and the challenges of living with A.I. 

Dr.Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck currently serves as the chairman of National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commissioner of Thailand. He has a strong background as a cardiologist in Academic Medicine. His most recent post was the deputy dean at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University. Sarana was born and raised in Bangkok. He went to Assumption College for secondary school. He got his medical degree from Chulalongkorn University. After medical school he enrolled in the Residency Training in Internal Medicine at LA county/USC medical center and Fellowship in Cardiology at Kaiser Parmanente Hospital, both of which were in Los Angles. He got additional years of training in interventional cardiology at the Hospital of the Good Samaritan Los Angeles. He returned to Thailand in 1993 and has established cardiac intervention services at Ramathibodi Hospital where he has worked until April 2022. He has a passion in teaching medicine and challenging young physicians, from students to fellows, is part of his art. He worked his way up in Academia and proudly received his Clinical Professorship in 2018. Apart from medicine and cardiology he was selected to enact new and revise old laws at the National legislative Assembly. Because of his experience in Science, Legislation and in consumer protection such as medical device suitability and his study work on hospital expenses he was picked by the selection committee to be NBTC commissioner and later received the royal endorsement to be NBTC Chairman. 

Harry Yeff is a London-born Creative Director and founder of R100 Studios. Yeff has forged a partnership with ITU, seeking out artists who push the boundaries of human and machine collaboration. Specialising in a blend of grassroots emergent curation and strategic insight for global arts and cultural initiatives and institutional collaboration. His research delves into how art, fueled by emergent technologies, can prepare society for present and future opportunities in a new creative and work landscape.

Dr Bilel Jamoussi, a distinguished engineer and diplomat, is the Deputy Director of ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau and Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD) in Geneva, Switzerland.

His primary mission is to establish the international standards essential for ensuring global telecommunications and ICT interoperability, promote universal, meaningful connectivity and champion sustainable digital transformation.

Key achievements under his tenure have been important new standards, ensuring increased industry engagement, bolstering cooperation with other standardization bodies, as well as leading in emerging tech discussions and building strategic partnerships.

Before 2010, he held executive roles, including Director of Standards for Nortel, and contributed to over 90 international standards bodies. With a PhD in Computer Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, he is an IEEE Senior Member and has served on the IEEESA Board of Governors. A key voice in the global ICT arena, he is a regular keynote speaker at events like the Global Cybersecurity Forum and is frequently interviewed by top media outlets.

Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, with knowledge in Spanish and German, Bilel’s global perspective has been shaped by living and working in Tunisia, Canada, the USA, and Switzerland.

Professor Renée Cummings is an artificial intelligence (AI), data and tech ethicist, and the first data activist-in-residence at the University of Virginia’s (UVA) School of Data Science where she was named professor of Practice in Data Science. She is also a nonresident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution and a distinguished member of the World Economic Forum’s Data Equity Council. She is also a criminologist, criminal psychologist, therapeutic jurisprudence specialist, and a community scholar at Columbia University. She also serves as co-director of the Public Interest Technology (PIT) University Network, at UVA, and is on the board of advisors of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.

Committed to stretching the imagination of data science, reimagining the relationship between data and society, and redefining the data power structure, Renée works at the intersection of technology, power, and society. She examines the ethical implications of data on society, exploring the impact of AI on duty of care and due process, expanding our understanding of the ethical risks of AI and how to build ethically resilient, rewarding, responsible, sustainable, justice-oriented, and trauma-informed AI for the benefit of all.

At the School of Data Science, her research focuses on data justice, data trauma, algorithmic policing, surveillance technology, and AI for criminal justice reform; using data to enhance police accountability and transparency and improve police practices, fairness, and decision-making accuracy through community engagement and public interest technology. Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are critical aspects of her work as she promotes inclusive innovation and ethical AI.

Her work extends to include data, democracy, representation, identity, and governance, critically examining data rights, algorithmic justice, social justice, and design justice through a criminal justice lens. Renée also specializes in AI leadership, AI policy development, AI governance, public sector AI, AI risk management, AI crisis communication, building ethical AI and using AI to save lives. Renée is committed to using AI to empower and transform, helping governments and organizations navigate the AI landscape and develop future AI leaders.

Committed to justice, equality, empowerment, and democracy, Renée is a champion for the voices of the historically underrepresented in STEM and technological advancement and increases the visibility and amplifies the voices of vulnerable communities in AI and new and emerging technologies, forcing us to stretch the ethical imagination of AI. Through her activism and research, Renée is creating space for people without power to participate meaningfully in the process of designing, developing, deploying, and adopting AI.

Through rigorous thinking, meaningful participation, and scholarship, Renée advocates for AI we can trust. Renée is on the frontline of ethical AI, generating real time justice-oriented solutions to the consequences of AI and the impacts of data and technology on society. A thought-leader, motivational speaker, and mentor, Renée has given a multitude of talks to conferences, groups, and policymakers, and is a recognized expert who lectures, nationally and internationally on ethical data science and ethical AI. Renée has mastered the art of creative storytelling, science communication and deconstructing complex topics into critical everyday conversations that inform and inspire.

Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei is a pioneering force in artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technology, with a wealth of experience spanning both government and the private sector. Her exceptional expertise in artificial intelligence, supercomputing, telecommunications, semiconductors, technology governance, advanced technology, and strategic innovation has positioned her at the forefront of AI leadership globally, earning recognition among H2o.ai’s world’s top 100 AI leaders. As a thought leader, entrepreneur, and patent inventor, Dr. Almazrouei has been instrumental in pioneering cutting-edge AI models and fostering global AI policy frameworks.

Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei plays a key role in shaping AI strategies and frameworks, and building international collaborations on a global scale. She serves as Chairperson of the United Nations AI for Good Impact Initiative and as a Senior AI Consultant for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), playing a critical role in shaping global AI policies, technology governance, and regulation frameworks.

Dr. Almazrouei’s exceptional contributions have garnered her notable honors, including the Leading AI Women in the World list, the Global Leadership Women in Tech® MENA Award, and a spot among the Top 100 Global Tech Speakers. She also holds various advisory roles and board memberships across various international organizations.

As the CEO and Founder of AIE3, Dr. Almazrouei continues to drive AI innovation, developing scalable AI solutions, building capacity, and leading industry-wide advancements. She previously held senior executive roles, including Executive Director, Acting Chief AI Researcher, and Founder of the AI Cross Center Unit (AICCU) at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII). She established and led the AI Cross Center, driving strategic planning and development. Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei directed and spearheaded the development of the Falcon Large Language Models (LLMs)—Falcon 7B, 40B, and 180B. These AI models have made significant strides in AI research and development in the world, particularly in open-source generative AI models. Additionally, she developed NOOR, the first and the largest Arabic LLM in 2022.

Dr Ebtesam Almazrouei is the first Emirati woman to hold a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence for Wireless Communication Engineering and Computer Science. Her vision is to leverage AI to address global challenges and drive meaningful societal impact.

Lance Pierce is the CEO of NetHope. NetHope is a consortium of nearly 60 leading global nonprofits representing 60% of the world’s international aid delivered through NGOs annually, united with major technology companies and funding institutions to design, fund, implement, adapt, and scale innovative approaches to solve some of the world’s most complex humanitarian, development, and conservation challenges. Over his career Lance has been a strategic advisor and executive with companies and non-profits; building new ventures and partnerships for sustainable investing, climate, corporate responsibility, international development, and policy. Lance’s NGO executive roles include President of CDP North America, the world’s largest platform for investors, corporations and cities to share data, manage performance and build action programs on climate change, energy, water, forests and supply chains, and Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer of leading sustainability organization, Ceres, where he oversaw policy and strategic planning, launched signature program initiatives and co-founded the $22 trillion Global Investor Coalition. In CSR and corporate public affairs, he served Director, Corporate Issues Management for former Fortune 11 food and consumer goods company, Altria Group, focused on human rights, marketplace issues and economic impact in supply chains. Lance has been a consultant and advisor to global consumer brands, leading NGOs and UN agencies on strategic program development and South-South cooperation. He is a Senior Program Fellow at the Harvard Corporate Responsibility Initiative and Executive Advisor at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, Senior Advisor in the Sustainable Finance Cluster at the University of Maryland Center for Global Sustainability, board member of Swiss international development organization, Helvetas, and former Track Advisor to the Clinton Global Initiative. Lance has been a speaker at The White House, high level industry and investor conferences, the UN climate negotiations and has appeared in global media including CNN, Fox, Wall St Journal, New York Times, CNBC, Fast Company, Forbes, and others. 

Jim Zemlin’s career spans three of the largest technology trends to rise over the last decade: mobile computing, cloud computing, and open source software. Today, as executive director of The Linux Foundation, he uses this experience to accelerate innovation in technology through the use of open source and Linux.

At The Linux Foundation, Jim works with the world’s largest technology companies, including IBM, Intel, Google, Samsung, Qualcomm, and others to help define the future of computing on the server, in the cloud, and on a variety of mobile computing devices. His work at the vendor-neutral Linux Foundation gives him a unique and aggregate perspective on the global technology industry.

Jim has been recognized for his insights on the changing economics of the technology industry, and he is a regular keynote speaker at industry events. He advises a variety of startups, including Splashtop, and sits on the boards of the Global Economic Symposium, Open Source For America, and Chinese Open Source Promotion Union.

Emilia Javorsky MD, MPH is the Director of the Futures Program at The Future of Life Institute, where she leads work on imagining and architecting futures that realize benefits of emerging technology, while mitigating risks. By training Emilia is a physician-scientist and entrepreneur working on the invention, development, and translation of medical technologies. She is also a scientist and mentor at the Wyss Institute at Harvard. She has authored over a dozen publications and is an inventor on several patents. Previously she was a Fulbright-Schuman scholar to the European Union, Young Pioneer of the World Frontiers Forum, Forbes 30 Under 30, Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum. She is passionate about ensuring that emerging technologies are deployed safely, ethically, and for the betterment of humanity.

Professor Sarah Hammer is Executive Director at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, leading financial technology initiatives as well as Wharton Cypher Accelerator, which supports leading global businesses that are leveraging financial technology. Hammer is also Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Hammer is also Affiliated Scholar at the Penn Program on Regulation.

Previously, Hammer was Managing Director of the Center for Innovation in Finance and Senior Director of the Alternative Investments Program at Wharton. Hammer also led the launch of the University of Pennsylvania’s first digital asset, unique 3D intellectual property that memorializes the invention of the mRNA technology which enabled the COVID-19 vaccines.

Hammer is also a board member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) at the United Nations. The ITU is the UN specialized agency responsible for information and communication technology. She is also an advisor at the World Economic Forum, the Dubai International Finance Centre, and the Digital Dollar Project for Central Bank Digital Currency.

Previously, Hammer was Acting Secretary of the Department of Banking and Securities for Pennsylvania, having led the Department through the banking crisis of March 2023. The Department regulates and supervises ~290,000 bank and non-bank financial entities, totaling $3.5 trillion in AUM.

Hammer was also previously Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions and Director of the Office of Financial Institutions Policy at the US Department of the Treasury. In this role, she led the Department’s policy responsibilities involving financial institutions, as well as oversaw the Federal Insurance Office and the Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Compliance Policy (cybersecurity).

While at U.S. Treasury, Hammer also led the cross-functional team conducting a full review and report on the financial regulatory framework. Hammer also served on the board of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and assisted the U.S. Treasury Secretary in fulfilling responsibilities on the board of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

Hammer has held various leadership positions throughout financial services in general management, portfolio management, trading, marketing, research, and analytics at the Vanguard Group, PIMCO, JP Morgan Chase, BlackRock, and Tudor Investments.

Hammer earned a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, and a Master of Studies from Oxford University.

Dr. Aminu Maida is the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He was appointed into office on the 11th of October 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.  

Dr. Maida is a highly accomplished technology executive with extensive experience spanning across the telecommunication and payments industries. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Maida has consistently demonstrated his expertise in leading cutting-edge innovations, managing cross-functional teams, and driving growth for businesses in competitive markets.  

With a solid academic background, Dr. Maida holds a Ph.D. in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Bath University, UK, a Masters in Engineering in Information Systems Engineering from Imperial College London, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship from Cambridge Judge Business School. His educational credentials have played an instrumental role in shaping his ability to tackle complex technical challenges and devise robust, future-proof strategies.  

Throughout his career, Dr. Aminu Maida has successfully managed teams of engineers, developers, and researchers, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment. His expertise in strategic planning, business development, technology transformation, and project management have contributed significantly to the growth and expansion of the companies he has worked with.  

Prior to his appointment as the Executive Vice Chairman/ CEO of the NCC, Dr. Maida was the Executive Director, Technology and Operations at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems PLC (NIBSS) where he oversaw the day-to-day activities of the entire operations and IT infrastructure of NIBSS. Prior to this role he was the Chief Technology Officer at ARCA Payments Network, a Nigerian based FinTech, and before then he worked with the British Telecoms as a Lead Consultant as well as with Cisco Systems UK.  

Dr. Maida’s technical prowess is further evidenced by the numerous patents he holds to his name in the areas of wireless communication and self-organizing networks.  

He is an active participant in industry conferences and forums, where he shares his insights and experience with fellow professionals. He is committed to the ongoing advancement of technology in the telecommunication and payments sectors, mentoring young professionals, and contributing to research that shapes the future of these industries. 

Vincent Vanhoucke is a Distinguished Engineer at Waymo. His research has spanned many areas of artificial intelligence and machine learning, from speech recognition to computer vision and robotics. His Udacity lecture series has introduced over 100,000 students to Deep Learning. He founded the Robotics research team, now part of Google DeepMind, and is President of the Robot Learning Foundation, which organizes the Conference on Robot Learning, now in its eighth year. He holds a doctorate from Stanford University and a diplôme d’ingénieur from the École Centrale Paris.

Brendan is the Vice President of Policy & Government Relations for Boston Dynamics, the world’s leading developer of agile robots that autonomously navigate uneven terrain, stairs, and even doorways using legs and arms. In this role, he collaborates with policymakers and stakeholders on a wide range of policy and ethics issues relating to the integration of beneficial robots into society. Previously, Brendan was in charge of global public policy for DJI, the world’s leading manufacturer of consumer drones. A technology advocate, thought-leader, and champion of pragmatic solutions to the concerns that are raised by emerging technologies, Brendan has served on U.S. federal and state policy advisory committees, testified in the U.S. Congress and the U.K. House of Commons, and is often quoted in the media on technology policy and law.

Dr. Le Lu leads the global Medical AI R&D efforts for Alibaba DAMO Academy since August 2021. He had worked at PAII Inc., leading the division of Bethesda Research Lab, after more than five productive years at National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center, Radiology and Imaging Science Department, and from NVIDIA AI-Infra division. He was a senior staff scientist at Siemens corporate research and Siemens Medical Solutions from 2006 until 2013. Le is an IEEE Fellow (Computer Society) on medical imaging, AI and oncology imaging; an MICCAI society board member, IEEE Signal Processing Society Distinguished Industrial Speaker (2021-2023), also serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Trans. Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (IF: 24.3) and IEEE Signal Processing Letters and Frontiers in Oncology. Le received his Ph.D. degree of Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. in 2007. He published 250+ peer-reviewed articles and leading conference papers including Nature Medicine, Nature Communications, Annals of Surgery, Radiology, Clinical Cancer Research, IEEE TMI, MediaIA, CVPR/AAAI/ICCV/ECCV/NeurIPS/MICCAI/IPMI, with overall citations of 23880 by January 2024. He won many best paper or best paper finalist awards in RSNA, MICCAI and other leading clinical conference. He published the most cited IEEE TMI paper in the last 10 years, and the most cited medical imaging paper in IEEE CVPR in the last 10 years. He is the co-inventor of more than 100 US/PCT/CN patents (granted & pending).

A research and scientific leader in Artificial Intelligence, Alessandra is the Sr. Director of AI and Data Science at Shutterstock. Alessandra has over 18 years’ experience in research and innovation gained whilst working in academic and commercial environments. Alessandra is passionate in advanced analytics, machine learning, and computational models with the focus of transferring innovation from research to products.

As Co-chair of the UNESCO Women for Ethical AI Platform and Global President of Women in AI (a non-profit do-tank working towards gender-inclusive AI that benefits global society) Alessandra is working with a strong community of women to foster diversity , inclusion and equality for women and minorities while encouraging a global ethical approach in AI. In an advisory capacity, Alessandra also serves as the Governance Committee Chair at the Science Foundation Ireland Center for Research Training in Machine Learning.

Among several awards, Alessandra won the 2024 Grace Hopper and the 2021 XV International Prize “Le Tecno-visionarie” in the AI ​​- Industrial Research category. In her previous role Alessandra was Head of Analytics Research at Nokia Bell Labs where she was leading research teams in several locations while driving changes across different activities like her contributions to the Nokia AI Ethics Advisory Board.

Dr. Fatmah Baothman is the CEO of Alothaim Investment AI and R&D Company,  a Member of the Global Future Council on the Future of Artificial Intelligence by the World Economic Forum. Dr. Fatmah is a national technology strategist, AI advisor, and AI Business Development & Innovation, she officially represented women in several events, the latest was at the UN  for Saudi NGOs sector of the kingdom. A member of the G20-S20 Task Force and working group G20 Digital Agenda Presidency Transfer. She was the first woman in the Middle East with a doctorate in Modern Artificial Intelligence in 2003; she graduated from the School of Computing and Engineering with the Alumni Roll of Honor from the University of Huddersfield; she won several international awards and many local trophies. She is listed among AI GCC & Arab experts by MIT Technology Review. She worked with Apple and CISCO to enter the Saudi market. She founded the computer science department, the Saudi Engineering Committee for Women, which was the main derive for establishing the engineering colleges in the Western region for ladies. She founded the IEEE Chapter for Women and is the founder and board president of the AI Society. She has held various administrative positions, supervised hundreds of students in technology & AI business projects, and has several quality AI publications and book translations.

Tomas Lamanauskas is Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, elected at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference of 2022, and taking up duties as of January 2023.

His 25 years of experience spans across sectors of telecoms and digital policy, regulation and strategy, stemming from executive level positions in agencies, companies, and organizations across Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and the Pacific region.

As Deputy Secretary-General of ITU, Tomas focuses on the financial sustainability and operational excellence of the organization. He also works to raise the digital industry’s ambition in fighting the climate crisis through the Green Digital Action initiative and promotes investments into the digital infrastructure as well as digital resilience through the Digital Infrastructure Investment Initiative and other efforts. Additionally, Tomas contributes to the global efforts to harness the opportunities and mitigate challenges of new technologies, in particular Artificial Intelligence, including through his role as a co-chair of the United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group on AI. He is also playing a key role in ensuring ITU’s support to other UN-wide development and governance efforts, including through the World Summit of the Information Society process and membership at the Operational Steering Committee of the UN Joint SDG Fund.

Tomas holds Master’s Degrees in Public Administration (Harvard), Leadership and Strategy (London Business School), Telecommunications Regulation and Policy (The University of the West Indies) and Law (Vilnius University).

Thomas Schneider is Ambassador and Director of International Affairs at the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) in the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). He is a long-standing expert in digital governance and in the governance of the information and knowledge society and artificial intelligence. He is leading the Swiss delegation in various key international fora in these fields.

Since 2003, he has been coordinating the Swiss activities with regard to the implementation and follow-up of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). From 2014-2017, he was the chair of ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) and in this role negotiated the compromise among governments regarding the “IANA Stewardship transition”, the biggest reform in the ICANN system. He was responsible for the organization of the 12th UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Geneva in December 2017 on behalf of the Swiss government and co-chair of the IGF’s Multistakeholder Advisory Group in 2017. Since 2020, he is vice-chair of the OECD’s Committee for Digital Economy Policy, and vice-chair of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) – which he chaired from 2018-2019 – and a member of the bureau of the CoE’s Ad Hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAHAI). He is the president of the EuroDIG Support Association (since 2012). He has been participating in the meetings of the UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, as personal advisor of former Swiss president, Ms. Doris Leuthard (2018-2019).

Sergio Mujica started out as ISO Secretary-General in 2017. ISO is a leading international organization in standardization with a membership of about 165 national standards bodies. ISO standards support global trade, drive inclusive and equitable economic growth, advance innovation and promote health and safety to achieve a sustainable future. Under Sergio’s leadership, ISO approved a new Strategy 2030, which is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a vision of “making lives easier, safer and better”.

Combining his experience as Deputy Secretary-General at the World Customs Organization in Brussels from 2010 to 2017 and several leadership positions in the government of Chile, Sergio has unique global perspectives of international trade and sustainability. He is a tireless advocate for International Standards as ways of reducing barriers and fully realizing the role of international trade in growing economies.

Sergio is fully committed to integrity, transparency and the highest ethics across every part of ISO, as well as to gender equality. As an International Gender Champion, he is a member of a leadership network that brings together female and male decision-makers determined to break down gender barriers and make gender equality a working reality in their spheres of influence.

Sergio obtained his law degree at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and completed his master’s in international law at the American University in Washington D.C. (USA).

In 2021, the ISO Council reappointed Sergio as Secretary-General for a second five-year term (until July 2027).

John Samuel Gibson is an American trial lawyer and litigator who has served as founding chair of the United Nations’ AI for Good law track and is lead counsel for some of the world’s top technology companies. He is a DLA Piper partner and co-chair of the firm’s U.S. Business and Commercial Litigation practice. John has deep experience analyzing and litigating issues involving new technology platforms and ecosystems as they seek to balance incentives for both development and adoption. He is committed to exploring the use of foundational legal tools to conquer fundamental challenges posed by AI’s emergence—and thus help make “AI ready for the world, and the world ready for AI.”

In 36 years of practice, John has won high-profile trials and save-the-company cases for industry leading companies, professional sports teams, celebrities, and pro bono clients seeking social justice. These range from winning what the media called the “Trial of the Decade” in Los Angeles and winning one of California’s top jury verdicts to winning the nation’s first mandatory federal court injunction requiring a school district to accommodate the service dog of a student with autism. John has also figured prominently in litigation involving emerging technology ecosystems. He defeated a threatened injunction against launch of a leading mobile-device maker’s 4G devices regarding the client’s role in technical standard-setting for 4G-LTE mobile technology. And he won summary judgment for a leading global technology company—defeating an unfair competition law claim in a precedent-setting litigation to determine fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms for a worldwide portfolio of standard-essential mobile-telecommunications patents. He has also represented clients in non-litigation interactions with governments and competition law enforcement agencies around the world.

John has been named one of The Best Lawyers in America, as well as one of the Daily Journal’s Top Antitrust Lawyers of the Year and is rated AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0 by Martindale-Hubbell. He won the Burton Award for being one of the “finest law firm writers of 2019” in a ceremony presided over by the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

John has spoken internationally on issues at the intersection of law and technology. He was a speaker at the UN’s first-ever AI Governance Day in Geneva. He also spoke on the topic of “Developing Standards For 3D Printing” at The Legal, Regulatory and Business Conference on 3D Printing in Chicago and “SEPs and FRAND: The US Approach” at the EU Competition Law: Current Issues in a Global Context event in Brussels. And John authored the article “Antitrust Law in the AI Age; Navigating the New Frontier,” published in the Daily Journal.

He has served on numerous charitable boards and is a member, alongside former U.S presidents, Supreme Court justices, and Nobel Prize winners, of the Washington, D.C.-based Cosmos Club for “persons of scholarship, creative genius, or intellectual distinction.”

John earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, where he was a John Harvard Scholar (top 5% of undergraduate students) and his doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was an editor of the Michigan Law Review.

His multifaceted legal experience at the intersection of law and technology, his success as a leader and trial lawyer, and his commitment to social justice make John an invaluable asset and distinguished authority sought after by the international community in the evolving landscape of AI and law.

Golestan (Sally) Radwan (B.Sc., MBA, M.Sc.) is a Computer Scientist with expertise in AI and emerging technologies. Prior to UNEP, Sally served as Advisor to the Egyptian Minister of ICT, where she led the development and implementation of Egypt’s national AI strategy. During this time, she served as an expert and delegate of Egypt to several international organizations working on AI Policy and Regulation including UNESCO, WIPO, ITU, and OECD. She also championed and led two working groups within the African Union and League of Arab States to unify regional efforts around Responsible AI. Sally previously held several executive positions in the technology industry over 17 years, working in Germany, Austria, the UK and the US for companies including Novell GmbH, Avaya Inc. and NTT Data Europe. She earned a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from Cairo University and an MBA from London Business School, as well as an MSc in Clinical Engineering and Healthcare Technology Management from City University of London. She is currently finalizing her PhD thesis, focusing on AI explainability and its ethical considerations in metagenomics at the Royal Holloway University of London.

Dr. Geiss brings to the position over twenty years of experience in peace and security, with focus on the impact of new technologies in these areas. Most recently, he served as Director of the Glasgow Centre for International Law and Security at the University of Glasgow and as the Swiss Chair of International Humanitarian Law with the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. He was a Visiting Professor at the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po in Paris.

He has managed large-scale research projects and held multiple posts in academia, including as Visiting Professor for the University of Vienna (2017), Distinguished Guest Professor for the Institute for International Peace and Armed Conflict in Bochum (2016), and Visiting Fellow for the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin (2016). He was a Professor of Public International and European Law at the University of Potsdam (2011-2013) and Research Project Director for the Collaborative Research Center at the Freie Universität Berlin (2014-2017).

He served as Legal Adviser for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Legal Division for Geneva/New York (2007-2010) and Geneva (2004-2005).

Dr. Geiss holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Kiel and obtained an LL.M. in international legal studies from the New York University.

Irina Soeffky is Director for National, European and International Digital Policy at the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. She has more than 15 years of experience in the public service and has worked extensively on international issues. She holds degrees in law and economics. 

Professional with more than 16 years of experience in both the private and public sectors, with great capacity for teamwork, critical thinking, analysis and problem solving, and respect for professional hierarchy; prepared to face new challenges and willing to learn new disciplines.

Dr. Ott Velsberg is a renowned Estonian IT specialist and government official, known for his expertise in data governance and data science. As the current Chief Data Officer (CDO) of Estonia, he is responsible for driving the country’s data policy and initiatives related to the use of data and AI in the public sector. Velsberg has a wealth of experience in coordinating data governance and data science, with a focus on domains such as artificial intelligence, open data, citizen-centric data governance, data management, and digital transformation. Under his leadership, Estonia has gained a reputation as a trendsetter in data governance, open data, and artificial intelligence. With his passion for technology and data, he is making significant contributions to Estonia’s digital transformation and shaping the country’s future in data governance. 

Mr. Célestin KADJIDJA is a computer engineer, with 30 years of experience in the field of networks and information systems management, in the banking, air transport and social security sectors.

Initially, he was trained at the Konstanz School of Engineering in Germany after his secondary studies at the Lycée National Léon MBA in Libreville, Gabon.

He began his professional career in the early 1990s in the banking sector. He subsequently moved into the air transport sector, then the healthcare sector, managing IT and telecom projects in the social security sector.

During his career, he held various positions, namely:

• Project Manager at the IT Department of BICIG Bank, BNP-Paribas Group;
• Deputy Director of Electronic Money at BICIG, BNP-Paribas Group;
• IT and Telecommunications Director at the national airline, Air-Gabon;
• Director of Information Systems of the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) of Gabon;
• Technical Advisor in Information Systems to the Director General of the CNSS;
• Technical Advisor in Information Systems Security to the Director General of the CNSS.

In August 2023, he was appointed President of the Regulatory Council of ARCEP Gabon by Brigadier General Brice Clotaire OLIGUI NGUEMA, President of the Transition, Head of State, President of the Gabonese Republic.

For this position, he has been given a roadmap with the following areas of work:

• Improving ARCEP Governance;
• Acceleration of the development of universal service;
• Optimization of Frequency Resource Management;
• Clean-up of the Institution’s finances.

These directives constitute the guidelines for Mr. Célestin KADJIDJA’s managerial action since he took office on October 5, 2023.

Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers from the 1984 batch. He had superannuated as Chairman & CEO, Railway Board on 31st August 2023 after a career spanning about 37 years Indian Railway. He is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior, with gold medal and has master’s degree in engineering (Structures) from IIT Roorkee. He has worked in various positions in the Central, Northern, North Central, Western, and West Central Railway, as well as in the Railway Board.

Besides Chairman & CEO, Railway Board, some of the important positions held by Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti include Member Infrastructure, Railway Board, General Manager of Central Railway and Western Railway, Divisional Railway Manager, Lucknow, Northern Railway, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Northern Railway and Executive Director, Railway Board.

Post his retirement, Ministry of Railway had appointed him to a One-Man Expert Committee for improvement in inspection and maintenance of track. In December 2023, Gati Shakti Vishvavidyalaya, Vadodara, a Central University appointed him as a Distinguished Visiting Professor.

His expertise includes railway operations, track maintenance, project execution and station redevelopment. During his illustrious career, Shri Lahoti initiated several reforms in execution of infrastructure projects and took several initiatives to modernize and mechanize track maintenance on Indian Railways. During his stints as CRB & CEO, GM and DRM, he brought about significant improvement in freight transport performance and took several customer friendly initiatives to
improve the quality of service and ease the customer interface.

He has also extensively contributed to planning and structuring of station redevelopment projects in various positions served by him. Shri Lahoti has travelled to various countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia in connection with official assignments. He has undertaken executive training programmes at
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA, SDA Bocconi Business School, Milan, Italy and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.

He was born to Freedom Fighter Late Shri Ratan Lal Lahoti and Late Smt. Kanchan Devi Lahoti at Guna, M.P. and is the younger brother of former Chief Justice of India Late Justice R.C. Lahoti. His wife is a homemaker and his son is a working professional in Bangaluru.

Trevor’s work is all about making tech practical—evaluating how innovative ideas can actually work in the real world. Before MDIA, Trevor managed ICT projects that shaped Malta’s healthcare systems, supporting 10,000 users, and spent nearly a decade in national security, leading high-stakes IT systems and collaborations with Europol. In short, Trevor knows how to turn big ideas into solutions that matter.

Scientist and manager with many years of experience. Associated with the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology and the Wroclaw Centre for Networking and Supercomputing. Author of many scientific publications. 

His professional interests focus on technical, economic and legal aspects of telecommunications services and data communication networks, as well as on the development of the Internet, the convergence of telecommunications, information technology and media, and the problems of the information society. 

Dr Gift Kallisto Machengete is the Director General of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ),having been appointed to the position in December 2016. He is a member of the ITU Digital Innovation Board, and currently serves on the Boards of several institutions in Zimbabwe.

He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of Zimbabwe, a Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA) from Southern Cross University, Australia, and a Doctorate in Business Administration also from Southern Cross University, for which he graduated with a distinction, and was awarded the University Plaque for outstanding achievement.

He has over forty-four (44) years of working experience, having worked as an Economic Counsellor at the Zimbabwe Embassy in China, Zimbabwe’s Deputy Ambassador to Malaysia and Director of Administration in the Office of the President and Cabinet, before joining the POTRAZ in 2016.

He is a former part-time lecturer for the Master of Business Leadership and Master of Security and Intelligence Degree programmes at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE). This included working as a Research thesis Moderator. He currently serves on the Boards of several institutions in Zimbabwe.

Jūratė Šovienė is the Chair of the Council of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Lithuania.

She has 20-year experience in competition policy, regulation and strategy including leading positions at the Lithuanian Competition Council. She also served as Chief Legal Adviser to the President of Lithuania holding position of the Head of Legal Affairs Group at the Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. Ms J. Šovienė has more than 10-year experience as the Senior Expert/Project Manager in a number of EU projects in the field of competition law.

Ms. J. Šovienė has experience in Academia too as the former Member of Economics Study Program Committee at Kaunas University of Technology, research fellow and the lecturer of administrative law. In 2016, Ms J. Šovienė was awarded a prize by Lithuanian Academy of Sciences for a co-authored monography “The Impact of Cartels on National Economy and Competitiveness”. She was also recognized as one of the 40 Notable Women Competition Professionals in Enforcement in Europe, the Americas, Africa (by W@Competition, 2019) and was awarded the State Award the Medal of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas for the significant contribution to the protection of fair competition by the President of Lithuania (2018). After taking position of the Chair of the Council of Lithuanian regulator, Ms. J. Šovienė participated as the speaker at many national and international conferences, joined the BEREC Board of Regulators.

Ms. J. Šovienė has Master’s degrees in Business Management and Law.

Mr. Ren Xianliang is the Secretary-General of World Internet Conference (WIC). He has led the organizing work of WIC Wuzhen Summit for many years. After the establishment of the WIC as an international organization, Mr. Ren Xianliang has successfully promoted the formation of the WIC Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, Data and Cross-border E-commerce. Based on these working groups, he continues exploring new ways to promote international exchanges and cooperation by building various international dialogue platforms. In 2023, led by Mr. Ren, WIC has released a number of outcomes and consensus documents, such as Developing Responsible Generative Artificial Intelligence Research Report and Consensus, and World Internet Conference AI for Social Good Action Plan(2023-2025). In recent years, Mr. Ren has actively participated and delivered keynote speeches at the major international events such as the Internet Governance Forum and the Mobile World Congress 2023 hosted by GSMA. 

As one of the main initiators of the WIC Wuzhen Summit, Mr. Ren has made great contributions to the establishment and development of the Wuzhen Summit by deepening the connotations of the conference themes, exploring innovative conference-organizing modes, and enhancing the brand influence of the conference.  

Mr. Ren Xianliang is the former Vice Minister of Cyberspace Administration of China and has held the leadership positions in the field of Internet management for a long time. He participated in the establishment of Cyberspace Administration of China, and actively promoted the formulation and implementation of a series of major policies in such areas as cyberspace administration, digital economy development and international cyberspace governance. As the former President of China Federation of Internet Societies, Mr. Ren, based on his deep insight on the extensive and profound impact of the information revolution marked by the Internet, has successfully launched a series of influential conferences and events, such as China Internet Integrity Conference, China International Digital Economic Exposition and China New E-commerce Conference. 

Irakli Beridze, PhD, is the Head of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at UNICRI, United Nations​. More than 25 years of experience in leading multilateral negotiations, developing stakeholder engagement programmes with governments, UN agencies, international organisations, private industry and corporations, think tanks, civil society, foundations, academia, and other partners on an international level. Mr Beridze is advising governments and international organizations on numerous issues related to international security, scientific and technological developments, emerging technologies, innovation and disruptive potential of new technologies, particularly on the issue on crime prevention, criminal justice and security. He is supporting governments worldwide on the strategies, action plans, roadmaps and policy papers on AI. Since 2014, Initiated and managed one of the first United Nations Programmes on AI. Finding synergies with traditional threats and risks as well as identifying solutions that AI can contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He is a member of various international task forces, including the World Economic​ Forum’s Global Artificial Intelligence and Global Future Council, the United Nations AI Inter Agency Task Force, the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence of the European Commission. He is frequently lecturing and speaking on the subjects related to technological development, exponential technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics and international security. He has numerous publications in international journals and magazines and frequently quoted in media on the issues related to AI. Irakli Beridze is an International Gender Champion supporting the IGC Panel Parity Pledge. He is recipient of recognition on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the OPCW in 2013.​

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Mr. Sameer Chauhan as the Director of the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) on 1 December 2019.

As the head of the organization, he has the responsibility to lead all aspects of UNICC’s strategy and operations, to facilitate the provision of services to more than 100 Clients and Partner Organizations, to establish the UNICC strategy, to develop a biennial business plan and budget and to implement the approved plan. He is accountable to the UNICC Management Committee (MC) that governs the organization and represents the entire United Nations system.

Mr. Chauhan effectively led a strategic transformation of UNICC with the advice and backing of his board. This has allowed UNICC to become the preferred strategic digital partner for the whole UN system. The organization has successfully built capabilities in areas such as cybersecurity, data, AI, crypto and automation, as well as in key business areas like treasury, finance and HR. He started his career at UNICC in August 2015 in New York as Chief of Clients and Projects.

Previous Experience

Mr. Chauhan has over twenty years of prior experience in the public and private sectors and an educational background in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. Before UNICC, Mr. Chauhan was the Head of Knowledge Management and Digital Marketing IT for Deutsche Bank (DB) Asset and Wealth Management. He played several roles at DB over eight years, including as the COO for an IT division of approximately 800 staff and as the product manager responsible for a multi-billion-dollar trading platform. He also spent several years as a consultant for Deloitte, working across various industries including financial services, public sector, telecom, manufacturing and software.

Robert Opp is the Chief Digital Officer of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations’ global sustainable development organization working across 170 countries globally. UNDP adopted its second Digital Strategy in 2022, which sets out a vision to create a world in which digital is an empowering force for people and planet. Rob leads the agency’s digital transformation, an organization-wide effort, to accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure no one is left behind.

Under his leadership, UNDP’s Chief Digital Office supports more than 120 countries in building open, inclusive and rights-based digital transformations. It also brings expertise, insights and lessons from the country-level to inform global digital policy, to ensure that technologies, including digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence accelerate sustainable development. Robert also leads UNDP’s own internal digital transformation effort.

Prior to this role, Robert served as Director of the Innovation and Change Management Division within the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) where he established an in-house ‘Zero Hunger’ innovation accelerator and created an award-winning crowdfunding smartphone app, ShareTheMeal.

Prof. Marwala has been a visiting scholar/professor at universities in the USA, the UK, China, and South Africa. He has extensive academic, policy, management, and international experience, and is a co-holder of five patents. His research has been multi-disciplinary, involving the theory and applications of artificial intelligence to engineering, social science, economics, politics, finance, and medicine. He has served on a variety of global and national policymaking bodies, and has worked with such United Nations entities as UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, and WIPO.

Prof. Marwala is, inter alia, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Science of South Africa, and the African Academy of Sciences.

Among the awards that Prof. Marwala has received are the Order of Mapungubwe (South Africa’s highest honour) and the Academy of South Africa’s Science-for-Society Gold Medal. He was named the 2021 IT Personality of the Year by the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa.

Mounir Tabet took up his official functions as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on 7 September 2018.

Prior to that, Mr. Tabet served as the UNDP Country Director for Iraq (2016-2018), where he oversaw the programme on stabilization and transition.

From 2013 to 2016, Mr. Tabet served as the United Nations and UNDP Resident Coordinator in Tunisia, providing various services to the transition, including electoral support, constitution-making, parliamentary effectiveness and anti-corruption. From 2007 to 2013, Mr. Tabet was the Country Director of UNDP Egypt, where he led United Nations support to development efforts. From 2004 to 2007, Mr. Tabet was the Senior Programme Advisor for the Regional Bureau for Arab States at UNDP in New York. Between 1989 and 2003, Mr Tabet served in a variety of country and headquarter positions with UNDP. Prior to joining UNDP, he worked with the North-South Institute, the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa, and the University of Ottawa.

Mr. Tabet completed an MA in Public Administration at Harvard University. He also holds an MA in Economics from the University of Ottawa.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development oversees the Organization’s normative contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, in addition to supporting and advancing the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development in the environment, energy, and SME areas. Advancing competitiveness and job creation are also key impact dimensions for the Directorate, in addition to the advancement of digitalization and artificial intelligence.  Mr Zou is also the Director General’s Special Representative for the G77 and China.

At UNIDO since 2013, Zou is the architect of UNIDO’s Programme for Country Partnership, and has guided the Organization’s field and strategic engagements.

Before joining UNIDO, he performed multiple roles, including as Deputy Director General of International Department at the Chinese Ministry of Finance, Alternate to the Chinese Executive Director at the World Bank, and Global Environmental Facility Operational Focal Point for China.

Zou holds a Ph.D. in Economics from China’s Ministry of Finance Graduate School, Research Institute for Fiscal Science.

Ms. Hélène Molinier is the Senior Advisor on Digital Cooperation and the Thematic Lead for the GEF Action Coalition on Innovation and Technology at UN Women.  

She was the Substantive Lead for the 67th session of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) is the author of the report of the UN Secretary General for CSW67 on “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. She is also the author of the UN Women position paper “Placing Gender Equality at the Heart of the Global Digital Compact” and the policy paper on “Leveraging Digital Finance for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment”. 

Helene joined UN Women in 2018 and has over 20 years of experience with a number of organizations, including UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, The Global Fund, IDLO and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs where she successfully developed and implemented innovative programming initiatives, including digital tools for youth empowerment, innovative finance mechanisms for biodiversity conservation, innovative legal preparedness frameworks, interactive capacity building methodologies and innovative grant making for legal empowerment and access to justice for vulnerable women. Her experience includes providing support for policy and regulatory reforms; strategic programming support to country offices, leading the design and implementation of large multi-stakeholder partnerships, developing inclusive and gender-transformative digital tools, frontier technology and social innovation. She has lived and worked in Morocco, South Africa, Benin, Congo Republic, Switzerland, Sri Lanka and Netherlands.  

A national of France, Hélène holds a master’s in International Law and a master’s in Diplomacy and International Relations from Paris XI University.   

Melike Yetken Krilla serves as the Head of International Organizations at Google, leading strategic tech policy initiatives and cultivating impactful partnerships with global bodies such as the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank.

Her distinguished career spans 15 years in U.S. public service, including significant roles at the U.S. Department of State and the White House. As Senior Advisor for Corporate Responsibility and U.S. National Contact Point, she directed a team in guiding governments, NGOs, and businesses on responsible international operations. Prior to that, as Director for African Affairs on the National Security Council at The White House, Melike executed the landmark U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. This unprecedented event brought together over 50 heads of state and leading CEOs to Washington, D.C., to foster increased trade and investment with the U.S. and across Africa. Earlier, she spearheaded the Business and Human Rights team and was a lead U.S. negotiator at both the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council.

Melike is an honors graduate of Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, specializing in public policy. Her influence in global dialogues is further recognized by her designation as a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum and her role as a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She has also contributed her expertise to advisory boards for the University of Oklahoma College of Law’s Center for International Business and Human Rights and the Global Reporting Initiative’s Government Advisory Board. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Council for International Business and the International Student House. Melike resides in McLean, VA, with her husband and four children.

Dr. Qu Dongyu took office on 1 August 2019 as the ninth Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and was re-elected for a second four-year term on 2 July 2023. 

During his first term, Dr. Qu championed a wide range of reforms and initiatives to overhaul the Organization’s business model, improving efficiency and implementing best practices that support programs and administrative effectiveness. 

Dr. Qu strongly advocated for the transformation of agrifood systems to make them more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable and promote the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind with the ultimate goal of helping Members to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Dr. Qu launched six core initiatives during the first term, which have generated significant achievements on the ground: 

• The flagship Hand-in-Hand Initiative that supports the implementation of country-led and country-owned ambitious programmes to accelerate agrifood systems transformations using advanced geospatial modelling and analytics as well as a robust partnership-building approach to raise incomes, improve the nutritional status and well-being of poor and vulnerable populations, and strengthen resilience to climate change.   
• The 1000-Digital Villages Initiative that promotes E-agriculture, E-commence and E-governance  in rural areas for the benefit of the local community, enabling them to apply, deploy or harness digital innovations and technologies, services and solutions, to improve their economic livelihoods, individual wellbeing, and create social cohesion through better connectivity. 
• The One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative that places the production, distribution and marketing models of smallholders and family farming at the centre of interventions. It helps countries leverage their potential and identify Special Agricultural Products (SAPs) adapted to their agro-ecological production systems, and national or cultural heritage, ensuring improved access to stable markets and acting as a key entry point for reaching their defined priorities. 
• The Green Cities Initiative that focuses on improving the urban green economy, strengthening urban-rural linkages and improving the resilience of urban food systems, services and populations to external shocks. 
• The One Health approach that works as part of agrifood systems transformation to balance and optimize the health of people, animals, plants and the environment. Ensuring a One Health approach is essential for progress to anticipate, prevent, detect and control diseases that spread between animals and humans, tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), ensure food safety, prevent environment-related human and animal health threats, among others.  
• The Blue Transformation Initiative that is central for increasing nutrients, through fisheries and aquaculture, in an efficient way in relation to input and output, so as to allow Member countries to achieve a diverse diet and increase food availability, and especially to improve access to healthy diets. 

Before first being elected as FAO Director-General, Dr. Qu served as China’s Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), where one of his achievements was to promote inclusive and innovative development and make sure information and communication technologies (ICT) were available in rural areas so that more than 400 million farmers could use their smartphones as a new farming tool. Another national initiative led by Dr. Qu was to improve reporting of wholesale prices for agricultural products in China and foster the establishment of more than 100 specialty production areas geared to making local comparative advantages work to the benefit of local farmers.  

As Vice Governor of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, one of China’s landlocked and poorest areas, Dr. Qu formulated action plans aimed at poverty reduction, disaster reduction and prevention, women empowerment, agritourism and mutual learning platforms designed to boost trust between ethnic groups. 

Before serving the senior leadership roles in government at central and local level, Dr. Qu was the Vice President of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the Human Resources Director at the China Three Gorges Project Development Corporation, a $40 billion investment project. 

Born in 1963 to a rice-growing family in China’s Hunan Province, Dr. Qu studied horticultural science at Hunan Agricultural University and then plant breeding and genetics at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He later added environmental science to his knowledge portfolio while earning a PhD at Wageningen University. Being recognized as one of the world’s renowned scientists, Dr. Qu has for over 30 years been directly cooperating with UN Systems, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and private sector in formulating numerous projects and initiatives in eradicating hunger, combating malnutrition, eliminating poverty and sustainably conserving natural resources.   

Dr. Qu says he represents the combination of an “Asian soul” and a “global mind”. His motto is “Simple life, but not simple work”. 

Dr. Qu is married and has one daughter and one grandson. 

Nezar Patria, a highly esteemed Indonesian professional, has made remarkable contributions to journalism and demonstrated exceptional leadership in the media industry. From 2000 to 2008, he was Editor, overseeing national news coverage and investigative reports. In 2008, he co-founded Viva.co.id and took on the role of Executive Editor. Nezar also held prestigious positions at CNN Indonesia and The Jakarta Post Digital. 

Beyond his successful journalism career, Nezar Patria served as a member of the Press Council from 2016 to 2019, representing journalists and chairing the Foreign and Inter-Institutional Relations department. Moreover, he assumed the position of Editor-in-Chief at The Jakarta Post from 2018 to 2020. 

Nezar’s leadership extended to the corporate sector, where he was Director of Institutional Affairs at PT. Pos Indonesia Persero from 2020 to 2022, focusing on strategic planning and public service. Subsequently, he became a Special Staff at the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, where he coordinated activities and provided essential support. 

Having received his education from Universitas Gadjah Mada and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Nezar further enhanced his qualifications by earning an ASEAN MBA from Universiti Sains Malaysia and Bandung Technology Institute (ITB). His valuable contributions have earned him accolades, including the prestigious “Kartu Pers Nomor Satu” (Number One Press Card) award and recognition from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). 

Currently, Nezar Patria is the Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia. 

She worked as a Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Communications, 2007-2021. 

She worked as an Academic at some Iraqi Universities, 1991-2007 

She has published tens of academic research in international periodicals. 

She has supervised on many PhD and MSc thesis. 

Honourable Emma Inamutila Theofelus is a young, 28-year-old Namibian woman who serves as a Member of Parliament and the Minister of Information and Communication Technology in the Republic of Namibia. 

Before her appointment, Honourable Emma was always policy adjacent and was a Youth Activist around issues of gender, children’s rights, and sustainable development and against youth unemployment. She served as the Deputy Speaker of the Youth Parliament of the Republic of Namibia, Board Member of the National Council of Higher Education and the Junior Mayor of the City of Windhoek amongst other roles. 

Born and bred in Windhoek, Namibia, Honourable Emma holds an LLB Honours Degree from the University of Namibia where she served as Secretary General of the Student Union in her final year of study; a diploma in Business Management from Amity University and a diploma in Afrikan Feminism and Gender Studies from the University of South Africa. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in ICT Policy and Regulation at the University of Witwatersrand and is preparing to sit for the bar exams in 2023 with the Board of Legal Education in Namibia. 

Honourable Emma is currently awarded the Laureate in the Individual Category of the United Nations Population Award, 2022 and serves as a board member of the Leadership Council of Africa REACH. She has been recognised as the BBC 100 Most Influential Women in the World 2021, named as Avance Media 100 Most Influential Young Africans 2020 & 2021, named as the New African 100 Most influential Africans of 2020, Reputation Poll 100 Most Reputable Africans 2020 and named as the Emerging African Young Leader by the African Leadership Magazine 2022. 

Honourable Emma is currently a council member of Nala Feminist Collective where she is championing digital justice on the African continent. She was further nominated for the One Young World Politician of the Year Award 2020 & in 2021. In her current role, Honourable Emma plans to better communicate the activities and programs of the Government of the Republic of Namibia, create a more digitally literate nation, increase access to the internet among Namibians and assist in preparing the Namibian nation for the 4th Industrial Revolution. 

Secretary Ivan John E. Uy has an extensive career in the ICT industry and in public service. He specializes in information technology and its impact on law, justice, and governmental institutions.

He was a Hubert Humphrey Fellow under the Fulbright Program in University of Minnesota and a graduate of the College of Law, University of the Philippines. As a public servant, Secretary Uy served as Chairman of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, the predecessor of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. From 2011 to 2016, he led the formulation of the Philippine Digital Strategy. He also served as Chief Information/Technology Officer of the Judicial Branch, responsible for the overall technology strategy and implementation of the courts.

Born on December 11, 1982 in Moscow. 

In 2004 he graduated from the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, majoring in “Applied Mathematics and Computer Science”. 

In 2007, he completed his postgraduate studies at the Department of Mathematical Physics, Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, and in 2008 he was awarded the academic degree “Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences”. 

From 2008 to 2022, he held various positions in the international network of PricewaterhouseCoopers firms, progressing from an IT systems auditor to director of the artificial intelligence and data analytics practice. 

On October 31, 2022, by order of the Government of the Russian Federation appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation. 

Speaks English. 

Marsha Caddle is a Barbadian economist and public policy strategist who now serves as Barbados’ Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology.

A former Minister for Economic Affairs and Investment in Barbados from 2018-2022, she helped lead Barbados’ 2018 economic recovery programme, which saw the country’s depleted foreign reserves increase eightfold by the end of the term, and its debt and arrears fall by a third following an international and domestic debt restructuring. She was ministerial negotiator on climate finance for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) in 2021, introducing in the Glasgow Climate Pact the use of redistributed Special Drawing Rights for scaled up finance in climate vulnerable nations. She also led the first reform of physical planning and land use policy in over 50 years.

Her areas of work are climate & development finance and sustainable development; data and national statistics; poverty, inequality and human development; public investment, growth and competitiveness; and physical planning. She has led the Governance practice at the Caribbean Development Bank, managed the Poverty Reduction programme with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Economic Security and Rights programme of the then United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Caribbean Offices.

She is a pioneer economist in applying gender and macroeconomic policy frameworks to public finance in the Caribbean, and is a member of the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE) and the International Working Group on Gender, Macroeconomics and International Economics (GEM-IWG). Her work experience in economic policy and human development spans over 20 countries. She has written and spoken extensively on matters of equality and economic and climate justice.

In 2022, she founded The Bold Centre, a think-and-do tank that helps address global issues of just transition for developing populations, such as climate and technology.

Hon. Marsha Caddle M.P. is an elected Member of Parliament in the Barbados House of Assembly.

Lawyer, politician, and consultant. Pujals holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the Pontifical Catholic University Mother and Teacher (PUCMM). Pujals has a master’s degree in law and business management from the University of Palermo, Argentina. Additionally, Bartolomé holds a Master of Administrative Law from the Pontifical Catholic University Mother and Teacher of the Dominican Republic and a postgraduate degree in Constitutional Law, Constitutional Procedure, and Human Rights from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). Additionally, Pujals holds a postgraduate degree in Leadership for Senior Management in Public Administration from Barna Management School. 

Bartolomé Pujals is a former alumni of the Leadership in Trade Union and Community Impact Program, offered by the International Institute for Histradrut Leadership in Kfar Saba, Israel. He is also a graduate and former scholar of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in the Transparency and Accountability in Government program. Additionally, Pujals is alumni of the program on the Inter-American Human Rights System, organized by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, American University, Washington College of Law, the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice at the University of Texas, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. 

Pujals has served as a consultant on public policy matters for various national and international organizations. 

Currently, Bartolomé is the General Director of the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Innovation Cabinet, with honorary functions. 

Mr. Hassan Al-Sayed, the Minister’s advisor, has been the Assistant Undersecretary for the Information Technology Sector at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT). He has managed the government ICT sector to implement the strategic plan of the e-government program (Digital Government Strategy 2020).

With over than 30 years of experience in Information Technology, Supervision and Participation in Digital Transformation plans in government institutions, as well as his experience in developing and enhancing its efficiency and strategic plans. He has supervised the implementation of many large-scale national projects.

Mr. Hassan Al-Sayed chairs the General Assembly of Qatar Post. He is member of the Board of Directors of Malomatia, he worked in Ooredoo as Technical Support Manger, IT Department before his joining to MCIT. Mr. Hassan has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Essex in UK and a Diploma in Computer Sciences from Qatar University.

Mr. Hassan serves as an a chair of the AI Committee in the ministry of ICT, before that he was in charge of the implementation of the Digital Government Strategy and overseeing the implementation of many national ICT programs.Mr.Hassan carries a bachelor’s degree from the University of Essex in UK.

Mohamed El Hadi Hannachi: A Leader in Algeria’s Telecommunications Sector

Mohamed El Hadi Hannachi assumed the role of President of the Regulatory Authority of Post and Electronic Communications (ARPCE) of Algeria in February 2023. With a wealth of experience in the telecommunications industry, he has held various key positions within both fixed and mobile operators, showcasing his expertise in financial management, auditing, and administration.

Prior to his appointment at the Regulatory Authority, Mr. Hannachi served as the Chairman of the Amicable Settlement of Disputes Committee at Algérie Télécom starting in 2020. He also contributed as a Member of the Board of Directors and the Accounts Audit Committee at ATM/MOBILIS until February 2015, and as an advisor to the CEO of Algérie Télécom in 2017.

In September 2021, Mr. Hannachi was appointed as a Member of the National Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CNESE) and the Skills, Human Capital, and Digital Transformation Commission (CCHTN), further solidifying his commitment to shaping the future of Algeria’s telecommunications landscape.

Mohamed El Hadi Hannachi’s impressive career trajectory and dedication to the industry make him a prominent figure in the telecommunications sector of Algeria, driving innovation and progress in the digital realm.

Philip Marnick is the General Director of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). He was appointed early January 2022 by the Members of the Board, to assume the position, paving the way for a more effective regulatory framework by continuing the evolution of the telecom sector liberalization.

Mr. Marnick leads the TRA, including the development of consumer protection initiatives and resolving disputes. The TRA develops regulatory rules that promote competition, innovation, and investment in broadband services and facilities, as well as developing a more comprehensive and competitive framework that aligns with international best practices. Ensuring that Bahrain remains a center of innovation and that its telecommunications sector serves everyone while supporting Bahrain’s strategic objectives.

Before assuming his role at the TRA, Philip managed and directed at Ofcom in the UK, where he was the Group Director of Spectrum responsible for all aspects of UK national and international spectrum management – from strategy to delivery including awards, clearance and enforcement.

Mr. Marnick has worked in the telecommunications sector for over 30 years. He has served as a senior executive in technology, operations, and strategy. Mr. Marnick has worked in both start-ups (from inception to sale) and major corporations, in firms such as UK Broadband, O2, Orange, BT, J-Phone in Japan (now Softbank Mobile), Extreme Mobile, and SpinVox (now Nuance).

From analogue to 5G, he has engaged across every mobile generation. Throughout his carrier he has been at the forefront of industry developments – in both fixed and mobile. He has collaborated on the first deployments of mobile networks utilizing new technologies and standards, this has also included innovative products such as the first camera phone and photo messaging service, as well as mobile internet and hosted voice services.

Amanda leads Microsoft’s Responsible AI Public Policy team, which seeks to advance effective and interoperable public policy that helps Microsoft, our customers, and the world secure the benefits and establish guardrails to address the risks of AI. Before joining the Office of Responsible AI, Amanda led Microsoft’s Global Cybersecurity Policy team within its Customer Security and Trust division and authored several publications on cloud security, operational risk management, and critical infrastructure protection. Prior to joining Microsoft, Amanda focused on technology law and policy issues at Indiana University’s Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research, the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cyber Affairs, and Google and as a fellow of the Eric T. Werner Global Cybersecurity Policy Advancement program. Amanda has a BS in Journalism and International Studies from Northwestern University, an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford, and a JD from Indiana University. 

Deemah AlYahya is a Saudi digital economy expert and a tech diplomat who serves as the Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO).

AlYahya is the founding Secretary-General of the DCO since her election in April 2021. The DCO is the world’s first standalone intergovernmental global organization focusing on accelerating digital transformation and advancing digital economy, while empowering women and youth.

As the Secretary-General, AlYahya is an advisor, connecting heads of state, government ministers and private sector digital economy leaders together. She facilitates multilateral, multistakeholder digital cooperation to bridge the gap, bringing all digital economy key stakeholders to co-create and co-design high-impact initiatives leading to a world where every country, business, and person has a fair opportunity to prosper in an inclusive and sustainable digital economy. She has been spearheading various initiatives and projects across the globe to this end, keeping multilateral, multistakeholder cooperation as a pillar.

As a lifelong tech enthusiast with a passion for empowering women in the ICT sector, AlYahya founded Women Spark, a non-profit organization to enable developers, tech founders, and investors with the tools they need to grow, through training and mentorship.

AlYahya additionally serves on several boards, including Riyad Capital, SAIP – Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, SCAI – Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligency, and SAFSCP – The Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming.

AlYahya studied at King Saud University, graduating with a BA in Computer Science and Information Systems. She started her career at Samba financial institution as a software engineer, before joining Tadawul, the Saudi stock exchange. In both appointments she was a pioneer, as the first female IT professional in what was a male dominant environment at the time.

AlYahya moved to Microsoft in 2009, a dream she had nurtured since she was a child. Promoted to Executive Director of Developer Experience and Digital Innovation, she became the first Saudi woman in a leadership role at Microsoft, responsible for expanding the regional developer ecosystem and in empowering youth, women, and independent software vendors by providing the technology, skills and tools needed to evolve from job seekers to job creators. The opportunity led AlYahya to embark on cross-country initiatives, working with governments such as Singapore, South Korea, and the UK on their digital transformation strategies.

From 2016 to 2017, AlYahya led the development of Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation strategy as the CEO who established the National Digital Transformation Unit (NDU). It was at NDU that AlYahya realized how the growth of an inclusive digital economy can only be achieved through cross-border data flow and cooperation. She has launched several impact-driven initiatives, such as Saudi Codes, an initiative to help people learn how to use code, reaching over 1.2 million participants. She subsequently founded ALMTD Consulting to enable better private and public sector cooperation models within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to achieve positive digital transformation and respond to the fast-growing digital economy.

In 2018, AlYahya was recognized with the “Digital CEO of the Year” award by Entrepreneur Middle East magazine. AlYahya is a graduate of the INSEAD senior executive programs: International Directors Programme; Leading Digital Transformation & Innovation in the Age of Disruption; and Business Development & Financial Acumen. She also completed various programs at Harvard Business School, including Leading & Building a Culture of Innovation; and Disruptive Innovation: Strategies for a Successful Enterprise.

I have over 20 years of management experience, including 12+ years in policy implementation, regulatory efforts, strategy development, and risk management for both the public and private sectors, spanning business divisions throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

As a digital transformation and change management lead, I has a solid track record of successfully completing projects in the ICT, FMCG, and sustainable industries.

Conceptualized regulatory and compliance policy formulation and led project implementation with a special emphasis on the convergence of EU policies and EU competition law enforcement;

Led the implementation of business strategies for telecommunications services and technology operations. Successful and enthusiastic company executive with expertise in business analysis, process management, change management, and implementation management.

Compassionate and empathetic leader with outstanding communication, analytical, and time management abilities, as well as the ability to lead and motivate teams to achieve goals.

I hold an MBA from the University of Bradford School of Management and is currently pursuing an LL.M. in Competition Law and Economics at the Brussels School of Competition. Previously, she earned a master’s degree in physics as well as a postgraduate diploma in artificial intelligence and fuzzy logic.

Mustafa Yasin Sheikh is the Director General of the National Communications Authority of Somalia (NCA) since 19th November 2022. Prior to this nomination, he worked as the Deputy Director General of the National Communications Authority of Somalia (NCA) and a Member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Mustafa served as the Executive Director of the Somalia Network Information Centre (SONIC) – the Somalia DotSO (.so) ccTLD registry operator – between 2018 – 2021. Mustafa also worked as a senior policy advisor at the Ministry of Communications and Technology between 2017 and 2018. With over 15 years of experience in both private and public service management and leadership, Mustafa specialized in Internet governance, regulatory and policy analysis, Public-Private Partnership, and competition economics. During his years of work, he participated in several specialized workshops, meetings, forums, and associations worldwide.

Es abogado titulado de la Universidad Mayor de San Andrés y cuenta con una Maestría en Gerencia y Dirección de Empresas con Mención en Telecomunicaciones de la Universidad Camilo José Cela de Madrid – España, además de una segunda Maestría en Derecho Minero en la Cámara Minera del Perú y otros cursos de Postgrado en materia de minería, de telecomunicaciones, administrativa y de gerencia. 

Del 2006 al 2009 desempeñó funciones en la Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones – SITTEL, y desde el 2010 hasta el 2013 en el área legal de la Autoridad de Regulación y Fiscalización de Telecomunicaciones y Transportes – ATT. También cumplió funciones en la Autoridad Jurisdiccional Administrativa Minera – AJAM desde el 2013 al 2019, llegando asumir cargos ejecutivos como Asesor General, Coordinador Nacional, Director Jurídico a.i. y otros. 

En marzo de 2021 en reconocimiento a su trayectoria laboral y académica, es designado por el Presidente del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia, Luis Arce Catacora, como Director Ejecutivo de la Autoridad de Regulación y Fiscalización de Telecomunicaciones y Transportes (ATT), cargo desde el cual viene realizando un trabajo comprometido y genuino al servicio del pueblo boliviano. Finalmente, en la 25° Asamblea Plenaria del Foro Latinoamericano de Entes Reguladores en Telecomunicaciones – REGULATEL, realizado en Perú el 2022, fue elegido presidente para la gestión 2024, de este importante organismo internacional. 

Professor Konstantinos Masselos has been appointed as the President of the Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT) in February 2018 and his mandate has been renewed in February 2022.

He is Outgoing Chair/Vice Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) for 2024 and he was BEREC Chair for 2023 and Vice Chair for 2022 (Incoming Chair) and for 2019.

He is Professor in the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the University of Peloponnese and he served as Rector of the above University during the period 2012-2017.

From 2005 to 2008 he was a Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London. Also during the period 2010-2016 he was an Honorary Lecturer in the same Department.

From 2001-2004 he worked in the telecommunications industry.

Since 2005 he has been collaborating as an expert with various units of the European Commission. Also, he was member of the Scientific Committee of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) from 2015 to 2017.

Dino Dell’Accio is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), where he spearheads digital innovation initiatives through the responsible adoption of emerging technologies.

A recognized leader in ethical tech governance, Dell’Accio has pioneered the integration of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and biometric systems to enhance transparency, security, and operational efficiency across the Fund’s global operations.

His work establishes industry benchmarks for aligning cutting-edge tools with rigorous compliance frameworks, particularly through his leadership in achieving the ISO certification for the responsible and ethical use of AI—a first-of-its-kind accomplishment within the UN System and pension sector.  As a sought-after authority, he frequently addresses global audiences at premier scientific forums, where he shares insights on practical and secure applications of blockchain, biometrics, and AI in public-sector innovation.

Ambassador Ernst Noorman has a long career within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as within other ministries. Before taking up his new position as Ambassador at Large for Cyber Affairs one and a half month ago, he has served the past 13 years as ambassador for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Burkina Faso, Suriname, Afghanistan, and Colombia respectively.  

Before that he worked amongst others at the Ministry of Finance in the Euroteam, responsible for the introduction of the euro in the Netherlands, and for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations, where he was responsible for the financial negotiations leading to the constitutional changes of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

As a junior diplomat he has served in India and Tanzania. 

Ambassador Noorman obtained his master’s degree in economics at the University of Amsterdam, the city where he was born and presently is living with his wife.   

Dr. Ulrike Tagscherer is the Chief Innovation Officer at KUKA since May 2019 after joining KUKA in 2017. From 2015 until 2017 she was Deputy Department Head for Business Model Innovation at Fraunhofer Headquarters in Munich, Germany. There she was responsible for an internal accelerator for Fraunhofer researchers to create their own startup. Prior to this she spent 7 years as an innovation systems researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research in Karlsruhe, Germany.  

From 2000 to 2008 Dr. Ulrike Tagscherer worked in the Department for International Business Development at Fraunhofer Headquarters and was heading several offices in different Asian countries. 

Mr Metzger became IEC Secretary-General and CEO on 1 February 2020. Prior to joining IEC, he was Director-General of the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). Mr Metzger was also previously Deputy to the Director of the Development Bureau at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Director of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Trained as a lawyer, Mr Metzger has issued several publications on the World Trade Organization (WTO) and competition law.

The Secretary-General is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission and is responsible for its day-to-day operations.

Born in Geneva in 1988 in a large family, Delphine Bachmann obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing in 2011. She worked both at the Geneva University Hospitals and in oncology at Clinique des Grangettes, as well as a lecturer at the Higher School of Health Sciences. In 2016, she obtained an Executive MBA with a specialisation in Risk Management. She became Administrative Director of Clinique des Grangettes’ Breast Centre in 2018. After the Clinique became part of Hirslanden Group in 2020, she became a member of the Geneva campus’ General Management and Head of several departments. Meanwhile, she was elected member of Geneva’s Great Council from 2017 to 2023 and sat on several boards of directors and boards of foundations, particularly in the healthcare sector. In 2023, she was elected State Councillor in charge of the Department of Economy and Labour. 

Chris Albon is the Director of Machine Learning at the Wikimedia Foundation. Before that, Chris was the Director of Data Science in three previous roles and founded Yonder AI. He has worked in mission-driven technology companies and nonprofits for over ten years, including disaster relief, healthcare, humanitarian aid, anti-corruption, conservation, and free knowledge. Chris has a Ph.D. in quantitative political science from the University of California, Davis. 

Seizo Onoe took office as Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023.

Before his election as TSB Director by ITU Member States, he completed an over 30-year career with Japanese mobile operator NTT DOCOMO. In 2021, he became Executive Vice President and Chief Standardization Strategy Officer for the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corporation and a Fellow of NTT DOCOMO, INC. From 2017, he served as NTT DOCOMO’s Chief Technology Architect and President of its subsidiary DOCOMO Technology.

Between 2012 and 2017, he served as NTT DOCOMO’s Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, a Member of the Board of Directors, and Managing Director of R&D Innovation Division. Earlier, he served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of NTT DOCOMO’s R&D Strategy Department and Managing Director of the company’s Radio Network Development Department.

As TSB Director, he heads the part of ITU responsible for the coordination of technical standards and collaborative standardization processes that enable the interconnection and interoperability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) worldwide.

Mr Onoe is committed to facilitating open and inclusive standardization processes, along with promoting digital technologies to address global issues, building a new ecosystem that reflects evolving technologies, and strengthening cooperation and collaboration in ICT standardization worldwide.

Known in the industry as “the father of LTE” (Long-Term Evolution), he helped upgrade the wireless broadband standard for mobile devices and networks. He now aims for global outreach to bridge standardization gaps, deliver the benefits of technology widely and speedily, and ensure meaningful and affordable broadband access for everyone.

Mr Onoe holds a Master’s degree in electronics from the Kyoto University Graduate School of Engineering.

Aza is a National Geographic Explorer and co-founder of Earth Species Project, an international nonprofit dedicated to using AI to decode animal communication and transform how human beings relate to the rest of nature. He is also the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, working to align technology with humanity’s best interests. He was an architect and subject of the documentary The Social Dilemma, and is the co-host for the popular podcast Your Undivided Attention. Trained as a mathematician and dark matter physicist, he has taken three companies from founding to acquisition, has been a co-chairing member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Al, briefs heads of state, and helped found Mozilla Labs, in addition to being named FastCompany’s Master of Design, and listed on Forbes and Inc Magazines 30-under-30. 

Melinda Claybaugh is a Director of Privacy Policy at Meta. She works to achieve Meta’s vision of globally-consistent privacy and data regulations that protect people’s data while enabling innovation—by driving advocacy on specific legislative proposals, while also helping design policy solutions for complicated or novel issues, including AI and immersive technology. She has represented Meta at various international convenings, including the OECD and the IGF, as well as regularly advocating with government stakeholders around the world. She previously spent 12 years at the Federal Trade Commission, where she worked in the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection on enforcement actions related to consumer. Melinda later joined the FTC’s Office of International Affairs, where she specialized in international digital policy. She represented the United States in discussions at the OECD, the UN, and in APEC, where she helped design global frameworks to enhance consumer privacy protections and strengthen enforcement cooperation among data protection authorities.

Karim Bibi Triki is the Minister of Post and Telecommunications of Algeria since july 2021.

Before, he was the CEO of Group Telecom Algerie, main Telecom Group in Algeria.

Previousely, he worked for Intel Corporation from 2009 to 2020 and held many responsiblities including Country Manager at Intel responsible for Egypt, Levant and North Africa countries.

Before joining Intel, Karim started his career in 1992 at Alfatron Electronic Industries (OEM) as System Architect responsible for the design of motherboards and computer systems, then Director of Engineering & Development, and President & CEO for the last 9 years at Alfatron.

GOBIND SINGH DEO was appointed as the Minister of the newly-established Ministry of Digital in December 2023.

He has served as Minister of Communications and Multimedia from May 2018 until February 2020. In that time, he pushed for reforms in various sectors such as making broadband more affordable and accessible, media freedom, transitioning national broadcaster Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) into the digital era, and enhancing the country’s digital connectivity through 5G.

Gobind holds a law degree from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom and is a Barrister of Lincoln’s Inn. He was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1996, and was one of the country’s leading criminals, constitutional and human rights lawyers, having led on a number of high-profile cases.

After obtaining her Baccalaureate in Scientific Series (Bac E) in 2000 at the Lycée Technique d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Mrs. Aminata ZERBO/SABANE continued her studies at the Ecole Supérieure d’Informatique (Burkina Faso) where she obtained her Diploma in Computer Engineering / Programmer Analyst Option in 2003, then the Diploma in Computer Design Engineering in 2006. After a brief professional stopover, Mrs. ZERBO/SABANE returned to training after obtaining an enrollment at the École Polytechnique de Montréal in Canada from where she obtained a PhD in Computer Engineering in 2015.

Having become a Doctor of Engineering in Computer Science, Ms. Aminata ZERBO/SABANE is back in Faso where she joined Joseph Ki-ZERBO University in 2017 as a Lecturer-Researcher in Computer Science. Since then, Doctor ZERBO/SABANE has been strongly committed to the training and supervision of students. She is co-initiator and deputy coordinator of the university digital incubator Incub@UO which supports the maturation of students’ startup projects.

Dr. ZERBO/SABANE has a rich professional career, having held various positions of responsibility in both public and private administration.

Indeed, she was Security Manager at ZAIN (now Orange Burkina), responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring of IT security policies and procedures, raising employee awareness of IT security from June 2008 to July 2009, then Programmer Analyst at SONABEL from January to April 2008, and IT manager at the Diplomatic and International Relations Institute (IDRI) from 2006 to 2007. Doctor ZERBO/SABANE was from January 2016 to October 2017, Head of Training and Projects at the AvePLUS Training and Incubation Center.

Within the public administration, from 2018 to 2021, she was Technical Secretary, responsible for coordinating the work of experts in charge of strategic analyses and studies on digital technology at the Ministry in charge of Digital Transition. Since 2020, she has been Head of the “Ecosystem and Digital Transformation” budget program, responsible for monitoring and coordinating national-scale projects on the digital transition, and since April 2021, Director General of the National Agency for the Promotion of Information and Communication Technologies (ANPTIC). In this capacity, Ms. ZERBO/SABANE played a central role in the coordination of major structuring projects in the sector, including the e-Burkina project, the ICT Development Support Project (PADTIC) and the single identification project for regional integration and inclusion in West Africa (WURI).

Ms. Aminata ZERBO/SABANE is also involved in professional and scientific associations. She is a member of IEEE Burkina (International Learned Society for Research in Electronic and Computer Systems) and RECIF (Network of Computer Science Teachers and Researchers of Burkina Faso).

An expert in the maturation of digital innovation projects and digital transformation (strategic analyses and studies), Ms. Aminata ZERBO/SABANE, who has just been appointed Minister of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications, is no stranger to the digital ecosystem of Burkina Faso.

Hon. Mohamed Adam Moalim has a distinguished career in public service, marked by significant roles in Somalia’s governmental landscape. Currently serving as a Member of the Federal Parliament of Somalia in the House of the People, he holds a pivotal position in shaping the nation’s policies and governance. With extensive experience in key ministerial positions within the Federal Government of Somalia, including Minister of Livestock, Forestry & Range, and Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction & Housing, he has demonstrated leadership prowess and a deep understanding of governance and policymaking. His journey in public service is complemented by valuable insights gained from his tenure in the private sector, where he acquired practical experience before transitioning into politics. Additionally, his dedication to humanitarian efforts, as evidenced by his involvement with organizations such as the Welfare Projects Society and local NGOs, underscores his commitment to serving the community. With a master’s degree in Business Administration from MAHSA University, Malaysia, and specialized diplomas from institutions like ALISON, Ireland, Hon. Mohamed Adam Mo’alim is equipped with a solid educational foundation. His proficiency in languages including Somali, English, and Arabic further enhances his ability to engage with diverse stakeholders on both national and international levels. Throughout his career, Hon. Mohamed Adam Mo’alim has demonstrated a track record of strategic thinking, leadership, and a steadfast commitment to public service. As he assumes the position of Minister of Communications and Technology on April 17th, 2024, Hon. Mohamed Adam Mo’alim brings a wealth of expertise and a visionary outlook focused on harnessing digital innovation to drive Somalia towards heightened advancement and technological empowerment.

Dr. Kang Dohyun has been appointed a Vice Minister and the Head of the Office of ICT Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT(MSIT) of the Republic of Korea in February 2024, and is focusing on promoting rights-oriented digital innovation as a follow-up to the recently announced the “Digital Bill of Rights”, a blueprint of a digital society of mutual prosperity. As the Minister and the Head of the Office of ICT Policy of the MSIT, Dr. Kang is responsible for developing policies to promote digital innovation and secure key digital capabilities, including artificial intelligence, software and data, and supporting the growth of emerging digital industries, including metaverse, blockchain and AI semiconductors. Before he served as the Vice Minister, Dr. Kang joined the Korean Civil Service in 1994 and has gained a wide range of experience and expertise. In 2015-2016, he led the Software Policy Division, and the ICT Policy Coordination Division as the Director. Dr. Kang served as the Director General in 2019-2021, where he covered the Software Policy, Artificial Intelligence Policy, and ICT Policy Bureau. He obtained his Doctor’s degree in Technology, Management, Economics and Policy Program, in Seoul National University in 2013. Prior to this, he graduated from Seoul National University with a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Affairs in 1995 and earned a Master’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering from the Colorado State University, USA, in 2005.

PhD in Economics from ISEG, Universidade Clássica de Lisboa;

Master in Management and Industrial Strategy by the ISEG, Universidade Clássica de Lisboa;

Degree in Economics from Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique, Porto.

Professional and academic experience:

Senior Advisor at Centro de Competências de Planeamento, de Prospetiva e Políticas da Administração Pública (the Competence Centre for Planning, Policy and Foresight in Public Administration), since November 2021;

Advisor at Centro de Competências Jurídicas do Estado (the State Centre for Legal Skills) and Coordinator of Unidade Técnica de Avaliação de Impacto Legislativo (the Technical Unit for Legislative Impact Assessment) between December 2016 and November 2021;

Member of Conselho Superior de Estatística (the Statistical Council) between November 2020 and December 2022 and member of the OECD Regulatory Policy Committee bureau since January 2021;

Representative in various international organisations for “Better Regulation” and Chairman of the European Council Working Group on “Better Regulation” during the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union;

Economist at Autoridade da Concorrência (the Competition Authority) between 2004 and 2016, where he was Deputy Director of the Restrictive Practices Department and Senior Economist in the Public Policy Evaluation Unit and the Regulated Markets and State Aid Department;

Associate Professor at the School of Economics and Organisational Sciences of Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias;

Visiting Professor at several higher education institutions, namely the Institute for Economic, Financial and Tax Law (IDEFF) and the Institute for Legal and Political Sciences (ICPJ) of the School of Law of Universidade de Lisboa, as well as at NOVA IMS;

Researcher at Centro de Investigação em Direito Europeu, Económico, Financeiro e Fiscal (the Centre for Research in European, Economic, Financial and Tax Law);

Researcher of the FCT research project “LegImpact – Legislative production as a means of implementing public policies: quantitative analysis and socio-economic impact”;

Dr. Makara KHOV is currently serves as secretary of state at the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia (MPTC). He also serves as Chairman of trustee board of Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT), Vice-Chairman of Capacity Building Research and Development Fund (CBRD), Vice-Chairman of Universal Service Obligation Fund (USO), Member trustee board of Techo Startup Center (TSC).
He received respectively, Engineer Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), Master and Ph.D Degree in Automation and Decisional Computing from the Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT). He has worked as lecturer, researcher, Chairman of Trustee Board of Telecom Cambodia (TC), policy maker in the field of telecommunication and ICT.

Job Experience

1. 2021-Present Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – ICT Minister

2. 2019-2021 Judiciary of Islamic Republic of Iran – Head of Statistics and Information Technology Center

3. 2006-2011 Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance – Founder and President of the Center for the Development of Information  Technology and Digital Media

4. 2006-2009 High Council of Information Technology – Member of the Strategic Commission

5. 2017-Present Iran University of Science and Technology – Faculty Member

Education

1. 2016-2018 Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

   Post-doctoral Research Fellow – Computer Engineering – New Generation of Computer Networks – Biological Data Analysis

2. 2015-2016 New South Wales University, Sydney, Australia

   Post-doctoral Research Fellow – Computer Engineering – New Generation of Computer Network

3. 2012-2015 New South Wales University, Sydney, Australia

   Ph.D. Computer Engineering – Thesis Title: Efficient communication protocols for wireless nanoscale sensor networks

4. 2004-2006 Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

   M.Sc. Computer Engineering – Dissertation Title: An Intrusion Detection System for Mobile Ad Hoc networks

5. 1999-2003 Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

   B.Sc. Computer Engineering

H.E. Bassam S. Hussein is a distinguished leader in Iraq’s telecommunications sector. Since 2020, he has effectively steered the Communications and Media Commission of Iraq as Head of Commissioners, emphasizing strategic policy-making and technological integration. He earned his Master of Science in Computer Science in 2022, further solidifying his technical proficiency. 

From 2018 to 2020, Mr. Hussein served as the General Director of the Communication Department at the Ministry of Communications, overseeing Iraq’s telecommunications infrastructure, including the data gateway at the country’s borders. His leadership enhanced the nation’s communication capabilities and ensured robust, secure connectivity. 

Simultaneously, from 2017 to 2020, he held the role of General Director of the Iraqi General Company for Post and Savings at the Ministry of Communications. In this position, Mr. Hussein spearheaded significant digital initiatives, modernizing the financial services landscape and driving the digital transformation agenda forward. 

Prior to these roles, he was a member of the Management Council of the Communications and Information Company from 2015 to 2017. During this period, he played a key role in shaping national communication strategies, aligning them with global technological advancements and ensuring their effective implementation across the nation. His expertise in cloud computing has been pivotal in adapting advanced technologies to improve service delivery and efficiency across the nation. 

Her Excellency Madame Léocadie Ndacyisaba was appointed Minister by Decree No. 100/26/of November 18, 2021, and she is responsible for leading the Government of Burundi’s policies in the fields of Telecoms/ICT, Communication, Media, and Posts. Since assuming office, H.E. Madame Léocadie Ndacyisaba has advocated for and successfully concluded with the Government and both chambers of the national Parliament the “Support Project for the Foundations of the Digital Economy in Burundi – PAFEN-” with technical and financial support from the World Bank: a flagship project that will lay the sustainable foundations for a Burundian society based on knowledge, an information society, and a competitive digital economy supported by universal and inclusive access to broadband infrastructure. Excellence Madame Léocadie Ndacyisaba fluently speaks Kirundi, French, understands and speaks English and Swahili. 

Christopher Burns is the Chief Digital Development Officer (CDDO) for USAID and the Director for the Technology Division within the Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub.

In the CDDO role, he coordinates and tracks programmatic Digital Development investments across the Agency; represents USAID’s programmatic digital technology work across the interagency and with external stakeholders and partners; and guides the adaptation of the Agency’s programs as the digital landscape evolves. He also chairs the Digital Sector Council that meets monthly with representatives from across USAID’s bureaus and independent offices to discuss and coordinate on Digital Development programming.

In the role of Director for Technology, Christopher leads technical teams focused on Digital Finance, Development Informatics, Digital Inclusion, Emerging Technology such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and advanced data and geospatial analysis, and the role they play in driving an inclusive digital economy. In his more than twelve years with USAID, he has spearheaded and served as technical lead for a number of public-private partnerships, including the Digital Impact Alliance, the GSMA Connected Women Program and the Alliance for Affordable Internet. He also spearheaded USAID’s first-ever Digital Strategy released in April 2020.

Prior to USAID, Christopher spent nearly ten years with the Peace Corps, as Program and Training Officer for Peace Corps/Niger, Country Desk Officer for Central Asia, and Agroforestry Advisor in Ghana. He has supervisory and management experience and technical background in digital technology, natural resources management, agroforestry, food security, gender equality, and solar power design/installation. All told, he has 25 years of international development experience, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, including 6.5 years living on the continent.

Christopher holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development and Environmental Management from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York and a Master of Science in Development Management from American University in Washington, DC. 

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the first woman and first African to hold the position in the 80-year history of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the WTO.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is an economist and international development expert with more than 40 years of experience. She was Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (2016–2020), the African Union’s African Risk Capacity Group (2014–2020), and Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate with Lord Nicholas Stern (2014-2020). She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Rockefeller Foundation. She co-chaired the G20 High Level Independent Panel on Financing for Pandemic Preparedness and was one of the founders of the COVAX Facility, designed to get affordable vaccines to Low and Low Middle-Income Countries. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum and is co-chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. She is also a member of the G30 Group of top 30 people in International Finance and a council member of the Prince of Wales’s Earthshot Prize.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, a post she held for seven years in two terms. She also served briefly as the first female Foreign Affairs Minister. As Finance Minister, she implemented policy and institutional reforms to help fight corruption and she spearheaded the complete write off by the Paris Club of $30 billion of Nigeria’s debt. She spent a 25-year career at the World Bank, rising to the number two position of Managing Director, Operations. Previously Dr Okonjo-Iweala, among other duties, served as Senior Advisor at Lazard Ltd. and sat on the boards of Standard Chartered Bank PLC and Twitter Inc. She served in 2020 as African Union COVID-19 Special Envoy as well as World Health Organization COVID 19 Special Envoy.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the recipient of numerous honors and accolades. In 2023, she was awarded the Lord Byron International Prize from the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism and the Global Economy Prize from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. In 2022, she obtained the Global Leadership Award by the American Academy of Achievement.  In 2021, she received a Global Leadership Award from the United Nations Foundation as a “Champion for Global Change”. She was inducted as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019 and featured in the Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers in 2011 and 2012. She has also been listed among 73 “brilliant” business influencers in the world by Condé Nast International. Dr Okonjo-Iweala was named in 2014 and again in 2021, one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the world. She was also featured on the TIME magazine cover page in 2021. She has been named seven times by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World and in 2020, was named Forbes African of the Year. In 2021, she was named by Financial Times as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in the World and in 2015 she was ranked by Fortune as one of the 50 Greatest World Leaders.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is also the recipient of Nigeria’s second highest National Honor Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON)-2022. She was awarded national honours by the governments of the Republic of Liberia and the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire in 2016. She also received the Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco from the Federative Republic of Brazil in 2023. In 2024, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was honored with the Collar of the Order of Timor Leste, the country’s second highest honor.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the recipient of 21 honorary degrees from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Trinity College – Dublin, University of Amsterdam, Luiss University – Italy, American University – USA, Nyenrode Business University, Obafemi Awolowo University and Nile University of Nigeria. She is distinguished visiting fellow at Brookings and a Global Public Leader at Harvard Kennedy School.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the author of several books, including Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons co-authored with Julia Gillard (Penguin Random House, July 2020), Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines (MIT Press, 2018), Reforming the UnReformable: Lessons from Nigeria, (MIT Press, 2012), and The Debt Trap in Nigeria: Towards a Sustainable Debt Strategy (Africa World Press, 2003). She also co-authored with Tijan Sallah the book Chinua Achebe: Teacher of Light (Africa World Press, 2003). She has also published numerous articles including, Why the World Still Needs Trade (Foreign Affairs, August 2023, Editors’ Top Pick 2023), Finding A Vaccine is Only the First Step (Foreign Affairs, April 2020), Mobilizing Finance for Education in the Commonwealth (Commonwealth Education Report 2019), Shine a Light on the Gaps — an essay on financial inclusion for African Small Holder Farmers (Foreign Affairs, 2015), Funding the SDGs: Licit and Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries (Horizons Magazine, 2016).

Dr Okonjo-Iweala holds a Bachelor’s in Economics (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard University and a PhD in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

My name is Christina Frohn and in my role as Executive Partner I am leading the Enterprise Strategy & AI Value team for IBM Consulting in DACH. I collaborate with leaders at every level to guide digital transformations with (Generative) AI. With over 11 years of experience in strategy consulting in several different industries, I help our clients at IBM Consulting to unlock AI Value with our “hybrid by design” approach, design future-ready operating model design, bring in latest customer experiences, and enable organisations to adapt with the necessary change management in large transformations. 

Budi Arie Setiadi is an Indonesian politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle who became the Minister of Communication and Informatics on 17 July 2023. He became a minister after the previous minister, Johnny G. Plate was involved in a corruption case. Setiadi was previously the Deputy Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration and a leading member of President Joko Widodo’s campaign team in 2014 and 2019.

Mr. He Biao, aged 52, is the President of China Mobile Communications Group Co.,Ltd.., in charge of the operation of the Company. He is also the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of China Mobile Limited , and joined the Board of Directors in April 2024.  

Mr. He had successively served as a deputy general manager and general manager of Guangdong Branch of China United Network Communications Corporation Limited, a vice general manager of China United Network Communications Group Company Limited, senior vice president of China United Network Communications Limited (listed in Shanghai), senior vice president of China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited (listed in Hong Kong), a director and senior vice president of China United Network Communications Corporation Limited, and chairman of China Unicom Online Information Technology Company Limited.  

Mr. He graduated from Xiangtan University in 1993 and received a doctorate degree in business administration from Grenoble Ecole de Management, France in 2016. He has many years’ experience and expertise in the information and communications technology industry. 

Sister Raffaella Petrini, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist religious congregation, was appointed as Secretary-General of the Governorate of Vatican City State by Pope Francis in November 2021.

A native of Rome, Italy, Sr. Petrini holds a degree in political science from the “Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli (LUISS)”, a Master of Organizational Behavior degree from the University of Hartford, and a doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), where she taught Welfare Economics and Sociology of Economic Processes at the Faculty of Social Sciences. She has served as an official at the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples since 2005. Since 2022 she is also a member of the Dicastery for Bishops and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA)

Ms. Mary Mungai is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) having been appointed to the position on 2nd December 2022. As Chairperson of the Board, Ms. Mungai provides strategic direction and governance oversight, to position The Authority to be a world class regulator.

She is an experienced Chief Executive Offi cer with over 30 years of success in multiple businesses spanning the hospitality, customs, real estate and general trading.

Over the years, she has gained wide experience in strategic leadership, fi nancial management, business operations & strategy, and risk management, evidenced in her ability to steer companies to unprecedented growth, profi tability, and market dominance.

As a transformative leader, Ms. Mungai is currently spearheading revolutionary initiatives to catalyze digital transformation, and deepening connectivity to broadband and mobile services to unserved and underserved part s of the country. She is a fi rm believer in the transformative power of ICTs which are now at the forefront in powering Africa’s digital economy and socio-economic development. In recognition of her distinguished service to the nation, Ms. Mungai was feted with the Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS) award by the President of Kenya, H.E. Dr. William Ruto in 2023.

Claudia Reinprecht has served in the Austrian Foreign Ministry since March 2004. After diplomatic postings in Vienna, Brussels, Amman, Hong Kong & Macao and Paris (UNESCO), Ms. Reinprecht has served as Deputy Director and head of division responsible for all external dimensions for transport and connectivity, telecommunications, digital, tech and innovation diplomacy since September 2022.  

She is the focal point of the Austrian MFA in digital and tech diplomacy, covering the broad range of issues on digital and tech cooperation on the global level, inter alia at UNESCO (AI, quantum, digital/ internet governance) the UN in Geneva (ITU, UNCTAD/CSTD) and New York (Global Digital Compact, UN Tech Envoy), EU (digital diplomacy/external dimensions of digital diplomacy), the OECD (Global Tech Forum) and Council of Europe (Convention on AI) level. Furthermore, Ms Reinprecht serves Austria’s focal point for the EU Digital Diplomacy Network and is in charge for the coordination within the federal government of Austria of the EU connectivity initiative “Global Gateway”. She is also the representative of the Austrian MFA in the Austrian advisory board on networks and telecommunications security, established inter alia to advise on the implementation of the EU 5 G toolbox for cyber security; and in the Austrian AI Policy Forum, an inter-ministerial body tasked with the supervision of the implementation of Austria’s national strategy on AI. She has been appointed as an advisory member of the Advisory Council on Ethics of AI, established by the Austrian National Commission to advise on the implementation of UNESCO’s recommendation on the ethics of AI. She has founded the national committee on Futures Literacy and Foresight in Austria, together with the Austrian Ministry of Science.  

Having studied in Salzburg/Austria and Salamanca/Spain, Ambassador Reinprecht acquired a masters and PhD degree in law. Prior to her entry into the Austrian diplomatic service, she had specialized in international public law, international criminal law and refugee law. In addition, she acquired a General Executive MBA-post-graduate degree from the Austrian Business School LIMAK in Linz in 2013. 

During her diplomatic career, she has worked on a broad range of issues ranging from multilateral work with international organizations, in particular the United Nations, including on human rights, international humanitarian law and minority rights issues, EU and economic relations to European third countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, as well as with the EFTA/EEA, and to international justice and home affairs, including fight against human trafficking, terrorism and organized crime.  

Mme Fatou Binetou NDIAYE BIOGRAPHIE PROFESSIONNELLE Haut fonctionnaire de hiérarchie A1 Spécial de l’Administration du Sénégal, Mme Fatou Binetou NDIAYE est actuellement Secrétaire général du Ministère de la Communication, des Télécommunications et du Numérique.

Au titre de formation, Mme Fatou Binetou NDIAYE, est diplômée d’un Master en Relations Internationales de l’Université Cheikh Anta DIOP de Dakar, Faculté des Sciences juridiques et politiques.

Elle est aussi titulaire d’un diplôme de fin d’études de l’Ecole nationale d’Administration et de Magistrature (ENAM) devenue Ecole nationale d’Administration (ENA) et Centre de Formation Judiciaire (CFJ), sanctionnant sa formation de Magistrat.

Après douze (12) ans de pratique juridictionnelle au Tribunal de Grande Instance Hors Classe de Dakar, en tant juge civil, administratif, commercial, pénal, référés…, elle a été détachée au Ministère des Finances et du Budget en qualité d’adjoint de l’Agent judiciaire de l’Etat du Sénégal.

Mariée et mère de six (06) enfants, a aussi occupé le poste de Directrice de Cabinet de septembre à Décembre 2023 avant d’être nommée Secrétaire général du Ministère de la Communication, des Télécommunications et de l’Economie numérique.

A ce titre, elle assiste le Ministre dans l’élaboration, la mise en œuvre et le suivi de la politique du département définie par le Président de la République. Elle est chargée, notamment de la coordination administrative et technique des activités des différents services et en assure le bon fonctionnement.

Madame Rose Pola Pricemou est née à Fria, en Guinée, de parents aux professions respectives d’ingénieur et de sage-femme. Elle a suivi sa scolarité primaire et secondaire, ainsi qu’une partie de ses études secondaires à Fria, obtenant finalement son baccalauréat en sciences mathématiques au lycée Sainte Marie de Conakry. Lauréate au baccalauréat, elle a bénéficié d’une bourse de la coopération guinéo-tunisienne pour poursuivre ses études. 

Elle a obtenu une maîtrise en informatique appliquée à la Gestion de l’université du 7 novembre à Carthage en Tunisie, puis a poursuivi ses études au Canada, décrochant un master en recherche informatique à l’université de Montréal en 2008. En plus de ses réalisations académiques, elle a obtenu une maîtrise en administration des affaires spécialisée en gestion des technologies de l’information de l’université Laval au Québec en 2010. 

Après ses études, Rose Pola Pricemou a travaillé pendant 10 ans dans diverses structures privées et gouvernementales, dont le groupe Industrielle Alliance aux États-Unis. Par la suite, elle a orienté sa carrière vers le secteur gouvernemental, notamment au ministère canadien du Transport, de la Culture, de la Communication et des Conditions Féminines au Québec. 

En 2021, elle est devenue ministre de l’Information et de la Communication en Guinée, puis a occupé successivement les postes de Ministre du Commerce, de l’Industrie et des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises en 2022, Ministre du Plan et de la Coopération Internationale en novembre 2022 et Ministre des Postes des Télécommunications et de l’Économie Numérique en 2024. 

Shaza Fatima Khawaja is a Pakistani politician who is the current Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication, in office since 12 March 2024. She has been a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since June 2013 and previously served as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs with the status of Minister of State.

Mayra Arevich Marín, is a Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Minister of Communications of the Republic of Cuba. 

Previously, she served as Executive President of the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA). 

Previously he assumed multiple responsibilities within the company. He was Head of the Metropolitan Regional Management and Supervision Center with the mission of guaranteeing the management and intervention of the communications networks in the city of Havana. 

She held the position of Deputy Chief Manager of the Regional Management Supervision Center and later assumed the position of Branch Manager of the Havana City Network and was promoted to Vice President of Havana City. 

She obtained a Master’s Degree in Telematic Engineering at the “José Antonio Echevarría” University of Technology of Havana and a Diploma in Public Administration at the Higher School of State and Government Cadres. 

He was born in 1966 in Havana, Cuba. He has one daughter 

Julissa Cruz Abreu is the Executive Director of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), since August 19, 2020, designated by its Board of Directors.

Telecommunications expert with more than 20 years at the service of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), the regulatory body of telecommunications in the Dominican Republic, where she has served, among other positions, as Director of International Relations, Compliance Commissioner, dependency of the Board of Directors and Head of the Regulation Department, where she was an active part in the initiatives and preparation of the current regulatory framework and led, from that position, the implementation of number portability in 2009.

Currently, under the mandate of the Board of Directors, she is leading the technical team of the regulatory body that is executing various transformation projects in the telecommunications sector, such as the National Broadband Plan for the Dominican Republic, the Radioelectric Spectrum Tender for the deployment of fifth-generation Networks, the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Television and the drafting of the new Information and Communication Technology Law of the Dominican Republic.

She worked in the area of Regulation of Operators of the National Commission of Markets and Competition of Spain and has participated as a speaker in international conferences on Number Portability, Spectrum Management, Price Regulation in Telecommunications, Gender Equity and Inclusion in ICT. She has advised Central American regulators in their implementation processes of Number Portability, participating, in turn, as a teacher and speaker in multiple seminars, workshops and courses on telecommunications regulation.

She has a degree in Accounting from the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo, has a Master’s Degree in Corporate Finance from the same university, also specializing in Regulatory Economics at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa, Regulation of Public Services at the National University of Córdoba, Argentina and Price Regulation in the Telecommunications Industry at the CEDET foundation, Madrid, Spain.​

Computer Engineer by training, Cabral has been serving Cape Verde for almost two decades, particularly in the areas of Electronic Governance and Development of Innovation Ecosystem and Technological Entrepreneurship.

As team leader at the Software Factory of the Operational Core for the Information Society of Cape Verde (NOSi), Cabral contributes directly to the development and upgrade of structuring solutions for Electronic Governance, namely the Integrated Management and Dissemination Platform for Electoral Results and the Integrated Planning and Resource Management Platform for the Government (IGRP Framework), solutions that earned Cape Verde the 1st Prize for Innovation in the African Public Sector (3rd edition of AAPSIA), in the category “Innovation in Government Systems and Processes”.

In the last 5 years, it has played a central role in the development of the Technological Innovation Ecosystem, leading the Cabo Verde Digital program, a Government initiative created to promote the emergence of Startups through talent development, community building, and market creation.

Similarly, in 2022, as the Acting Director-General of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, he/she was part of the team that developed the “Digital Strategy of Cape Verde,” the foundation upon which the vision “Cape Verde, a technological platform country” is built.

Dr. Seth Center is Deputy Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology. Previous government service includes as a member of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff where he helped develop the Department’s cyberspace and emerging technology strategic framework, and as senior advisor to the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence where he led the writing of the commission’s final report. Center also served as Director for National Security Strategy and History on the White House’s National Security Council staff, and as an historian on the NSC staff and for the State Department. Outside of government, he was most recently a senior advisor at the Special Competitive Studies Project, and prior to that was a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Center received his PhD from the University of Virginia and BA from Cornell University.

Alan Davidson leads NTIA, the President’s principal advisor on telecommunications and information policy. As NTIA Administrator, Alan oversees a federal agency with more than 500 employees working to close the digital divide, manage federal spectrum resources, and build a better Internet. 

Alan has spent the last 25 years working at the intersection of Internet technology, public policy, and the law. In his roles in government, public interest groups, and companies, Alan has focused on how society makes choices about the technologies we build. 

Before joining NTIA, Alan worked at Mozilla Foundation, a global nonprofit that promotes openness, innovation and participation on the Internet. As Mozilla’s Vice President of Global Policy, Trust and Security, he led public policy and privacy teams promoting an open Internet and a healthy web. Alan served in the Obama-Biden Administration as the first Director of Digital Economy at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He started Google’s public policy office in Washington, D.C., and as Director of Public Policy, led government relations and policy in North and South America for seven years until 2012. 

Alan has been a long-time leader in the Internet nonprofit community, serving as Director of New America’s Open Technology Institute where he worked to promote equitable broadband access and adoption. As Associate Director of the Center for Democracy and Technology, Alan was an advocate for civil liberties and human rights online in some of the earliest Internet policy debates. 

He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Yale Law School, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. 

Follow Alan on Twitter: @DavidsonNTIA 

Eileen Donahoe serves as Special Envoy and Coordinator for Digital Freedom in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP). 

Previously, Dr. Donahoe served as the Executive Director of the Global Digital Policy Incubator at Stanford University, a multistakeholder collaboration hub focused on implications of digital technology for democracy and human rights. She served as the first US Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva during the Obama Administration. After leaving government, she was Director of Global Affairs at Human Rights Watch where she represented the organization worldwide on human rights foreign policy, with a special focus on internet governance and digital security. 

Dr. Donahoe is a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Democracy; the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College. She also served on Microsoft’s Human Rights and Technology Advisory Board; the Independent Advisory Council of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism; the Board of Advisors for the Carnegie Council Artificial Intelligence and Equality Initiative; and the Freedom Online Coalition Advisory Network. Previously, she was a technology litigator at Fenwick & West in Silicon Valley. She holds an A.B. from Dartmouth, an M.T.S. from Harvard, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, an M.A. in East Asian Studies from Stanford, and a Ph.D. in Ethics and Social Theory from the GTU in the Cooperative Program with UC Berkeley. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. 

Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO since 2021, Dr. Tawfik Jelassi is responsible for UNESCO’s programs on fostering freedom of expression, leading digital transformation, strategizing the role of ICT in education, and building inclusive knowledge societies. He holds a Ph.D. doctorate in Management Information Systems from New York University and postgraduate diplomas from the University of Paris Dauphine. Former Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Information & Communication Technologies in Tunisia as well as Dean and Professor, he has extensive international experience in higher education, scientific research, and digital technologies.

Ben Bucknall is a Research Scholar at the Centre for the Governance of AI and an Affiliate with the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative.

Ben’s research centres on technical topics with downstream implications for AI policy and governance, with a particular focus on system access requirements for AI research and evaluation, as well as responsible deployment best practices. He is also interested in how technical AI expertise can best be integrated into policy-making as a means of promoting technically-informed and effective governance.

Ben holds an MMath in Mathematics from Durham University and an MSc in Computational Science from Uppsala University, and was previously a research intern in the Krueger AI Safety Lab at the University of Cambridge, and a Winter Fellow at the Centre for the Governance of AI.

Lennart Heim is a researcher at RAND in Washington, DC, at the Technology and Security Policy Center. His research focuses on the role of compute for advanced AI systems and how compute can be leveraged as an instrument for AI governance, with an emphasis on policy development and security implications. Lennart’s publications cover the impacts and governance of advanced AI systems and empirical trends in machine learning, such as compute, data, and AI hardware. 

He has provided policy and technical advice to several governmental agencies and leading tech companies, including the US and UK Government. He is also an adjunct fellow at the Centre for the Governance of AI (GovAI), a member of the OECD.AI Expert Group on AI Compute and Climate, a Pro Forecaster at InferPub, and an advisor to Epoch, an organization investigating the trajectory of AI. Previously, he worked as a consultant for OECD.AI and as a machine learning researcher at ETH Zürich. He has a background in computer engineering and studied at ETH Zürich and RWTH Aachen.  

Marta Ziosi is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, where her research focuses on standards for frontier AI.

Marta is an AI policy expert who worked for institutions such as DG CNECT at the European Commission, the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society at Harvard University, The Montreal International Center of Expertise in Artificial Intelligence (CEIMIA) and The Future Society.

Previously, Marta was a Ph.D. student and researcher on Algorithmic Bias and AI Policy at the Oxford Internet Institute. She is also the founder of AI for People, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to put technology at the service of people.

Marta holds a BSc in Mathematics and Philosophy from University College Maastricht. She also holds an MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy and an executive degree in Chinese Language and Culture for Business from the London School of Economics. She spent a semester abroad at UC Berkeley, where her interest in topics at the crossroads of technology and social sciences further developed.

Saad is an AI Governance Researcher at the Safe AI Forum (SAIF), fiscally sponsored by FAR.AI. Prior to his work at SAIF, Saad was a management consultant at Bain and Company, and a Winter Fellow at the Centre for the Governance of AI, where he focused on identifying areas of potential Sino-western cooperation on AI safety and governance. Saad holds a MA in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University and BA in Politics and Anthropology from the University of Cambridge. 

Nicolas is an economist by training focused on the impact of General-Purpose Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) on geopolitics, the economy and industry. He is the Executive Director at The Future Society, where he works on the management, strategy and stakeholder engagement for the organization. He previously studied and monitored European developments in the legislative framework surrounding AI, and was active on the EU AI Act drafting and on building its enforcement mechanisms. 
 
Nicolas is also involved in AI standardisation efforts, as a member of the International Standardisation Organization’s SC42 and CEN-CENELEC JTC 21 committees on Artificial Intelligence, as a Belgian representative. Nicolas is an expert at the OECD.AI Policy Observatory in the Working Groups on AI Incidents and on Risk & Accountability. 

Sam Daws is Senior Advisor to the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, Oxford University, and Founding Director of Multilateral AI. He has served for 40 years in senior multilateral roles, including as First Officer to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York, and advising the British Prime Minister on the creation of the UN SDGs as Deputy Director (UN) in the Cabinet Office. He previously served as Senior Principal Research Analyst (Multilateral) in the FCO, Executive Director of UNA-UK, and UK Representative to the UN Foundation.

Mr Daws is a recognised international expert in multilateral strategy, geopolitics and tech governance, and author of 14 books including The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. An alumnus of the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme, and industry advisor to Oxford’s Saïd Business School, he also serves as a senior Oxford China Centre Associate, and policy lead for the University’s UN Academic Impact SDG16 hub. His academic background encompasses social anthropology, international law and relations, and science-diplomacy. His policy focus is on AI’s peace and security, sovereignty, sustainable development, and intercultural/language implications, and his regional interests include China-West policy interoperability and trust building in UN and minilateral AI governance processes, and AI developments in the Gulf States, Central Asia and ASEAN

Sumaya Nur Adan specializes in AI governance with a background in Law,  AI, and Ethics. As a research affiliate at the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, she delves into issues surrounding international organizations, AI risk assessment, and the design of institutions for equitable benefit-sharing. Her research also emphasizes improving access and participation for the Global Majority in AI, promoting a more inclusive approach to global AI development and policy-making. She also serves as an AI risk advisor at the Central AI risk Function team within the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, UK government 

Sumaya’s previous roles include working as a visiting researcher at the Centre for the Studies of Existential Risk, where she explored biases in military AI applications. At the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, she advocated strongly at the UN for regulating autonomous weapons and stressed the need for African nations to be involved in global AI regulatory conversations. As a summer fellow at the Centre for AI Governance, Sumaya researched international models for AI benefit-sharing, aiming to create institutional frameworks that promote equitable sharing of AI benefits and ensure broad, inclusive global participation. 

With her interdisciplinary background in Law, AI, and Ethics, she has contributed to global initiatives such as the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism and the African Commission’s efforts on AI and human rights. These roles complement her work on the Sendai Framework with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, advancing her dedication to integrating AI governance with global policy frameworks. 

Looking forward, Sumaya is passionate about developing equitable and inclusive frameworks for diverse global engagement in AI policy and decision-making processes, with a particular interest in the roles and contributions of Global Majority countries in shaping AI governance and ensuring that the benefits of AI are shared globally. 

Sumaya holds an LLB from Strathmore University, with her senior thesis focusing on liability for decisions made by self-learning algorithms in common law jurisdictions. She is completing an MPhil in the Ethics of AI, Data, and Algorithms at the University of Cambridge as a Mastercard Scholar. 

Aline Minko Mi Etoua is a distinguished woman of multiple academic achievements and professional accolades. Her educational journey began at the University of Omar Bongo in Libreville, Gabon, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Law. Undeterred by geographical boundaries, she furthered her studies in France, obtaining a Master’s degree in Public Law from the University of Champagne Ardenne in Reims, followed by a Diploma in Public Administration from the prestigious Ecole Nationale d’Administration in Paris. 

From mastering the intricacies of parliamentary work to championing human rights, Aline Minko Mi Etoua has consistently expanded her expertise. Her dedication to leadership, particularly in the realm of female empowerment, was recognized with a certificate from ENA in Paris. 

In her professional capacity, Aline Minko Mi Etoua serves as a representative member of the State group at the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council and she is currently holding the esteemed position of First Secretary of the Bureau. Her influence extends beyond national borders, as evidenced by her participation in various sessions at the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York since January 2019. 

She is fluent in French, proficient in English, and moderately skilled in Spanish. 

Mr. Xiao Ran is Vice President of Huawei Technologies. He previously was the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. He brings more than twenty years of experience in the ICT industry to this role. 

Since joining Huawei in 1998, Mr. Xiao has held a number of management positions across various R&D, Marketing, Strategy and Business Development. He has been appointed as Director of OSS & EMS of Fixed Network Product Line, Director of OSS & Service Marketing, President of Strategy and Business Development of Fixed Network Product Line, President of Strategy and Business Development of CNBG, President of the Strategy and Business Development Department of Products and Solutions.  

Mr. Xiao holds a Master of Computing science and technology degree from Nanjing University, and he also holds a MBA degree from Hong Kong Polytech University. 

Viktors Makarovs is the first envoy on Digital Affairs to be appointed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. Before assuming his current post in October 2021, he focused on international outreach to counter disinformation, resilience building and media support. Viktors Makarovs holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen and acquired a background in the Latvian NGO think-tanking community before joining the Ministry in 2011. 

Isabella Hampton is a policy researcher at the Future of Life Institute, specializing in US policy and advocacy. Her background includes roles as a product and project manager at PwC and various companies, where she led software engineering and design projects.  

Jieun Park is the CEO of PULSE9, the techtainment company, renowned for creating IITERNITI, the world’s first K-POP AI idol girl group. With a solid background in both technology and entertainment, Jieun has propelled PULSE9 to the forefront of the AI-driven entertainment sector. 
 
Jieun’s career includes CJ E&M, a leading media content company, and NAVER Happybean, an IT business company. These experiences have equipped her with a unique blend of media and technology expertise. 
 
She holds a Big Data MBA from the Seoul School of Integrated Sciences & Technologies (aSSIST), where she developed a strong foundation in merging technology with business development. 
 
With a focus on Generative AI and the future of AI entertainers, Jieun is committed to blending AI technology with K-POP creativity. Under her leadership, PULSE9 aims to innovate and redefine the entertainment landscape, making significant strides with IITERNITI. 

As Google’s SVP of Research, Technology & Society, James oversees Google Research and leads efforts across Google and Alphabet to responsibly shape and advance our most ambitious innovations to benefit people and society.

Hon. Nape Moses Nnauye is the United Republic of Tanzania’s Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology and Member of Parliament for Mtama Constituency in Lindi Region. He is a natural communicator who can energize and inspire people towards common goals. Nape has a successful track record in public programs, contributing to important roles and positions.

Born and raised in Tanzania, Nape earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Language, and Journalism with Honors from Bangalore University in India, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Mzumbe University, Tanzania. Nape is a diligent student with Diplomas in Diplomacy and Foreign Relations and Social Sciences from the Centre for Foreign Relations and Kivukoni Academy of Social Sciences, respectively. Currently, he is a student of first degree in Law (LLB) at Open University of Tanzania.

Nape has actively served with Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the current ruling party in Tanzania, since his primary school days. Nape played various roles within CCM and the government, contributing to their political and economic growth. Nape is a member of the National Congress, National Executive Committee and former National Secretary for Ideology and Publicity of CCM.

Nape remains passionate about Africa’s and Tanzania’s development and actively shares his unique treasure of practical knowledge and purposeful emphasis with youth. Nape is a mentor to the future development agents of Africa

Since January 2016, Peggy Hicks has served as director of the Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR). She provides strategic direction to the UN Human Rights Office’s work on a broad range of pressing human rights issues, including human rights in the digital age. From 2005 to 2015, she was global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, where she was responsible for managing Human Rights Watch’s advocacy team and providing direction to its advocacy worldwide. Ms. Hicks previously served as the director of the Office of Returns and Communities in the UN mission in Kosovo and as Deputy High Representative for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has also worked as the Director of Programs for the International Human Rights Law Group, and as clinical professor of human rights and refugee law at the University of Minnesota Law School. Ms. Hicks is a graduate of Columbia Law School and the University of Michigan.

Gabriela Ramos is the Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO, where she oversees the institution’s contributions to building inclusive societies. Her mandate includes tackling economic inequalities of income and opportunity, and promoting social inclusion and gender equality. She also oversees the youth support agenda, promotion of values through sport, fight against racism and discrimination, and ethics of science, including of neurotechnology and the internet of things. She has overseen the development and adoption of the first global instrument to promote the ethics of artificial intelligence, adopted by acclamation in 2021 by UNESCO’s General Conference. She also launched the Global Forum against Racism, to catalyse the political support that member countries have given to this cause. On gender, she has advanced several initiatives, particularly to combat gender stereotypes and biases, including in new technologies.

Previously, Gabriela Ramos worked as Cabinet Director and Sherpa for G20/G7APEC at the OECD, contributing to increasing the OECD’s global impact and leading key initiatives such as “Inclusive Growth”, “New Approaches to Economic Challenges”, “Climate Change and Growth”, the gender strategy and work on well-being and children. At the G20, she contributed to the international reform of tax systems; the adoption of the gender quota (to reduce the labour gap) and the establishment of the W20; and the adoption of the principles of artificial intelligence, among others. She also oversaw Global Relations and the OECD’s membership enlargement process.

In 2019, she launched the Business for Inclusive Growth (B4IG) platform, bringing together 40 multinational companies committed to reducing inequalities. Previously, she was Director of the OECD Office in Mexico and Latin America where she supported reforms in education, telecommunications, gender and health. She was a member of the Mexican Foreign Service.

In 2013, she was awarded the Order of Merit (Ordre du Mérite) by the President of France. Her work to promote gender equality has earned her several awards including from Forbes and Apolitico. She has been a Fulbright and Ford McArthur Fellow. She is an alumna of Harvard University’s Masters in Public Policy and Universidad Iberoamericana’s BA in International Relations. She is a board member of the “Paris Peace Forum”; the “UNICEF Advisory Board”; as well as the “Lancet Commissions on COVID and on Men’s Violence against Women”, and member of the Danone “Entreprise à Mission” Committee.

Sabrina Küspert is a Policy Officer at the newly established European AI Office of the European Commission. In her role, she focuses on setting up the governance system for general-purpose AI. This is part of implementing the EU AI Act as the world’s first-ever comprehensive legal framework on AI, working towards a global approach to trustworthy AI. During her time as Seconded Policy Expert, she was part of the team negotiating the AI Act on the side of the European Commission. Previously, she was Fellow and Expert on AI at the European Tech Think Tank Stiftung Neue Verantwortung in parallel to her stay at the University of Oxford. Her research focused on exploring the role of Germany and Europe for trustworthy AI worldwide, including through regulation, international cooperation and innovation policy. This included publications on the AI value chain and on unreliability, misuse and systemic risks of general-purpose AI. When she was a strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), she helped establish their global Responsible AI practice. 

Polly is the chief adoption officer at Salesforce, where she’s responsible for customer success and ensuring that each and every customer gets maximum value from our products and services.

Chandler Smith is a Machine Learning and Alignment Theory (MATS) Scholar whose research focuses on the potential of multi-agent systems for both risk and oversight. His work explores cooperative AI, multi-agent security, and AI control. In addition to his academic research, Chandler is a Technical Architect Fellow at IQT, where he supports the U.S. Intelligence and National Security Communities. He holds a Master’s in Computer Science from Northeastern University.

Dr. Abdulrahman Habib, is the Deputy Chief Strategy Officer, Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA). Dr. Habib served as deputy Research Director and led AI Ethics Principles developments among other multiple national AI projects for the National Center for Artificial Intelligence. Before joining SDAIA, he worked as an assistant professor at University of North Texas. Dr. Habib is a data science scholar focused on emerging technology adoptions with focus on smart city, data science, artificial intelligence, open data, and Human Computer Interactions. He has over 20 years of experience in digital transformation and received grants from different government agencies to study open data and smart cities. He has more than 20 scientific publications and presentations. He is a community leader organizing events and conferences with IEEE and ACM among other local data science events. Dr. Habib is honored to represent Saudi delegation in AI ethics recommendations among other local and international committees.

Aileen Black is a highly respected IT industry executive and general manager with a dynamic record of driving exponential growth results in public sector organizations. Her unique pedigree includes developing industry-changing technology and service businesses from the ground up, with proven experience in running large enterprise-class business units in excess of 600 million. Black has held executive positions at Google, VMware, EMC, and Oracle. With more than 30 years of experience building, managing, and motivating top-notch technology sales and professional services organizations, she has proven success with a deep understanding of the cloud, artificial intelligence, enterprise open source, big data, government contracting, sales, strategic alliances, marketing and the political landscape across the public sector market in addition to extensive media and public speaking across all forms of media including radio and television.

A disruptive tech advocate and decentralised AI expert with published works on Ethics and Regulation of AI. My leadership role at SingularityNET entails responsibility for technology, operations, marketing, investment, accounting and payments, strategic partnerships, business development, decentralisation and Deep Funding (SingularityNET’s community driven crypto-accelerator programme).

Leading AI and Blockchain initiatives across multiple vertical markets including robotics, biotech, gaming and metaverse, media, DeFi, music and arts, I was with the team that launched the world’s first humanoid robot fronted band; the Jam Galaxy Band at NAMM festival in LA in June 2022. I am co-founder of Cogito Protocol, an algorithmic tracer-coin that is the missing piece in crypto-assets.

I am committed to a positive and beneficial Singularity for the benefit of all of humanity, and have a special love of African music and culture, with interest in education, sustainability and jobs in Africa. I am also passionate about diversity, inclusion and equality.

Other interests are Tai Chi, Chi Gung, yoga, meditation, and growing to contribute the most I possibly can in this lifetime

Ms. Iris Hauswirth is Chief of Strategic Planning, Performance and Governance at the International Trade Centre (ITC). She has had multiple roles in ITC since 2002, working on organizational matters, project development and coordination.  From 2013-15, she served as Head, Oversight and Compliance Unit at UNDP in Afghanistan. Prior to joining ITC, Iris worked for the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, for consulting firms and as a university lecturer. She holds a PhD in Institutional Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and degrees in Economics and Geography from Phillips University Marburg, Germany.

Maurice Turner is a recognized public interest technologist and cybersecurity expert on the Global Public Policy team at TikTok. As the Technical Policy Lead, Turner plays a key role as a liaison collaborating between public policy and cross-functional teams to ensure understanding of cutting-edge technologies by non-technical audiences. He also advises the public policy team on a wide range of technology, strategy, and policy issues. He most recently served as a Public Policy Manager on Meta’s Global Human Rights team. Turner has also held policy positions such as Cybersecurity Fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD) at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), Senior Advisor to the Executive Director at the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and Deputy Director of the Internet Architecture project at the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT). He earned an MA in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, an BA in Political Science from California State University Fullerton, and a Certificate in Cybersecurity Strategy from Georgetown University.

Ousman A. Bah was appointed in June 2022 following the policy direction to decouple the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure into two stand alone Ministries of Information and Communications and Digital Economy with the latter spearheading the digital transformation agenda of the country.  

Hon. Bah comes with a wealth of academic training and more than 25 years of experience with major international companies and institutions based in the United States in the telecoms and tech related field. His experience includes working in various executive positions with institutions such as the AT&T, Bank of America and Worldpay. He also worked with PayU —a company in the Fintech Industry that is headquartered in San Francisco U.S. A., as a Global Relationship Executive, where he oversees up to twenty-two different countries around the globe, mostly located in some part of Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and Asia. Furthermore, he has created and lead several start-ups in the Silicon Valley and upon his return to the Gambia.  

Hon. Bah has travelled extensively all over the world. His major interest since a young man has always been and remains working with technology to enrich the lives of people. Hon. Bah holds BSc. in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix, double Master’s, MSc. in Network & Systems Management and MBA. In Business Administration both from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. 

Valérie Abrell Duong is a game-changing and visionary Leader with extensive international experience in Health Care, Retail, Consumer Package Goods and Humanitarian.

She started at Procter&Gamble in software development, then focused on new business models and pioneered eCommerce and Digital Marketing for global love brands such as Pampers, Gillette, SK-II or Ariel. In 2009, she took a broadening assignment at HP as a disruptive innovation advisor to large accounts. In 2010, she came back to P&G to head IT & Digital for Europe Middle East and Africa and create a competitive advantage in digital business, growing eCommerce & Digital engagement at scale. In 2016, Valérie joined Sanofi as CIO and head of Digital Transformation for the Diabetes & Cardio-vascular division and mature markets. She promoted new ways of working, injecting an entrepreneurial spirit to advance technology and datadriven innovations such as multichannel Marketing services, patient support programs or digital therapeutics. In 2021, she served as an advisor and business angel for startups in Healthcare, tech and sustainability. In 2022, she joined the International Committee of the Red Cross. As one of the 7 members of the directorate, she is responsible for Support and Digital Transformation leading Finance, Logistics, IT, Shared Services and the digital transformation of the ICRC to maximise its humanitarian impact around the world.

Valérie has an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from CentraleSupélec. She strives to create a collaborative and stimulating environment in which people are free to express their creativity, be bold and have an impact

Emmanuelle Ganne is Senior Analyst in the Economic Research and Statistics Division of the World Trade Organization (WTO) where she leads WTO work on micro, small and medium side enterprises (MSMEs) and Blockchain and conducts research on MSMEs, global value chains and digital technologies. She is the author of a 2018 book entitled “Can Blockchain Revolutionize International Trade?” and is a regular speaker on MSMEs and Blockchain. Ms. Ganne is a member of the governing board of the ICC Digital Standards Initiative (DSI). She has received several leadership awards for her work on blockchain for trade. Prior to this, she held various positions at the WTO, including as Counselor to Director-General Pascal Lamy, and in the Accessions Division where she assessed trade policies of governments wishing to join the WTO and advised them on how to improve their business environment. From 2015 to 2017, she held the position of Vice President and Managing Director for Europe at the Allam Advisory Group (AAG), a team of former C-level executives and senior diplomats that specializes in helping businesses expand their operations globally. Ms. Ganne is a Yale World Fellow.

Throughout his career, Remo has had coordination and managerial responsibility over a large number of system-wide initiatives in the area of management across the UN system of Organizations, with the common goal of promoting management reforms that improve services, achieve productivity improvements, and increase efficiency and effectiveness. The High-level Committee on Management embodies precisely this mandate, and is a key player in re-designing management functions towards a UN system that is innovative, agile, inclusive, and results-oriented, building on the comparative advantages of its diversity and specialization to work collaboratively and deliver together.

In his previous positions, Remo was the Coordinator of the HLCM Finance and Budget Network. Before joining the CEB Secretariat, he worked in several operational functions in the United Nations Secretariat in New York and Geneva, and in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Remo is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a doctorate in Management from the University of Bologna as well as a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Luiss Guido Carli, Rome. He was also a Visiting Scholar in the Ph.D. Programme in Management at the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

Remo holds dual citizenship – Italian and Swiss. His mother tongue is Italian, and he is fluent in English and French.

Linear thinking no longer applies in a world that is changing at an exponential rate. Since 2015, I have been researching, interpreting and discussing how emerging technologies will dramatically change every aspect of our lives. As a serial technology entrepreneur and investor, former regulator and analyst, I bring a multi-disciplinary perspective to my understanding of emerging trends.

My 2021 book, “The Exponential Age: How Accelerating Technology is Transforming Business, Politics and Society,” lays out a framework for thinking about the future that business and government leaders have no choice but to embrace as they plan forward.

Driven by a desire to make an impact, Eric analyses data with the aim of constructively transforming organisations in the North of England. His primary focus is the public sector.

With a 25-year career it’s difficult to choose a specific highlight, but his work in New York is a period that he is particularly proud of. He integrated the city’s eight health and social care agencies using pioneering data analytics and collaboration. Another career highlight would have to be helping Greater Manchester establish a ground-breaking data-sharing body, named GM-Connect. The overall aim was (and still is) to identify people in the area that are most in need of support, whilst reducing the cost of public services using technology and interdisciplinary alliances.

Eric is a proud husband and father to two half Geordie/half American children who are inspiring. He also loves history, travelling, and beekeeping (aspiring now – but with great ambitions for the future!).

Ms. Natalia Mochu holds bachelor’s degree in mathematics and informatics and master’s degree in information technology from the State University of Moldova.

Before joining the ITU in February 2020, Natalia occupied the post of Senior Manager for Global Stakeholder Engagement for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). In 2012-2018 she worked as Deputy Head of Laboratory at the Radio Research and Development Institute (NIIR) in Moscow. From 2006 to 2012 Natalia worked for the Executive Committee of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications (RCC), in particular she was the RCC Executive Committee Deputy Director General in 2008-2012. Natalia started her professional career as Specialist of the Ministry of Information Development of the Republic of Moldova in 2002.

Natalia participated in ITU high-level conferences and meetings, including ITU Plenipotentiary Conferences, Councils and Sectoral Conferences; contributed to the activities of RCC working bodies, European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, as well as ICANN, RIPE NCC and other relevant organizations.