Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, is the ninth and current Vice President of Uganda since June 2021. She is a Ugandan politician, educator, and former military officer.

She previously served in the cabinet of Uganda as Minister of education between 2011 and 2016.

She is also an elected member of parliament as Katakwi District’s women’s representative.

H.E. Dr Chris Baryomunsi is the Minister of ICT and National Guidance in the Uganda Government. Born in 1969 and raised in Kanungu, South-Western Uganda, Dr Baryomunsi studied human medicine and later specialized in public health, and demography. Since joining active politics in 2006 as a Member of Parliament, he has held several positions in Parliament, Cabinet and the ruling party – National Resistance Movement (NRM)- where he is currently Vice Chairperson for Western Uganda. He is married with children.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin took office as Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023.

Ms Bogdan-Martin has held leadership positions in the field of international telecommunications policy for over two decades, with a track-record of brokering innovative partnerships to expand digital inclusion and connectivity for everyone around the world. Following her historic election by ITU Member States in September 2022, she became the first woman ever to head the organization, which was first established in 1865 and became a UN specialized agency in 1947.

As ITU Secretary-General, she aims to drive innovative solutions, maximize ITU’s relevance for its 193 Member States, intensify global cooperation on connecting the unconnected, and strengthen the alignment of ITU’s programmes with the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations. Ms Bogdan-Martin has consistently emphasized the need for digital transformation to achieve economic prosperity, job creation, skills development, gender equality, and socio-economic inclusion, as well as to build circular economies, reduce climate impact, and save lives.

As Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau for a four-year term starting in 2018, she helped put sustainable digital development at the forefront of international cooperation, including with the private sector and civil society. Among other ITU development priorities, she actively promoted the Partner2Connect initiative, which has mobilized unprecedented pledges of funding and support for meaningful Internet connectivity in developing countries.

She was previously instrumental in establishing the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, serving as its Executive Director for more than a decade; contributed to the success of ITU’s Global Symposium for Regulators as the pre-eminent worldwide meeting for digital policy makers; and led ITU’s youth engagement strategy. She also pioneered ITU’s ongoing contribution to the EQUALS Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age and initiated ITU’s collaboration with UNICEF on the Giga project to connect every school worldwide to the Internet.

Within ITU, she has promoted gender equality and encouraged bringing more women into the workforce, as well as helping women grow professionally and contributing to networks of women pursuing gender-balanced participation in conferences and policy making.

From 2008 until 2018, Ms Bogdan-Martin served as Chief of ITU’s Strategic Planning and Membership Department, overseeing corporate communications, external affairs, corporate strategy, and membership. Earlier, she headed the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau’s Regulatory and Market Environment Division and Regulatory Reform Unit.

Before joining ITU in 1994, she worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce as a Telecommunication Policy Specialist in the National Telecommunication and Information Administration.

Ms Bogdan-Martin holds a Master’s in International Communications Policy from American University in Washington, DC, a post-graduate certification in Strategies for Leadership from the Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a certification in Accountability and Ethics from the UN Leaders Programme. She is also a qualified amateur radio operator.

Ms Bogdan-Martin is married with four children.

Executive Director
George William Nyombi Thembo, is the newly appointed Executive Director of Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). He has been serving in the capacity of the Director of the Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF) since January 2017. With a distinguished career that spans various sectors, Mr. Nyombi brings a wealth of executive management experience and expertise to his current position.

Professional Background:
Mr. Nyombi’s illustrious career spans both the political arena and various key roles in the public and private sectors, culminating in his current position as the esteemed head of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).

Prior to assuming his pivotal role at the UCC, Mr. Nyombi carved a distinguished path in politics, serving as a Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2015. During this tenure, he showcased his leadership prowess by undertaking ministerial responsibilities in the Ugandan Cabinet, presiding over crucial portfolios such as Primary Education, Luwero Triangle, and Information and Communications Technology.

Before venturing into the realm of politics, Mr. Nyombi demonstrated his commitment to public service and strategic planning. In the early 1990s, he held progressive roles at the Uganda Railways Corporation, including positions as an analyst, planning officer, and senior planning officer in Strategic Planning. Subsequently, he extended his influence as a Project Coordinator for the Transport Rehabilitation Project (Railway Component) and as a Transport Database Specialist at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). His dynamic engagement in public administration was further highlighted by his role as the Chairman of the Finance and Administration Committee of the Kampala City Council from 1997 to 2001, which is now known as KCCA.

Mr. Nyombi’s multifaceted background is accentuated by his extensive education and diverse experiences, positioning him as a dynamic, strategic thinker, and accomplished leader. His notable leadership as Minister of State, ICT (Communication), overseeing the pivotal analogue to digital migration and the enactment of the UCC Act, 2013, alongside subsequent regulations, reflects his deep impact on the communications landscape. Additionally, his transformative role as the Director of the Uganda Communications Universal Access and Service Fund (UCUSAF) underscores his commitment to advancing the communications sector in Uganda.

Beyond the confines of regulatory expertise, Mr. Nyombi is a passionate participant in the creative industry. His involvement in music, dance, and drama goes beyond mere hobbies, as he is not only a director and founder member of Ndere Troupe Limited but also a distinguished playwright, songwriter, and producer. This commitment to the arts earned him the prestigious title of Best Actor in Uganda in 1985 by the Uganda Theatrical Groups Association (UTGA). This unique blend of regulatory expertise and creative involvement encapsulates Mr. Nyombi’s dynamic and well-rounded leadership in the diverse communications sector, bringing immense value to the Uganda Communications Commission as the authoritative regulator of the communications landscape in Uganda.

Educational Achievements:
Mr. Nyombi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Social Administration from Makerere University (1989), and a Master of Science in Development Economics from Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) with distinction in 2008. His academic journey also includes a postgraduate diploma in Project management from Uganda Management Institute – UMI (2003) and an advanced diploma in national development and project planning from Bradford University, UK (1994).

Furthermore, Mr. Nyombi has pursued specialized education in telecommunications regulation at the University of Florida, USA, and holds certificates in communications regulatory frameworks from the same institution (2018). His commitment to continuous learning is evident through certificates in Advanced ICT Policy from the Galilee Institute of Management in Israel (2012) and certifications in transportation management (ESAMI, 1992) and investments analysis (University of Bradford, UK, 1992). Mr. Nyombi is also recognized as a Certified Public Private Partnership professional.

Personal Details: Mr. Nyombi Thembo is a family man-married with children.

Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava took office as Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023. 

With more than 30 years in telecommunications, including over 20 years in ITU’s Development Sector, Dr Zavazava has promoted and implemented impactful information and communication technology projects around the world. 

Prior to his election as BDT Director, he served as ITU’s Chief of Partnerships for Digital Development, overseeing development-related projects, strategic partnerships, and resource mobilization between 2019 and 2022, while launching new initiatives that have boosted the engagement of industry, private-sector and academia members in ITU’s work. 

Thomas Tayebwa is the Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament of the Republic of Uganda having been elected to the position in March, 2022. He represents Ruhinda North Constituency in Mitooma District in Parliament, a position he assumed unopposed in 2016 and effectively defending his seat in 2021 Parliamentary elections. He is a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement Organization (NRM-O).

Rt. Hon. Tayebwa, a son to Mzee Daudi Bangirana and Ms. Abby Komuhangi of Bitereko village in Mitooma District, was born on November 10th 1980. He is married and blessed with a son. Tayebwa attended Kigarama Primary School, Kigarama Senior Secondary School for Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and later joined Ruyonza Secondary School for Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).

He joined Makerere University, one of the finest institutions of higher learning in Africa. He holds a Masters of Business Administration (ESAMI), a Bachelors of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (Hons), both from Makerere University. He also possesses a Certificate in Negotiation from Harvard Law School and a Professional Certificate in Parliamentary Affairs from International Centre for Parliamentary Studies, London.

He joined elective politics in 2015 and passed through unopposed as a member of parliament on NRM ticket, and immediately distinguished himself as a “peacemaker” in the10th Parliament. As one of the political doyens, Hon Tayebwa rode on the strength of mind, negotiation skills and understanding of the law, to have things done. He was a member of the Natural Resources, and National Economy Committees of Parliament.

After the 2021, presidential elections, he was appointed the Government Chief Whip, a position he held until he was elected Deputy Speaker. Deputy Speaker Tayebwa is a Pan-Africanist and a well-known anti-corruption crusader. An entrepreneur with interests in communications and media, culture and heritage, education, transport, security and manufacturing.

Hon. Tayebwa is a renowned philanthropist and loves God. He founded TARU Foundation which has supported several community projects across the country, and sponsored several children from vulnerable backgrounds to attain education, medical care etc. He has facilitated several youth start-ups with capital, offered business mentorship and has become a role model in the country. He is a Rotarian with a title of Major Donor. He is an avid golfer and Formula One fan. He loves reading and getting involved in community engagements.

Deputy Speaker Tayebwa has been a champion for good governance, transparency and accountability. His stance on affordable health care, political dialogue, free education for all and clean energy, precede his reputation. He has been an influential voice for Uganda at home and abroad, and continues to fight for the peoples’ well-being: working hard to protect the national values, ensuring peace and stability, protecting the environment, changing the unfair scholarship system, lowering the cost of living, improving service delivery and creating jobs for Ugandans.

CEO SAMENA Telecommunications Council – UAE
Member Review Board, 5th Generation Collaborative Regulation (G5) Benchmark – ITU
Commissioner Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development – UN
Member Edison Alliance, World Economic Forum (WEF)
Member 2020 G20 Summit Advisory Board – (Former) Digital Economy Task Force – KSA
Chairman Industry Advisory Group for Development Issues & Chief Regulatory Officers Meeting (IAGDI/CRO) – ITU

For over 30 years, Bocar BA has been delivering impact in the Telecom/ICT industry of the MEA region, facilitating collaboration among private-sector and government sector entities in the pursuit of digitization and socio-economic conducive policies. BA’s professional engagement is recognized in industry-wide advocacy activities, especially toward promoting investment sustainability in the private sector of the Middle East. His innate people-centric approach has mobilized multiple consensus-building platforms, cross-regional stakeholders, and issue-specific advocacy on important sector-development challenges. He is collaborating with leading platforms and global telecommunications development institutions, including the ITU, UN Broadband Commission, the World Bank (WB), and World Economic Forum (WEF), among others, as an objective-minded representative of the private sector and as an advocate of effective policy-making and future-friendly regulation, which are crucial for fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that all nations across the globe have agreed to in the larger interest of their socio-economic development needs. BA is a principal advisor to various business, investment, and regulatory entities and assists governments in addressing matters relating to digital infrastructure investment, innovation catalysts, sustainable digital economy, job-creation, and citizen-centric public-sector delivery through the use of ICTs. Bocar BA has chaired consensus-building and contributed to the development of recommendations for leaders worldwide to help accelerate digital infrastructure development and digitalization. 

Dr. Ally Y. Simba is the Executive Secretary of the East African Communications Organisations (EACO). He was appointed to the position on 1st August 2017 for a period of four years, which was renewed on the 1st August 2021. Prior to his appointment he had served as a Director of Knowledge Management with the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH). He has more than 20 years of experience in communication industry where he has worked as an Engineer with a mobile phone operator, as a researcher, as regulator, and as policy maker with the central government of the United Republic of Tanzania.
He received his B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in Electronics Science and Communications from the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in 1998, and the M.E and Ph.D. degrees in Electronics and Information Engineering from Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, in 2003 and 2006, respectively.

Dr. Simba was an Expert Researcher with the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo, Japan from 2006 to 2011, where he was involved in research on the effect of exposure from mobile phones and base stations to the human health. From 2011 to 2013, he was a Manager for Planning and Research with the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. From 2013 to 2015, he served as a Director of ICT at the Ministry of Communication Science and Technology (MCST) of the United Republic of Tanzania and later appointed to the position of Director General of TCRA in July 2015, a position he served until December, 2016. Dr. Simba has published widely in peer-reviewed international journals and presented his research work in more than 30 international conferences. He participated actively in the work of the Study Group 5 of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) since 2009.

During his tenure at the MCST, Dr. Simba was a group leader of the local expert group which formulated Tanzania’s Cyber laws, namely Cyber Crime Act and E-Transactions Act enacted in 2015 and served as Project Director for the World Bank funded Regional Communication Infrastructure Programme (RCIP) as well as National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) Project.

Dr. Simba is a Chartered Engineer, registered with the U.K. Engineering Council and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, U.K., where he served an International Professional Registration Advisor for Engineering Professional Registration from April 2011 to March 2014. He is also a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Dr. Simba appears in 11th Edition of the Marquis Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, 2011–2012. He was the recipient of the Japanese Government Scholarship (Monbusho Scholarship) from 2000 to 2006. Since 2018, Dr Simba has been serving as a member of Joint Steering Committee of the Center of Excellence for ICT in East Africa, a project coordinated by the East African Community.

With a distinguished 20-year career in telecommunications and IT, he stands at the forefront of regulatory innovation and cross-border partnership. His notable achievements include driving digital inclusion, enhancing connectivity, and crafting regulatory frameworks that bolster sustainable development and consumer protection within the ICT sector. At WATRA, his leadership is marked by a commitment to excellence and a visionary approach to navigating the digital transformation challenges and opportunities.

He holds an MSc. in Communication Engineering from the University of Manchester and an MBA from the University of Warwick, complemented by specialized certifications from the Harvard Kennedy School, the University of Cambridge and University of Stockholm in Economic growth, policy-making and ICT regulation respectively : Renowned for strategic acumen and negotiation skills, his focus on global partnerships nurtures WATRA’s mission for regional integration and technological progress.

Mr. Algibreen has over 27 years of experience in the field of ICT, specializing in Regulatory and Compliance with versatile experience in strategic planning, market and competition analysis, national and international ICT laws, regulations and policies development and compliance with a background in project management, sales, marketing and business development. Currently he is stc’s Group Chief Regulatory Affairs and Compliance leading regulatory and compliance activities for/within the group dealing with Government and Regulatory bodies in KSA and supporting stc subsidiaries in this domain. He worked for a duration of 16 years at CST (previously known as CITC the Saudi ICT regulator) in several positions leading major national projects, strategies, initiatives, several national and international committees. Moreover, held several positions in AT&T and Lucent Technologies in Public Affairs, Sales & Marketing and Business Development. Also was awarded a full scholarship from Lucent Technologies to The George Washington University in Washington DC and obtained a Master of Science degree in Project Management.

Ashwaq Alotaibi is a dedicated Legal Specialist with a profound passion for regulation, public policy, competition, M&A, and economics. Ashwaq works as a Legal Studies Specialist at the Communication, Space, and Technology Commission in Saudi Arabia . She is currently on loan at the International Telecommunications Union, where she is working with the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), specifically on the Digital Regulation Network (DRN) initiative.
She graduated with first-class honors from Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, achieving an exceptional G.P.A of 4.99/5 with a bachelor’s degree in law.
Throughout her career, Ashwaq has gained substantial experience in drafting and reviewing regulations, policies, and memorandums. She has conducted extensive legal research, prepared studies and benchmarks, and has worked with the competition authority, further enhancing her expertise in legal issues related to competition.

Bassam Fadel Al-Sarhan, a Jordanian telecommunications engineer, has been serving as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and CEO since November 2021 by decision of the Council of Ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The Jordanian Telecommunications Sector Regulatory Authority, which was established by a decision of the Council of Ministers in 1995, is an independent government institution concerned with regulating the communications and information technology sectors and the postal sector.

He previously served as Head of the Projects and Technical Division for His Majesty’s Communications at the Royal Court from 1987 to 1997, and as General Manager at an international communications company.
He served as a member of the Jordanian delegation to manage communications services during the Jordanian delegation’s negotiations in the Middle East peace process negotiations, in addition to many prominent memberships on the boards of directors of international telecommunications and business development companies until his appointment as CEO of the Communications Authority.

He holds a master’s degree in engineering management, a master’s degree in information systems management, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical and communications engineering from George Washington University in the United States of America.


He led several pioneering achievements in the communications and information technology sectors and the postal sector during his presidency of the Commission’s Board of Commissioners, the most notable of which was the introduction of 5G technology services, which was accompanied by the introduction of Internet of Things devices into the Jordanian market.

These services seek to create an appropriate infrastructure that enables companies operating in the field of communications, information technology, and postal services in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to conduct their business in a regulatory environment capable of providing advanced automated services that efficiently and effectively support development endeavors, encourage competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and encourage investment.

Cécil Ameil is Director for Regulatory Affairs, responsible for market access, policy and spectrum advocacy in Europe, Africa and Middle East for the satellite communications leader SES.

As a representative of SES, in charge of ensuring the effective regulatory compliance of SES video and data operations in the EMEA region, Cécil has long been a key interlocutor of government officials and regulators to contribute to the evolution of legislations and spectrum policies applicable to satellite communications, in a context of outstanding business developments for the satellite sector in 5G, Cloud and Mobile (aeronautical and maritime) platforms connectivity.

Cécil Ameil is also the chairman of the regulatory working group in GSOA (Global Satellite Operators Association). In this capacity, he represents the interests of the sector in Europe, Africa and Middle East towards national regulators and regional bodies including the EU, the CEPT, the African Telecom Union (ATU) and the ITU. This includes the coordination of the satellite sector’s efforts to defend access to, and usage of, essential radio spectrum at regional and ITU levels for the preparation of World Radiocommunications Conferences.

Looking back at 30 years of experience in dealing with regulatory affairs, Cécil Ameil is specialised in digital regulations for media and telecommunications.

Ms Assoumou-Bessou, graduated in Legal, Administrative and Taxation Sciences and engaged in the ICT sector since 2001, and Master degree’s REGTEL in Regulation, is currently covering the position of International Cooperation Director at the Telecommunication/ICT Regulatory Authority and Post Office of Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI).

Ms Bessou has a long history of engagement with ITU. Since 2002 she has been Vice-Rapporteur and Rapporteur on Question 12-2/1, as well as Rapporteur for Question 10-3/2 on “Telecommunications/ICT for rural and remote areas” and for Question 18-2/1. As of today, she has been Chair of Study Group-1 since 2017, elected on occasion of the WTDC-17.
During her career she also served as Head of Litigation and Complaints Department and Head of Consumer’s Protection and Competitive Environment Department at ARTCI.

MS BESSOU is also president of Amical des Femmes Actives des Telecommunications/TIC (Telecommunication/ICT Active Women Association) of Côte d’Ivoire and member of the NGO Femmes & TIC of Côte d’Ivoire. She is a role model for all women in the digital world as well as first African woman to hold her current position as Chair of ITU-D Study Group-1. And Vice Chair of TDAG.

Ronald is a seasoned Computer Scientist with a vast experience in difference disciplines within the Industry. He graduated as one of the pioneers of the Institute of Computer Science at Makerere University with a BSc. Hons (Mathematics & Computer Science – major). He started his working career at Standard Chartered Bank in the Card Centre Department and Systems Administration, before starting the Business Intelligence Unit in the Bank.

In 2003, Ronald started his Masters’ Degree in the London College of Advanced Studies where he graduated with an MSc. Computer Science in 2004. While a student, he worked in the IT department of Tesco Stores Limited, in London, UK, from 2003 until 2005 when he returned to Uganda.

He has had a long career as a Lecturer in the College of Computing and Information systems, in the department of Computer Science and was Head of IT Infrastructure & Security at National Water & Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) for 11 years. While at NWSC, Ronald consulted in the ICT departments of regional water and electricity authorities in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi, as well as Durban in South Africa. He specializes in the setup of ICT departments, and in Information Security.

He later left NWSC to help start and set up and manage the ICT department at the Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA) where he was the Manager ICT.

He was worked with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in Digital Financial Services (DFS), and is a winner of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Award.
Ronald is one of the Founders and Currently the Managing Director of Pegasus Technologies Limited – a leading Aggregation Fintech in Uganda

Qualifications
Bsc Hons (MUK), MSc (Computer Science, UK), PhD Candidate (UKM). ITiL, CEH, Advanced CEH, MCSE, PMP

Flavien Bachabi has been chairing the Board of the Regulatory Authority of Benin (ARCEP-BENIN) since January 2017. In this capacity his responsibility includes providing needed leadership to regulate the domestic and international communications in Benin, ensuring fair and competitive market rules and
encouraging the highest and best use of the spectrum. Prior to taking up this regulatory assignment he was the Managing Director of Africa Broadcast Satellite (Pty) Ltd (ABS), looking after the African market for ABS. Prior to that, Mr. Bachabi served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intelsat Operations S.A., as well as Vice President of Business Operations and Intergovernmental Initiatives at Intelsat S.A., and head of Intelsat’s corporate headquarters in Luxembourg, between January 2011 and September 2014. In this capacity, his responsibilities included oversight of all major business operations, joint venture agreements and regulatory filings. He was responsible for managing new business activities with intergovernmental entities and development banks. His prior positions included: Regional Vice President for Africa and Head of Intelsat Africa (Pty) Ltd., where he was responsible for building Intelsat’s leading position in Africa with the continent’s premier service providers, Regional Vice President for Africa and Middle East and Group Director, Africa sales. Prior to joining Intelsat in 1996, he spent more than 15 years in senior management roles with the Benin Telecommunications administration, where he led both domestic network and international services. He also has served on the Board of Directors of the Multinational School of Telecommunications of Dakar (ESMT), the African Telecommunications Union
(ATU), and the Regional African Satellite Communications Organization (RASCOM). Since 2013 Mr. Bachabi has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Smart Sustainable Development Model initiative of BDT/ITU.
Mr. Bachabi has over 30 years of experience with communication and technology companies, and he earned degrees in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Benin, as well as a Master of Science Degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the Technical Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications of St. Petersburg (LEIS).

Dr. Abdul Busuulwa is a holder of a PhD in Accessible ICTs for Persons with Visual Disabilities, obtained from University of Twente – Netherlands; a Master of Management Studies from Uganda Management Institute; a Post-Graduate Diploma in Community-Based Rehabilitation from Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (now part of Kyambogo University); and a Bachelors of Arts with Mass communication from Makerere University Kampala.
Abdul’s professional career interests include research, communication, disability inclusion, ICT for persons with disabilities. He has also done several consultancies at both local and international levels in research, disability inclusion training and strategic planning.
Abdul is currently a Lecturer in the department of Community and Disability studies, faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation, Kyambogo University.
Between April 2017 and December 2020, he was the Executive Director of CBR Africa Network (CAN). This is a network of CBR and disability professionals and organizations all over the African continent. Between 2015 and 2020 he was a part-time Consultant (lecturer) with Uganda Management Institute. Between June 2014 and March 2017, he was the Programmes Manager of the East Africa Centre for Disability Law and Policy. Between April 2013 and March 2014, he was the Programme Development manager with Action on Disability and Development (ADD International) – Uganda Programme.
Prior to that he was a Capacity Building officer at the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (March 2003 – July 2008); and a Development Worker at Uganda National Association of the Blind (august 2001 – February 2003).
Finally, Abdul has been on several Government Boards and Commissions; and several Boards of NGOs. These include Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) 2021 to date; IncPart Services LTD — which is a company that imports Assistive Technology products for persons with various disabilities (2019 to date); Sense International – Uganda – 2019 to date; National Population Council (2015 to date); Labour Advisory Board (2011 – 2014); Africa Peer Review Mechanism Commission for Uganda (2005 – 2008); and Mukono District Local Government Tender Board (2002 – 2006).

Co-rapporteur for Question 6/1. Superintendent of the Consumer Affairs Bureau of Anatel, Brazil. Attorney at Law. LL.M. in Business Law, Alcalá University (CIFF), Spain. Masters Degree in Law and Public Policy, University Center of Brasília, Brazil. Works as a Telecom Regulation Specialist since 2007. Acting in ITU-D since 2008.

 

He has more than 18 years of R&D and marketing experience in ICT. He has served as director of the Middle East Core Network Solution Dept, director of the Marketing Solution Sales Dept, and director of the Southern Africa Carrier Business Dept. He has unique insights into the ICT industry. He pointed out that the Southern Africa region is in a 4G dividend era. He promoted collaborative 4G/5G network construction, bridged the digital divide in the industry, and provided users with the ultimate mobile network experience.

James Gabriel Claude has been at the helm of Global Voice Group for over half a decade, a firm that delivers ICT and RegTech solutions to public sector entities. With a master’s degree in management from Boston University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Telematics Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, Mr. Claude has nearly two decades of experience in the IT field.

Due to his profound technological expertise and leadership acumen, Mr. Claude was named Chief Technology Officer in 2012. In this role, he demonstrated exceptional proficiency until he was promoted to CEO of Global Voice Group in 2018.

Gonzalo de Dios serves as Head of Global Licensing for Project Kuiper, Amazon’s initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). The Kuiper System will deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.
Mr. de Dios has over 25 years’ experience in domestic and international regulatory, market access, licensing, compliance, spectrum management, government affairs, corporate/ transactional and business development matters. He has worked in-house with multinational corporations as well as with law firms, advising customers on both domestic and international telecommunications and regulatory matters.
Mr. de Dios is a frequent speaker on international telecommunications regulatory topics, has served as a Board member of the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (“USTTI”), a non-profit organization that brings together industry and government to provide intensive tuition-free ICT training to participants from developing countries, and the Board of Directors of the US ITU Association (“USITUA”). He has also served as a member of the Advisory Board of the ITU-D’s Smart Sustainable Development Model (“SSDM”) Initiative and as a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy (“ACICIP”).
Mr. de Dios is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and has completed other legal and business academic course work at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, the Boston University School of Management, and the Harvard University Law School.

ESTUDIOS CURSADOS
PRIMARIA: Colegio San Juan Bautista (Sagrada Familia)
SECUNDARIA: Liceo Joaquín Suárez
UNIVERSIDAD: Universidad de la República, Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales, Procurador Universitario.
CLAP (Centro Latinoamericano de Perinatología) OPS/OMS: Salud Pública Perinatal y Materno Infantil.

SEMINARIOS Y CURSOS DE COMUNICACION
* “La Radio y la Televisión en el Diseño del Futuro de América Latina y el Caribe” (Vinculación Jurídico-Política de la Radio y la Televisión y su Comercialización), Guadalajara, México, octubre de 1986.
* “Primer Seminario sobre Integración Televisiva en Latinoamérica”. Buenos Aires, Argentina, marzo de 1987.
* “Jornadas sobre Intercambio e Integración Informativa Latinoamericana”. Buenos Aires, Argentina, julio de 1987.
* “Primer Seminario Latinoamericano sobre Latinvisión” (intercambio de noticias vías satélite). San José de Costa Rica, noviembre de 1987.
* “Conferencia Latinoamericana de Servicios Públicos de Radio Televisión”. Quito, Ecuador, marzo de 1989.
* “Encuentro Latinoamericano de Televisión Cultural”. Caracas, Venezuela, julio de 1990.
* “Seminario de Capacitación en Radio y Televisión para el Desarrollo”. Hostería del Parque, Uruguay, octubre de 1990.
* “Comunicación de Riesgo, Brotes y Crisis”, Buenos Aires, Washington y México (2006, 2007 y 2008)

ACTIVIDADES DESARROLLADAS CON ANTERIORIDAD
• Director del S.O.D.R.E., Servicio Oficial de Difusión, Radiotelevisión y Espectáculos, abril de 1985 a julio de 1990.
Integrante del Consejo Ejecutivo de la “Unión Latinoamericana y el Caribe de Radio y Televisión”, ULCRA, en representación del Uruguay, desde marzo de 1986 a noviembre de 1989.
*Responsable de su Comité Jurídico desde enero de 1987 a noviembre de 1989.
Consultor del Programa Nacional de Desburocratización, Programa de Modernización del Estado (PNUD/URU/90/002), julio a diciembre de 1990, a cargo del área de motivación pública y promoción de actividades.
Coordinador del Proyecto Ministerio de Educación y Cultura/Oficina de Planeamiento y Presupuesto “Modernización e Informatización de la Inversión Cultural del Estado”, relevamiento de toda la normativa vigente y propuesta alternativa, enero a diciembre de 1991.

• Productor y Director de Programas de Televisión

• Director del Banco Hipotecario del Uruguay (2004/2005).

• Especialista en Comunicación y Medios de OPS/OMS (O.N.U.)

• Especialista en Comunicación y Medios de la OPS/OMS (Organización Panamericana de la Salud y Organización Mundial de la Salud) desde agosto de 1991.
• Punto Focal en Comunicación Social, Comunicación de Riesgo, Brotes y Crisis y Promoción de Salud.
• Punto Focal en Desastres.
• Punto Focal en VIH/Sida.
• Punto Focal en Seguridad Vial y Volencia.
• Punto Focal en Tabaco.
• Punto Focal en Relaciones Institucionales.

• Director de U.R.S.E.C Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones (2010-2015)
• Director ANTEL Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (1/06/2015-2020)
• Director de U.R.S.E.C Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones (2020- actualidad)

OTRAS ACTIVIDADES DESARROLLADAS
Asesor Técnico del Sr. Ministro de Salud Pública en relación con los medios y campañas publicitarias y de comunicación social, enero a octubre de 1991
Coordinador y docente sobre comunicación social y salud en el “2do. Seminario Taller Salud y Comunicación Social”, organizado por la OPS. Punta del Este, del 27 al 29 de noviembre de 1991.
Expositor en las “Primeras Jornadas de Actualización sobre SIDA Perinatal y Pediátrico”. Montevideo, el 25 y 26 de mayo de 1992.
Expositor en las “Primeras Jornadas de PRONACAM” (Programa Nacional de Cáncer de Mama). Paysandú, Uruguay, del 24 al 27 de setiembre de 1992.
Coordinador y expositor en el Seminario del Cono Sur sobre “Educación para la Salud y Participación Social”. Montevideo, Uruguay del 26 al 30 de julio de 1993.
Docente en el “Taller de Vigilancia Epidemiológica en Cólera y SIDA”. Maldonado, Uruguay, el 29 y 30 de julio de 1993.
Conferencia Mundial “Tabaco y Salud”. participante por OPS/Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Argentina, mayo de 1992.
Conferencia Internacional de “Promoción de Salud”. Santa Fé de Bogotá, Colombia, del 9 al 12 de noviembre de 1992.
Docente en el “Taller Nacional de Comunicación Social”. Calí, Colombia, del 6 al 10 de julio de 1993.
Representante del Uruguay en la “Reunión Orientación de Grupo”. Washington D.C., EE.UU., del 2 al 9 de agosto de 1993.
Docente en el “Taller del Area Andina sobre Comunicación Social y Mercadeo”. Caracas, Venezuela, del 7 al 14 de noviembre de 1993.
Participante en la “Reunión de Universidades Latinoamericanas”. Creación y articulado de Maestría en Comunicación Social y Salud. Cuenca, Ecuador del 6 al 11 de noviembre de 1995
Organizador, selección de consultor y puesta en marcha del Area de Comunicación Social y Medios de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud en Brasil. Brasilia, del 17 al 24 de marzo de 1996.
Participante en la Conferencia “Prevención de la Violencia: Una oportunidad para los Medios”. organizada por OPS y HBO Olé. Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, del 29 de setiembre al 3 de octubre de 1996.
Conferencia Mundial “Tabaco y Salud”. participante por OPS/Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Argentina, mayo de 1992.
Conferencia Internacional de “Promoción de Salud”. Santa Fé de Bogotá, Colombia, del 9 al 12 de noviembre de 1992.
Docente en el “Taller Nacional de Comunicación Social”. Calí, Colombia, del 6 al 10 de julio de 1993.
Representante del Uruguay en la “Reunión Orientación de Grupo”. Washington D.C., EE.UU., del 2 al 9 de agosto de 1993.
Docente en el “Taller del Area Andina sobre Comunicación Social y Mercadeo”. Caracas, Venezuela, del 7 al 14 de noviembre de 1993.
Participante en la “Reunión de Universidades Latinoamericanas”. Creación y articulado de Maestría en Comunicación Social y Salud. Cuenca, Ecuador del 6 al 11 de noviembre de 1995
Organizador, selección de consultor y puesta en marcha del Area de Comunicación Social y Medios de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud en Brasil. Brasilia, del 17 al 24 de marzo de 1996.
Participante en la Conferencia “Prevención de la Violencia: Una oportunidad para los Medios”. organizada por OPS y HBO Olé. Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, del 29 de setiembre al 3 de octubre de 1996.
Participa en el “Seminario de Cooperación Internacional en Salud del Cono Sur”. Montevideo, Uruguay, del 9 al 12 de agosto de 1993.
Participa y expone en el “Seminario sobre Uso Racional de Medicamentos Psicotrópicos en los países del Cono Sur”. Montevideo, Uruguay, del 12 al 15 de octubre de 1993.
Docente en el “Taller de Información en Salud para los países del Cono Sur”, OPS/Reino de los Países Bajos. Uruguay del 27 al 29 de octubre de 1993.
Docente en el “Encuentro Regional sobre Salud, Educación y Comunicación Social”. Melo, Cerro Largo, el 17 y 18 de diciembre de 1993.
Coordinador y expositor en el “Seminario-Taller Latinoamericano FAO/OPS sobre Control de Alimentos que se venden en la calle”. Uruguay, del 9 al 13 de mayo de 1994.
Coordinador y co-expositor en el Taller de comunicadores y Conferencia para Directores de Hospitales, Instituciones de Salud y autoridades de ASSE (Administración de Servicios de Salud del Estado) sobre Comunicación Social y Salud y Marketing Hospitalario en ocasión de la estadía en Uruguay del Consultor Catalán Dr. Joan Carles March, del 25 al 29 de julio de 1994.
Coordinador de la Reunión MERCOSUR/CONOSUR “Salud Mental y Desarrollo Psicosocial de la Niñez”, IIN/OPS. Uruguay, del 5 al 7 de octubre de 1994.
Coordinador de la primera “Jornada sobre Políticas de Estado en Salud”, CLAEH/Instituto de Ciencias Políticas/OPS. Uruguay, 19 de noviembre 1994.
Coordinador y Docente en el Tercer Seminario “Salud y Comunicación Social”. Uruguay, del 18 al 20 de mayo de 1995.
Coordinador en diversas campañas de publicidad en salud: SIDA (Premio “Campana de Oro” de la Publicidad Uruguaya), ANCIANIDAD, PREVENCION DE ACCIDENTES DE TRANSITO, SALUD BUCAL, etc.
Coordinador y docente sobre comunicación social y salud en el “Tercer Seminario Taller Salud y Comunicación Social”, organizado por la OPS. Punta del Este, del 18 al 20 de mayo de 1995.
Coordinador de las relaciones con los medios comerciales radiales y televisivos.
Co-organizador de la Conferencia Continental sobre “Tendencias Futuras y Renovación de Salud Para Todos”. Montevideo, del 9 al 12 de junio de 1996.
Ex Asesor del Centro Nacional de Quemados (CENAQUE), Instituto de Medicina Altamente Especializada de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República y el Ministerio de Salud Pública.
Ex Director de varios sistemas de televisión para abonados en las localidades de Paysandú, Mercedes, San José, Trinidad y Las Piedras.

Conferencia Mundial “Tabaco y Salud”. Participante por OPS/Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Argentina, mayo de 1992.
Conferencia Internacional de “Promoción de Salud”. Santa Fé de Bogotá, Colombia, del 9 al 12 de noviembre de 1992.
Docente en el “Taller Nacional de Comunicación Social”. Calí, Colombia, del 6 al 10 de julio de 1993.
Representante del Uruguay en la “Reunión Orientación de Grupo”. Washington D.C., EE.UU., del 2 al 9 de agosto de 1993.
Docente en el “Taller del Area Andina sobre Comunicación Social y Mercadeo”. Caracas, Venezuela, del 7 al 14 de noviembre de 1993.
Participante en la “Reunión de Universidades Latinoamericanas”. Creación y articulado de Maestría en Comunicación Social y Salud. Cuenca, Ecuador del 6 al 11 de noviembre de 1995
Organizador, selección de consultor y puesta en marcha del Area de Comunicación Social y Medios de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud en Brasil. Brasilia, del 17 al 24 de marzo de 1996.
Participante en la Conferencia “Prevención de la Violencia: Una oportunidad para los Medios”. organizada por OPS y HBO Olé. Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, del 29 de setiembre al 3 de octubre de 1996.
Proceso de Selección para Comunicador en la Representación OPS/OMS de Brasil, Brasilia, 5 al 12 de mayo de 1997.
Participante en el Primer Taller para Comunicadores de OPS, Washington DC, 7 al 9 de julio de 1997.
Participante en el Encuentro “Comunicación Social Para Salud en el Desarrollo Humano”, Washington, 10 de Julio de 1997.
Participante en noviembre de 1997 en el Seminario Internacional sobre Atención Primaria de Salud.
Asesoría Técnica a la Representación OPS/OMS en Ecuador para la instalación de una Unidad de Comunicación, Quito y Guayaquil, 19/27 de enero de 1998.

Apoyo a INPPAZ en Participación Comunitaria en Protección de Alimentos, Buenos Aires, 4 al 8 de noviembre de 1998.
Proceso de Selección para Comunicador en la Representación OPS/OMS en Bolivia, La Paz, 12 al 14 de julio de 1999.
Participante en el Taller de Puntos Focales HDP, 29 de enero al 3 de febrero de 2000, Sto. Domingo, República Dominicana
Consulta Técnica sobre Estrategias para Fomentar la Protección de Alimentos a través de la Participación Comunitaria, INPPAZ, Buenos Aires, 31 de julio al 2 de agosto de 2000.
Participa en el Seminario “Adolescentes y fútbol, ahí donde se juega la masculinidad”, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 14 al 16 de abril de 2003.
Participa por Uruguay en la Reunión Regional de Coordinadores de Programas de Desastres, Bogotá/Colombia, 7 al 9 de agosto de 2003.
Cursa el Taller Regional de Capacitación para Capacitadores en Comunicación de Riesgo y Brotes, Washington DC, 16 al 22 de julio de 2006.
Asesoría Técnica al Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social del Paraguay en el Diseño de una Estrategia de Comunicación Institucional, Asunción, 9 al 13 de octubre de 2006.
Asesoría Técnica al Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social del Paraguay ante Epidemia de Dengue, febrero de 2007, Asunción.
Participante en el “Taller Subregional de Capacitación para la Implementación del Protocolo Genérico en Vigilancia de Influenza del Cono Sur”, 26 de febrero al 2 de marzo de 2007, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Participante en el “Foro Latinoamericano y del Caribe en VIH/Sida e ITS, 17 al 20 de abril de 2007, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Capacitador en el Taller Subregional de Comunicación para la Respuesta ante una Pandemia de Influenza en la Región Andina, Bogotá, Colombia, 5 al 7 de junio de 2007.
Participante del “Primer Encuentro Regional de Control del Tabaco en las Américas”, Santo Domingo, 19 al 22 de Agosto de 2007.

Participación en la Reunión Presencial de Planificación de Estrategia de Comunicación de OPS para VIH, 10 y 11 de setiembre de 2007, Washington DC.
Participación en la “Outbreak Communication 2 Planning and Evalution Meeting”, Panamá City, Panamá, 30 de octubre al 2 de noviembre de 2007.
Asesoría Técnica al Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social del Paraguay ante el Brote de Fiebre Amarilla Urbano, febrero de 2008.
Asesoría Técnica en Comunicación de Riesgo y Brote al MERCOSUR y Estados Asociados en la elaboración de una Estrategia ante el brote de fiebre amarilla, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, marzo de 2008.
Participante en el “Taller Avances y Desafíos en la Producción de Información Estratégica sobre VIH en Latino América”. Lima, Perú, 15 al 18 de abril de 2008.
Participante en “The WHO Global Health Security Communications Coordination Meeting”, 15 al 17 de Julio de 2008, México DF.

OTRAS ACTIVIDADES INTERNACIONALES EN COMUNICACIÓN

En gira a invitación del Departamento de Estado de U.S.A. y organizada por la United States Information Agency (U.S.I.A), visita los principales medios de comunicación y mantiene reuniones de trabajo con los jerarcas y operadores de las ciudades de New York, Washington, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco y New Orleans, setiembre y octubre de 1985.

En dichas ciudades fue invitado a varios centros universitarios en el área de ciencias de la comunicación.

Representa al Uruguay en el Primer Mercado Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Radio y Televisión “MEXICOM 86”. Guadalajara, México, octubre de 1986.

Participa en las “Segundas Jornadas y Exposición de la Televisión Argentina”, EXPO T.V. 87. Mar del Plata, Argentina, marzo de 1987.

Representa al SODRE en la “IIa. Asamblea General de la Unión Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Radio y Televisión U.L.C.R.A. San José de Costa Rica, noviembre de 1987, siendo el relator de la misma.

Representa al Uruguay en el “IX Festival de Cine y Televisión”. La Habana, Cuba, diciembre de 1987.

Representa a Uruguay en la “IIa. Conferencia Latinoamericana de Servicios Públicos de Radiodifusión”, reunida a nivel del Ministro de Información y Delegados Gubernamentales. Quito, Ecuador, marzo de 1989.

Representa al Ministro de Cultura en el “Encuentro Latinoamericano de Televisión Cultural y de Servicio Público”, preparatoria de la Agenda del Tercer Encuentro de Ministros de Cultura de América Latina y el Caribe, Caracas, Venezuela, julio de 1990.

Durante los años 1986, 1987, 1988 y 1989, representó al Uruguay en las reuniones de los Consejos Ejecutivos de la mencionada U.L.C.R.A. en México, Buenos Aires, Quito, Costa Rica, Montevideo y La Habana.

Nota: En los “Mercados” mencionados, así como en la Conferencia Latinoamericana y el Encuentro arriba indicados, dictó Conferencias sobre temas relativos a comunicación y publicidad.


PUBLICACIONES Y TRABAJOS SOBRE MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN

Rama, Claudio; Delgado, Gustavo; “LA NORMATIVA CULTURAL DEL URUGUAY 1940/1990” (Marcos Jurídicos, Económicos y Organizacionales de la Cultura y la Comunicación). 157 págs. Editado por la Fundación de Cultura Universitaria (FCU) Montevideo, 1992.

Rama, Claudio; Delgado, Gustavo; “EL ESTADO Y LA CULTURA EN EL URUGUAY” (Análisis de las relaciones entre el Estado y la actividad privada en la producción de Bienes y Servicios Culturales). 140 págs., Editado por la Fundación de Cultura Universitaria (FCU) Montevideo 1992.

“Relevamiento de todos los programas y actividades culturales y comunicacionales realizadas por el Estado y por el sector privado y sus metodologías”. Documento de trabajo para el Ministerio de Educación y Cultura. 120 págs. junio de 1991.

“El Estado contemporáneo y la Cultura, los Servicios y las Industrias Culturales, el Cine, la Televisión, el Video, la Música, el Espectáculo y la crisis editorial”. Documento de trabajo para el Ministerio de Educación y Cultura. 130 págs. setiembre de 1991.

Supervisor del trabajo “La Comunicación Informativa y la Promoción de la Salud en el Uruguay”, marzo de 1992, que consistió en el relevamiento de todo lo publicado en salud en la prensa nacional a nivel periodístico, en períodos de 1990 y 1991, así como una encuesta a los responsables periodísticos de los medios radiales y televisivos sobre el tema salud e información.

Dr. Chukwudi Obinna Ekwueme is a technopreneur with expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, IoT and other emerging technologies. The avid researcher leads a dynamic team with recorded success in creating Omeife- the first African humanoid robot, the first African blockchain technology, the first African marketplace with Web 3.0 integration, and other
innovative projects.

As Chairman of the UNICCON Group of Companies with subsidiaries such as Chuksprime Organics, Uniccon International Limited, Baba Sky Technologies, Omeife Technologies, and Smartafri Labs Technologies, he has engineered groundbreaking innovations to put Africa on the global map. He envisions improving the livelihoods of Africans using indigenous technologies.

Fondly called Chuks, some of Dr Ekwueme’s distinguished awards are:
1. Peace Achievers Award for Excellence in Technology Development for technology impact on the continent
2. Thomas Sankara Leadership Prize as Pan African Technological Icon of the Year
3. Leadership Prize for Integrity and Transparency
4. Emerging CEO of the Year in the Africa-Dubai Global Honours category by the Leadership Without Borders Development Centre
5. African CEO Award by the Pan African Youth Leadership Foundation (PAYLEF)

The awards are a testament to his contributions to the growth of the African tech ecosystem. His philosophy is to solve unique problems in Africa with homegrown technologies.

Dr. Ekwueme obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry. Current realities and the tasks of management have necessitated his earning a Professional Doctorate in Leadership and Management from the prestigious California Metropolitan University, USA. Broadening his trajectory, he has veered into the mainstream and emerging technologies by training and
certifying to meet industry standards. He is an impactful member of the Nigerian Computing Society.

His participation and speaking roles at the Collision Conference (Toronto), Gitex Africa (Morocco), PMI South Africa Summit 2023, Tech Unite Africa, IoT West Africa, Cyber Resilience Switzerland, and other global conferences, workshops, summits, and seminars attest to his authority in the tech ecosystem.

Dr. Ekwueme is a philanthropist who believes in giving back to society and ultimately enriching Africa’s economy. Through the Chuks Ekwueme Foundation (CEF), he provides free scholarships to indigent students to accelerate their dreams of quality education. The CEF offers scholarship opportunities through the Uniccon Academy to basic and undergraduate education learners. His Summer STEM Camp programme is heavily subsidized to drive inclusion, stir and nurture interest in STEM and digital skills. He has also contributed to developing a STEM-based framework and curriculum through the Federal Ministry of Education and the World Bank initiative. To deepen digital literacy in Nigeria, he partners with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for emerging technology delivery.

Chuks has steered the ship of the UNICCON Group to national and global recognition. UNICCON has won industry awards under his leadership. The company, which is a member of the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN), bagged the Top 50 Nigerian Digital Economy Enablers 2023 Award. He envisions a world where Nigeria and Africa will be positive reference points in global technology discourse.

Mei Lin Fung, Co-Chair of People Centered Internet which she co-founded with Vint Cerf. An early pioneer of CRM, working with Tom Siebel and Marc Benioff at Oracle, she also worked at Shell and Intel. Mei Lin studied Finance at MIT under two future Nobel Economics winners. She served as Socio Technical lead for the US government Federal Health Futures, and was finalist in the GSA Citizen Engagement GEAR challenge and chairs the IEEE Technical Committee on Sustainability. She orrganized “Program for the Future” 2008 with Douglas Engelbart and “40th Anniversary of the Internet” (www.tcpip40.com) in 2014 with Vint Cerf. Fellow of Hasso-Plattner-Institute. Mei Lin curates the People Centered Internet’s Digital Cooperation and Diplomacy network and co-authored G7 policy contributions. She initiated and chaired the 3-day series of 60 speakers, including ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan Martin, Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf the fathers of the Internet as part of 10 panels on Digital Cooperation, Governance and Regulations at the UN Science Summit in Sept 2023. She organized with the IEEE History and David Gonzalez, IEEE Ambassador, the 50th Anniversary of the Internet.

Petros Galides is the Deputy Commissioner of the Cyprus Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Postal Services and the Digital Security Authority. He also serves as the EMERG Chair for 2024.

He holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an MBA from the London Business School. Petros has extensive experience in the postal, electronic communications, and cybersecurity regulation sectors, as well as in both the service and manufacturing sectors. He has served on several company boards, performed consulting work in Cyprus and the UK, co-authored pioneering published papers, and held key positions in private, public, and international companies before being appointed Deputy Commissioner in 2013.

David Goldman is the Vice President of Satellite Policy for SpaceX. Prior to joining SpaceX in 2018, he was the Chief Counsel for the Communication and Technology Subcommittee since January 2015. Before that, he served as the Senior Legal Advisor for FCC then-Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. He was the Commissioner’s chief advisor on wireless, international, and public safety issues, along with responsibility for other issues of policy, strategy, public relations, and office operations.

David joined Commissioner Rosenworcel’s office from the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he served on detail as Counsel to the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet.

Prior to serving on Capitol Hill, David served in a number of positions at the FCC, including in the office of Chairman Genachowski and as a Policy Advisor to the Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. He joined the agency as an Honors Attorney, serving as Attorney Advisor in the Spectrum Competition and Policy Division of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Before this, he served as Staff Law Clerk at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago. He also worked as an associate at the law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed in New York.

David received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida.

Fraser Graham is the Director of Public Policy at Ooredoo Group. With over 25 years of experience in the mobile telecommunications industry, he has developed expertise in public policy advocacy, international regulatory affairs, data privacy, digital transformation, regulatory modernisation, regulatory compliance, regulatory strategy, and other commercially strategic projects. His extensive career spans mobile groups, operators, consultancy firms, and the GSMA, covering regions across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Aboubakar has more than 20 years’ international experience in the telecommunications sector, in the fields of regulation, public policy, compliance and risk management. He began his career at the Cameroon Telecommunications Regulatory Board, where he gradually evolved to hold various management positions, including Director of Studies and Forecasting and Technical Director. He subsequently held various roles within private telecommunications groups: Director of Regulatory Affairs at Etisalat Francophone Africa, Regional Director of Regulation and Compliance, then Regional Director of Risk and Compliance for Central and West Africa at MTN Group. He is currently in charge of Regulation and Public Policy for the AXIAN Telecom Group, which operates in mobile telephony, infrastructure and data hosting in Africa and the Indian Ocean. Aboubakar holds an Executive Master’s degree in International Business Law from the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland), a Master’s degree in Telecommunications Management from the University of Strathclyde (UK) and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications from the University of Mons (Belgium).

Chris Hemmerlein is a Senior Public Policy Manager at Amazon, where he leads multilateral engagement on connectivity and Internet access issues. He is a Vice-Rapporteur for Question 1/1 and 5/1 in the ITU Development Bureau.

Chris is the former Chairman of the United States ITU Association (USITUA), and still serves on its Board of the Directors.

Chris has been an active delegate to the ITU since 2009. Prior to joining the private sector, he spent seven years working for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Office of International Affairs. In this capacity he authored contributions to, and negotiated outcomes of, major conferences including the Plenipotentiary and World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC), and study groups in the Standardization and Development Sectors.

From 2016-2021, Chris was a Public Policy Manager at Facebook. In that capacity he served as Vice-Rapporteur for ITU-D Question 3/1 during the 2018-21 Study Cycle, where he was the primary author of Chapter 4 on Over-the-top (OTT) applications and a contributing author to the report on the Economic Impact of OTTs on National Telecommunications/ICT markets.

Chris earned a bachelor’s degree at DePauw University and a master’s degree in International Politics at the University of California, San Diego.

Ekaterine Imedadze has been a commissioner of the Georgian National Communications Commission (ComCom) since March 2021. Prior to taking up her position, she headed the Telecommunications Market Regulation Department at ComCom.
Ms Imedadze has over 15 years of professional experience in telecommunications with a global perspective. Ms Imedadze has held several key positions at the international telecommunications group company VEON Ltd., leading the Global Process unit responsible for the group’s digital transformation. She also served as the group’s internal control and risk management lead for several years. Ms. Imedadze had previously served as the Head of Finance and Operations for a number of large private organisations, as well as a business consultant for leading ICT companies.
Ms Imedadze holds an MBA from the University of Bradford School of Management and completed the Innovation Leadership programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Previously, she earned a master’s degree in physics as well as a postgraduate diploma in artificial intelligence and fuzzy logic from Tbilisi State University, and she is currently pursuing an LL.M. in competition law and economics at the Brussels School of Competition (BSC).
She speaks Georgian, English, German and Russian.

John P. Janka serves as Chief Officer, Global Government Affairs & Regulatory at Viasat, Inc., an international communications solutions provider with a long legacy of designing, building and operating telecommunications and broadband networks of all types. He has extensive experience in the telecommunications, media, and technology (TMT) sector from over three decades of work at the global law firm Latham & Watkins, where he was a partner and served as the head of its Communications Law practice group. In that capacity, Mr. Janka represented entities ranging from startup entities to global leaders, whom he counseled on a variety of strategic matters. His clients included domestic and international satellite, wireless, and other terrestrial telecommunications companies; Internet service providers; video programming and other content suppliers; media services companies; television and radio broadcast operators; equipment manufacturers; and banks, private equity firms, and other investors.

Mr. Janka consistently has been recognized as a leading lawyer in publications such as Euromoney’s Expert Guides to the World’s Leading TMT Lawyers, Euromoney’s The Best of The Best USA-Telecoms, The International Who’s Who of Telecoms & Media Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and the Washingtonian magazine. Both Chambers USA and The Legal 500 US ranked Mr. Janka as a leading lawyer in the telecommunications, satellite, and broadcast areas, noting his creativity, vast experience, and reputation as one of the leading lawyers. In 2017, Mr. Janka was inducted into The Legal 500’s Hall of Fame, which highlights individuals who have received “constant praise by their clients” and who are at the “pinnacle of their profession.” In addition, The Financial Times highlighted one of Mr. Janka’s projects for Viasat, providing a “standout” ranking for advising on issues involving new uses of radio spectrum.

Mr. Janka also developed and edited for a decade a global compendium of international law, entitled The Technology, Media and Telecommunications Review.

Mr. Janka graduated cum laude from Duke University and Order of the Coif from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law. He served as a law clerk to Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and as a delegate at International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conferences.

Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for ATC Uganda and has been with the organisation since 2012.

She is a Fellow of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants FCCA, holds a Master of Business Administration from Edinburgh Business School, Herriot Watt University in Scotland UK and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Makerere University Business School.

Dorothy started her career as an Audit Associate with Ernst and Young (EY) and later joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) where she excelled in Audit and Accounting for several multinational organisations including Banks, FMCGs, INGOs, among others. She then moved to Airtel Uganda as Business Planning Analyst working on pricing, business analysis, budgeting and forecasting and supported the due diligence and transition from Zain Uganda to Airtel Uganda.

In 2012 she joined ATC Uganda as Finance Operations Manager and has held several roles including Supply Chain Manager, Finance Project Advisor for a start up in Tanzania, Regional Treasury Manager overseeing six countries in EMEA and was later promoted to Chief Finance Officer where she led the finance team in the organisation. Under her leadership, Dorothy transformed the finance department from what was purely numbers to strategic business partners for the company. She led several power analysis projects working directly with cross functional teams to understand the numbers and execute projects for continuous improvement. She supported the business through several challenges with the Uganda Revenue Authority and most importantly worked hard to close the approval for the amalgamation of ATC Uganda.

In 2022, she was promoted to CEO and is the first black female CEO across American Tower. She leads the Uganda subsidiary and is focused on building meaningful engagements with customers, stakeholders and creating an environment for all staff to grow through a people centric culture. Her goal is to create a culture that prioritizes the needs and well-being of employees, customers, and other stakeholders. Her key priority is to create a positive work culture, foster open communication, provide opportunities for growth and development, and promote work-life balance.

Tatiana Lawrence is Vice President, International Regulatory for Iridium, the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering coverage over the entire globe. In this capacity, Ms. Lawrence leads Iridium’s global regulatory and policy initiatives, related to regulatory policy, technical standards, technical and policy matters before International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and other international organizations, market access, licensing, spectrum advocacy, and disaster relief. In this regard, Ms. Lawrence has consistently developed enduring regulatory solutions to promote new technology applications and services throughout the world. Ms. Lawrence takes a lead role in driving Iridium’s proactive approach to emerging markets and deployment of innovative communications solutions including voice, data, and IOT/M2M solutions. Ms. Lawrence, also leads Iridium’s efforts in providing emergency communications anywhere on Earth in times of disasters.

Prior to joining Iridium, Ms. Lawrence’s career spanned experience in systems and integration engineering, as well as international business and regulatory affairs. Ms. Lawrence was involved in coordinating engineering and integration activities between satellite and launch vehicle manufacturers, implementing business growth and regulatory development in Eastern Europe, and coordinating international regulatory and market access matters, as well as representation at the International Telecommunication Union and other international forums.

Ms. Lawrence holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Moscow Power Engineering University. Ms. Lawrence serves on the board of directors of the United States International Telecommunication Union Association.

Dr Gift Kallisto Machengete is the Director General of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). He has over 40 years working experience as an economist, strategist and diplomat, having worked as Director of Finance and Administration in the Government of Zimbabwe, Economic Counsellor at the Zimbabwean Embassy in China and Deputy Ambassador at the Zimbabwean Embassy in Malaysia. He has also worked as a part – time Lecturer for Research Methodology at Master’s level and a Thesis Moderator for the same course for the past 20 years. He is a holder of a Doctorate in Business Administration, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics.

A Belgian Lawyer by training, Sofie Maddens is the Chief of the ITU BDT Digital Knowledge Society Department and Head a.i., of the Regulatory and Market Environment Division. She has managed complex private sector, government, and regional and international projects and grants for national governments and their National Regulatory Authorities, the European Commission, the World Bank, the Telecommunications Development Bureau of the ITU as well as for a wide variety of private telecommunications, consulting and financial sector clients in Asia and the Middle East, as well as in the Americas, Europe and Africa.

She has held senior management positions since 1994 in both the public and private sectors at national and international level, leading and implementing projects and programmes on ICT institutional and organizational frameworks and capacity, infrastructure development, knowledge management systems and platforms; data management and analysis, and advising on and building institutional and organizational capacity.

She has taught and advised on privatization strategies, infrastructure development, liberalization and competition strategies, market entry and universal access strategies, use of scarce resources, consumer protection policies, as well as international trade and regulatory negotiations, bringing in her knowledge and experience of industry trends and innovative solutions for ICT/digital policy and regulation and development. In addition, she has authored numerous strategic, political, legal, and regulatory texts as well as international trade negotiations strategies in the field of ICT/digital.

Dr. Kim Mallalieu is deputy chair of the Board of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) and chair of the Authority’s Board Review Committee. She is senior lecturer and leader of the Communication Systems Group in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of the West Indies (UWI), chair of the UWI St. Augustine Campus ICT Steering Committee, and past coordinator of UWI’s Master’s degree in Telecommunications Regulation and Policy, MRP (Telecommunications). She also lectures in Carnegie Mellon University’s Centre for Executive Education in Technology Policy.

Dr. Mallalieu is chief rapporteur and member of the Executive Steering Committee of the Universal Safeguards for Digital Public Infrastructure Initiative of OSET and UNDP; pro bono technical supervisor of the ITU, TATT and Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) Smart Seas Project; and a member of the Caribbean Spectrum Management Task Force. She coordinates the Mentoring Programme for Permanent Consultative Committee I (PCC.I) of Inter‑American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) and, as a keen advocate for gender equality for development, she is vice chair of the Advisory Board for the Network of Women (NOW) in ITU-D, and member of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organizations (CANTO) Women in ICT (WICT) Committee.

As Principal Investigator of the Caribbean ICT Research Programme (CIRP), Dr. Mallalieu is engaged in multidisciplinary action research with an emphasis on building the resilience of underserved populations. She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from MIT and PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from University College London. She is a member of Radio Emergency Associated Communication Teams (REACT); a licensed amateur radio and GMDSS short range operator; and the recipient of local, regional and international teaching and research awards, and other awards of distinction. She is the first woman to title a dog in the sport of Internationale Gebrauchshunde Prüfungsordnung (IGP) in Trinidad and Tobago.

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.

Mr Patrick Masambu is the Director General of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO), an international intergovernmental satellite organization comprising 149 Member States based in Washington, DC, where he has served in the current capacity since 2017. Prior to the present position, he was the organization’s Deputy Director General and Director of Technical Affairs for 7 years. And in the timeframe leading up to 2010, Mr Masambu was the Chief Executive of Uganda Communications Commission, the country’s communications regulatory agency for a 10-year period. During his tenure, he was responsible for the founding of the agency, spearheading the firm establishment of a communications regulatory regime as well as oversight of the implementation of Uganda policies and regulations in the communications sector. In parallel with the above duties, Mr Masambu has been extensively involved in various activities of the ITU throughout his professional career and currently, he also serves as a Commissioner on the UN’s ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. Mr Masambu holds MBA and B.sc(Engineering) degrees.

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 Vice Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) for 2024 (Outgoing Chair) 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.

Isabelle Mauro is Director General of the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) that represents the interests of the satellite industry ecosystem. Under Isabelle’s leadership, GSOA and its member CEOs lead the effort to showcase the benefits of satellite communications for a more inclusive, sustainable and secure society – vital to bridging the world’s digital divide, achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the full potential of the 5G & 6G ecosystem.

Isabelle has 25 years’ experience in the Telecoms and Technology sector, starting at the GSMA, where she was responsible for International & External Affairs for fifteen years. In 2015 she moved to New York to join the World Economic Forum as Head of the Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) Industry, managing the portfolio of over 60 Tech companies globally and leading initiatives on inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.

Isabelle is passionate about inclusion and sustainability. She is a Commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. Isabelle is also Member of the Advisory Board of Access Partnership and of the High-Level Advisory Board of the DigitalGoesGreen Foundation. She also sits on the Advisory Board of Women in Tech.

Isabelle holds an MSc in European Politics and Policy from the London School of Economics. She is fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish.

Sandra Maximiano, Chairman of ANACOM’s Board of Directors since 15 December 2023, holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Amsterdam. She is Associate Professor of Economics at ISEG – School of Economics & Management, University of Lisbon, where she is co-coordinator of XLAB – Behavioral Research Lab and of the Master’s Degree in Economics program. She is also a Visiting Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra. She was previously an Assistant Professor at Purdue University and a Research Fellow at the University of Chicago in the United States. She has also taught at the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics and the Nova School of Business and Economics.

Her academic research spans several areas: experimental and behavioral economics, organizational and labor economics, public policy, and information management. Her research explores issues related to social and moral preferences in individual decision making and in strategic and competitive environments, gender differences in economic decisions and the dynamics of information in competitive and co-operative situations. Maximiano primarily uses laboratory and field experiments to study human economic behavior and to collect data. Her work has been published in journals such as Review of Economic Studies, Economic Journal, Experimental Economics and Games and Economic Behavior. He is currently Associate Editor of the Portuguese Economic Journal.

Maximiano is a member of the Supervisory Board, a member of the Advisory Board and a member of SEDES observatories and working groups. Between 2020 and 2024, she was Vice-President of the Data Science Portuguese Association and a member of the ASF Forum for Market Conduct. From 2006 to 2023, she was the author of opinion columns in the Portuguese press, most notably the column ‘A Economia somos nós’ (The Economy is Us) in the Expresso newspaper.

An engineer of the “Corps des Mines,” a graduate of the École Polytechnique and the Institut d’études politiques de Paris, Xavier Merlin had been the head of the Inter-ministerial task force on simplifying businesses’ administrative procedures and legal publicity since 2019.

Xavier Merlin began his career in 1996 at the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry’s Department of Forecasting, where he was in charge of economic studies on the internet, audiovisual media, telecommunications and competition. In 1998, he joined that ministry’s Department of External Economic Relations, and tasked with multilateral e-commerce, audiovisual media, telecommunications and postal negotiations. Appointed technical advisor to Catherine Tasca, then France’s Minister of Culture and Communication, in 2000, he became Director of European and International Affairs at the French National Centre of Cinema (CNC) in 2002. In 2008, the joined the Directorate-General for Enterprise (DGE) as the Assistant Director of Institutional relations, in the areas of information technologies and the information society. Assistant Director of Regulation and European and multilateral affairs for the DGE starting in 2009, he was appointed head of the Territorial, European and International Action Department in 2014.

Lele Modise is the Group Chief Legal and Regulatory Affairs Officer (GCLRO) at MTN Group Limited (MTN), and was previously the MTN Group Chief Legal Counsel, having joined MTN Group in August 2019.

In her current role as the Group Legal and Regulatory Officer, she provides legal, regulatory and public policy strategic direction, including the implementation of the Group’s legal and regulatory risk management and regulatory advocacy and engagement programs. In her previous role, she was Barclays Africa Group Limited (Absa Africa)’s General Counsel for Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) from October 2014 and was appointed as General Counsel for both Wealth, Investment Management and Insurance (WIMI) and CIB in November 2015.

Ms Modise holds a B.Proc, LLB from the University of Pretoria (2001) and Masters in Banking Law (LLM) from the University of South Africa (2006). She was admitted as an Attorney in 2003.

Ms Bridget Mphatso Linzie is an accomplished Social Scientist with a specialization in telecommunications policy and regulation. She has been serving as the Executive Secretary (Chief Executive Officer) at the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA) since 1st June 2021, where she leads initiatives to achieve harmonisation of the telecommunications, broadcasting, and postal regulatory environment in the Southern African region. Ms Linzie holds a Master of Communication Management from University of Strathclyde and has over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, including been a business developer for a Telecom Company. She has played a pivotal role in shaping policies and regulations for the communications sector. In her spare time, Bridget enjoys boxing and event decoration.

CRASA is a forum for cooperation among National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) whose main objective is to harmonize the regulatory environment for telecommunication, broadcasting, and postal sectors in the Southern African region. CRASA is an implementing agency of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that actively pursues the goals of regional integration and economic growth. This mandate is primarily advanced through the development of model regulations, regional position papers, recommendations, and capacity building for the regulators.

Mufarreh Nahari is a seasoned professional in the ICT industry, with over 16 years of diverse experience across multiple roles and organizations. He currently serves as an Acting Deputy Governor of International Affairs and Partnerships, as well as a Deputy Governor of Studies and Innovation at the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) in Saudi Arabia, where he leads market and economic studies, data and advanced analytics, innovation, in addition to international affairs and partnerships.

Throughout his career, Mufarreh has held key positions that have significantly contributed to the ICT sector. His previous roles at CST include General Manager of ICT Studies, Acting General Manager of Space Market Intelligence and Research. Mufarreh’s career began at Cisco Systems as an Account Manager, where he gained valuable insights into customer relationship management and technology solutions, followed by working at the telecom operator “Mobily” as a Director of Enterprise Fixed Products. These positions have allowed him to develop a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, regulatory affairs, and competitive strategy within the ICT landscape.

His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Additionally, Mufarreh has pursued numerous executive education programs from prestigious institutions such as IMD, Oxford, Berkeley, INSEAD, Harvard, and Stanford. These programs have equipped him with advanced knowledge in business leadership, digital transformation, and financial management.

Mufarreh’s extensive experience enabled him to play a pivotal role in the major transitions within Saudi Arabia’s ICT sector. His strategic insights and leadership contributed significantly to the sector’s evolution, ultimately positioning it as one of the leading ICT markets globally.

Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende is a senior lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Makerere University. She heads the Makerere Artificial Intelligence Lab, a research lab in the Department of Computer Science. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands. Her research interests are using Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, and Responsible AI in health and agriculture.

Michael is the Director Refactory Limited. He is also the Country Manager for ICDL Africa. Michael is passionate and practices Leadership Development, Business Technology Strategy and Business Advisory services primarily through coaching and mentoring. He possesses 22 years of working experience in both the private and public sectors.

Michael has worked and consulted for different sectors with specific focus to business development, leadership development, strategy development, technology development and integration. He has mentored and coached individuals and companies across different sectors over the last 10 years.

Michael was a member of the ICT Technical Working Group of the Presidential Investor Round Table and the Advisory group for the Government of Uganda on the 4IR Technologies. Michael serves as a Board member of a number of organizations. He is a Rotarian and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of technology business leaders.

Nkechi Jane Egerton-Idehen is an energetic leader in the telecommunications industry, currently serving as the Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited. With a strong engineering background from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and further education from Warwick Business School, Harvard Business School, and Yale School of Management, she’s amassed over 17 years of experience in African telecommunications.

Throughout her career, Jane has held diverse roles in companies like Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks, showcasing her ability to manage stakeholders, build teams, and drive business growth. Beyond her technical prowess, she’s a staunch advocate for women in STEM, founding initiatives like Women & Career to support female leaders and inspire young girls.

In March 2020, Egerton-Idehen authored “Be Fearless: Give Yourself Permission To Be You,” empowering women to excel in STEM careers. The book’s success, reaching bestseller status in seven Amazon categories, shows its impact. Despite her busy schedule, she remains connected to her Nigerian heritage, continuing to uplift and empower women in STEM through her initiatives and leadership.

Hon. Nape Moses Nnauye is a visionary, challenge-driven, independent-minded leader with a warm and friendly demeanor. He is the current United Republic of Tanzania’s Minister for Information, Communication, and Information Technology, and a Member of Parliament for Mtama Constituency in Lindi Region.

He is a natural and persuasive communicator who is known for his ability to energise and inspire people to work together toward a common goal. He has a knack for bringing disparate people together. Nape Nnauye is a smart and creative with a track record of overseeing and contributing to important public programs, as seen by his achievements in numerous roles and positions.

Hon. Nape Moses Nnauye was born and raised in Tanzania, where he received his primary and secondary education. Later, he attended university education both inside and outside Tanzania to further his studies. Nape graduated with Honors from Bangalore University in India with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Language, and Journalism. He also hold a Master of Public Administration from Mzumbe University (Dar es Salaam Campus) in Tanzania. He has a Diploma in Diplomacy and Foreign Relations from the Centre for Foreign Relations and a Diploma in Social Sciences from the Kivukoni Academy of Social Sciences, both in Tanzania, owing to his diligent studious attitude.
Nape has been active with Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM – the current ruling party in Tanzania) since when he was a young pioneer during his primary school and later as a Member of the National Council of the CCM Youth wing while pursuing his secondary education. He has held different roles inside the CCM as well as in the Government, and has been essential in the political and economic advancement of his party.

He is currently a member of the National Congress of the party. He also served on the National Central Committee and National Executive Committee of CCM. Nape served as CCM’s National Secretary for Ideology and Publicity before becoming Minister for Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports in the 5th Phase Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Nape is passionate about Tanzania’s and Africa’s development, and he continues to provide new ideas and insights to the continent’s and his country’s progress. His practical knowledge and purposeful emphasis on Tanzania and Africa are a unique treasure that he actively passes on and mentors youth, who are Africa’s future development agents.

Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello is Dean, School of Engineering at Makerere University, and a researcher with netLabs!UG, a research centre within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering whose model is to strive for a balanced critical mass of research, innovation and commercialisation in communications and networking. She is also Director of Innovation at ResilientAfrica Network (RAN), Makerere University School of Public Health. Supported by USAID, RAN seeks to identify, develop and scale innovative solutions that will strengthen the resilience of African communities afflicted by natural as well as man-made shocks and stresses. This it does by applying science, technology, innovation and partnerships, and by using evidence-based approaches.

Dr. Okello holds a Bachelor of Science Engineering (Electrical – First Class Hons.), Makerere University, a Master of Science Electrical Engineering, University of Kansas, United States (Fulbright Scholar), and a Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, McGill University, Canada (Canadian Commonwealth Scholar). She is a member of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) where she is Past President (2016-2018), and a duly registered engineer with the Engineers Registration Board (ERB).

Dr. Okello is a leader with over 20 years of diverse experience in teaching, researching, as well as conducting projects and contributing to policies, including serving on various boards in education, telecommunications/ICT, banking and innovation. She is an activist in the area of getting more women, small-scale enterprises and rural communities engaged in innovation for development – with an ability to understand and balance both community and technology objectives.

Mr. John OMO is the Secretary-General of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), the African Union’s specialized agency for telecommunications and ICTs’ development in Africa. He has held the position since January 2019 and was re-elected for a second 4-year term at the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries held in Algiers, Algeria in July 2022. He leads the continental body entrusted with building consensus within African countries in the development of ICT policies, systems and services, and also in coordinating African participation in international ICT fora.

Mr. Omo has 31 years of experience as a lawyer and has contributed immensely to the development of local and international policies, legislation, agreements, and treaties in all areas of public service life but mainly in the area of ICTs.

Prior to his election as the Secretary General of the Union, he worked with the Communications Authority of Kenya, Kenya’s ICT regulator, where he provided leadership over the Authority’s legal matters and strategies. Before that, he worked in the public/civil service.

He holds a Master of Law degree in International and Commercial law from the University of Sheffield – UK, a Bachelor of Law from the University of Nairobi – Kenya, and a Diploma in Human Rights Law from the UN Human Rights Centre, Geneva, and ILO Centre Turin among other professional courses.
Mr. Omo was recently awarded the Global Merit Leader Awards 2022 by Telecom Review during Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit in Dubai, UAE.

H.E. Mr. Toelupe Poumulinuku OnesemoMinisterMinistry of Communications and Information Technology, SamoaHis Excellency, Honourable Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo was elected a Member of Parliament in April 2021 from the Territorial Constituency of Falealili #1, and subsequently appointed as the Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

Hon. Toelupe’s Ministerial portfolio includes the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Office of the Regulator, Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and the Samoa Post Office Limited.

He is also the co-chair of the Samoa National Digital ID Steering Committee (NIDSC), and the Digital Transformation Council (DTC). Hon. Toelupe is the Administrator of the Communications Sector Legislative Acts, namely the Telecommunications Act; Postal Services Act; and the Broadcasting Act, which gives directions to the development and future works of Digital, Broadcasting, Postal, and Telecommunication elements of the country.As Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Hon. Toelupe is committed to making access to the benefits of Samoa’s ICT development successes, inclusive to all citizens of Samoa.

He is passionate about the integral role the ICT Sector plays, through the development andimplementation of Samoa’s National plans and strategies, in the successful realization of all its development goals.

Mrs Gisa Fuatai Purcell, a Samoan is the Acting Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO) and the Director, ICT Development. Gisa has over 30 years experience in telecommunication and information and communication technology (ICT) development at the national, regional and international level.
At the CTO Gisa has been acting SG for over 12 months now and has implemented a lot of transformation and innovation decisions including revamping the key performance indicators for staff performance evaluation and developing the strategic plan for 2020-2024. Under her excellent leadership, she guided and won 2 tribunal cases against the CTO in April 2019 and nurture staff to their current status of motivation and happy to wake up in the morning to go to work.
Gisa is the former Head of ICT development for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Land Locked Countries (LLDCs) and countries with special needs, as well as Climate Change Adaptation, Emergency Telecommunication, and e-Waste at the Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Prior to joining ITU, Mrs Purcell was the Assistant Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of Samoa after working as ICT and Finance consultant in Wellington, New Zealand for many years.
Gisa established the National ICT Committee of Samoa where she made major contributions to driving the liberalization of the Telecommunications market. She spearheaded the development of Samoa’s first ever national ICT policy and strategic plan and its implementation that started with liberalization of the mobile market, schoolNet and Telecenters. Gisa’s work made Samoa the first country in the South with a liberalized mobile market and the first country to have established an independent office of the Telecommunication Regulator.
Gisa holds a Masters of Commerce and Administration Degree from the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; with a major in Information Systems. She values her university and continue to be a partner in various Victoria University’s projects including authoring a chapter in the latest book in e-Government: Achieving Sustainable E-government in Pacific Island States.
Gisa is a family oriented person who is happily married and blessed with 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

Mothibi Glenview Ramusi is the Chairperson of the Independent Communi-cations Authority of South Africa. A qualified electronic systems engineer, and an information technology certified professional. Mothibi has over three decades of working experience in the ICT sector, ranging from telecommu-nications, satellite, lotteries and broadcasting. Mothibi has an extensive leadership portfolio, which extends to Executive positions in both public and private sectors.

He has played a critical role in spearheading the role of ICT and satellite in community upliftment and development, especially in underserved and rural areas. Mothibi was part of the group of experts that developed the Telecommunications, broadcasting and satellite policy and regulatory framework in South Africa post 1994. Mothibi’s professional expertise includes mergers of entities, development of strategic partnerships relating to enterprise development, ICT infrastructure and spectrum management.
Mothibi holds a Bachelor’s Degree (BEng) in Electronic Systems Engineering from the University of Essex, B-Tech Higher National Diploma in Electronic Systems Engineering from Anglia Higher Education Institute, now Ruskin University, Transnet Executive Development Programme from GIBS and International Executive Development Programme from Witwatersrand University.

Dr. Laura Roberti is Senior Director for Spectrum and Market Access in Telesat. She has global responsibility for Telesat regulatory licenses and authorisations, including for the new Telesat Lightspeed system. She also participates in related ITU-R and ITU-D work.
She has a PhD in Electronic Engineering from the Polytechnic of Turin (Italy) and many years of experience working in the industry and academic/research world. Her experience covers satellite/terrestrial telecommunication systems and spectrum management and engineering. She is the author of several research papers in the area of radio propagation. Prior to Telesat, she has worked for Inmarsat, British Telecom, NASA and the Polytechnic of Turin.

Ben has been Liquid Intelligent Technologies’ Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer since 2017, having previously served as the Chief Technical Officer since 2006.

With over 20 years’ experience across a range of technologies in design, support, integration and operational management roles, he has led the group’s networking and product strategy, expanding its technology base and fibre network across Africa.

Ben led the integration and business transformation as CEO of Liquid Kenya from 2013 to 2017 and remains in Kenya as board chairman. In his current role, Ben is driving innovation across the Liquid group, while exploring how to digitally transform our services and technology stack, launching new technologies and products to our customers, and helping our customers innovate using our services.

Before joining Liquid, Ben was responsible for electronics design and satellite systems at Ericsson UK Limited. He also worked with Lotus Cars, the British sports car manufacturer, as an engineer. Ben holds a BSc Hons Physics from the University of Bristol in the UK.

Ben is passionate about STEM education and how it can be enabled by ICT, and is a board Committee Member of Young Scientists Kenya (YSK).

Neil Sahota is the CEO of ASCI Labs, IBM Master Inventor, and author of the bestselling books Own the A.I. Revolution and Innovative Leadership in the Age of AI. Over his 20+ year career, Neil has worked with enterprises, in multiple industries, to create next generation products and solutions powered by emerging technology. Neil also works with government agencies on workforce development programs, public service solutions, policy, and regulation. In addition, he helps organizations create the culture, infrastructure, and ecosystem needed to achieve success, such as the UN’s AI for Good initiative. Neil also actively pursues social good and volunteers with nonprofits. He is currently helping the Zero Abuse Project prevent child sexual abuse as well as Planet Home to engage youth culture in sustainability initiatives. Neil is a sought-after Board member, management consultant, and keynote speaker.

Louis Marc SAKALA, Directeur Général de l’Agence de Régulation des Postes et des Communications Électroniques (ARPCE) du Congo, est Chevalier dans l’Ordre du Mérite Congolais. Ingénieur en Informatique & Génie des télécommunications (ESIGETEL), Spécialisation : Radiocommunication-mobile, il est titulaire d’un MBA -Exécutive de l’université PARIS DAUPHINE.

Il débute sa carrière professionnelle en 2007 chez European Aeronautic Defence and Space company (EADS)- AIRBUS DEFENSE à Élancourt en tant qu’Ingénieur Système, avant de rejoindre THALES Communication France en qualité d’Ingénieur Système Intégration Validation.

En 2010, il rentre au Congo pour assumer les fonctions de Responsable du Service Gestion du Spectre des Fréquences, au sein de l’ARPCE. Deux ans plus tard, il est promu Conseiller Technique du Directeur Général de l’ARPCE et Responsable des Opérateurs et Prestataires. En 2018, il est nommé Directeur des Réseaux et Services de Communications Électroniques, avant de prendre la Direction Générale de l’ARPCE en 2020. Dynamique et très dévoué, Louis-Marc SAKALA a activement participé à la mise en œuvre et à l’aboutissement des projets majeurs de l’ARPCE.

Président Exécutif de l’ARTAC depuis 2022, il assume aussi la Vice-Présidence de Fratel.

Ruth Sebatindira is a Senior Counsel of 27 years experience and a Partner at Ligomarc Advocates a law firm she founded in 2003. Ruth was appointment by the High Court of Uganda, as Administrator of Uganda Telecom on 2nd January 2020. The first administration in Uganda’s corporate insolvency history and one of the biggest corporate insolvencies in terms of asset value in Uganda. Ruth was appointed to oversee and protect the business and assets of Uganda Telecom for the benefit of its Creditors and ensure protection of all Creditors’ interests. The role requires business acumen, business leadership and foresight as well as strategic partnerships and thinking. She led a team of 450 employees working across the country to ensure revenue generation. She was charged with identifying potential investors, technology partners as well as devising a turn around strategy for the Telecom to come out of insolvency. Ruth had to investigate the causes of corporate failure/insolvency and render reports to the High Court and also make proposals to turn around the Company.

Mr. Mustafa Yasin SHEIK is the Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Somalia since November 19, 2022. Previously, he served as Deputy General Manager and Board Member of the NCA. He also led the Somalia Network Information Centre (SONIC), the registry operator for the .SO ccTLD, from 2018 to 2021, and was a Senior Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Communications and Technology from 2017 to 2018. With over 15 years of experience in both the private and public sectors, Mr. Mustafa specializes in Internet governance, regulatory and policy analysis, public-private partnerships, and competition economics. He has guided the development the NCA’s first Strategic Plan and regulatory transformation roadmap, driving significant improvements in Somalia’s communications sector. Mr. Mustafa is a recognized leader in telecommunications, having participated in numerous
global forums, workshops, and associations, advocating for regulatory transformations in the region, contributing to the advancement of Somalia’s digital infrastructure and regulatory framework.

Tumubweinee Twinemanzi aka “Twine” has a PhD in Economics, an Msc Economics, and a MS in Management & Administrative Sciences all from the University of Texas at Dallas, USA. He has received training in: Quantitative Competition Analysis at the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, and in Utility Regulation and Strategy at the University of Florida – Gainesville. He was a lecturer at the University of Texas at Dallas where he taught Mathematics for Economists for undergraduates, and Advanced Macroeconomics at graduate level.

Dr.Twine has over 15 years of combined experience in Retail Banking, Telecommunications regulation, Digital Finance policy, and in structured finance for greenfield infrastructure projects in Uganda. He currently is the Executive Director Supervision at the Bank of Uganda, a position he has held since March 2018. Prior to this, he was the Director Industry Affairs and Content Development at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), the regulator for the telecommunications, broadcasting and postal sub-sectors in Uganda.

In his current role at the Bank of Uganda, Dr. Twine is provides oversight over the prudential operation and risk-based supervision of both deposit taking financial institutions and for Non-bank financial institutions; in a manner that ensures financial system stability and resilience. This role includes ensuring that financial sector regulation and supervision as conducted by Bank of Uganda, is cognizant and adaptable to the dynamism and innovation that is increasingly prevalent in the way financial intermediation is conducted in Uganda. Invariably, this extends to managing the exit and entry market actors in and out of the financial system, but in a manner that minimizes contagion.
In addition, he has been a facilitator at a training workshop for Mobile Money and Agency Banking organized by the IMF and BOU in Uganda; presented at the Mobile Money & Digital Payments Africa 2015 Conference in Johannesburg-South Africa on maintaining a balance between innovation and regulation in mobile money ecosystems. He was an invited panelist at the Responsible Finance Forum IV held in Antalya-Turkey in September 2015, and more recently was an invited panelist representing Bank of Uganda at the very first Block Chain Technology Conference in Uganda in 2018. Dr. Twinemanzi was an active contributor to: the Focus Group at the ITU on Digital Financial Services, and in the development of the Terms of Reference for its successor Focus Group that evaluated the potential of Digitally Issued Fiat Currency. He has also presented at the 2019 IMF Spring Meetings on Uganda’s experience with the Financial Sector Stability Review (FSSR) mechanism; been a invited panelist at the Open Banking World Congress held in London, UK in 2019; and presented on Uganda’s Experience with Bank Resolution at the IADI conference held in Kampala-Uganda in 2019. He has also been a moderator at Seminar organized by the International Growth Centre convened to discuss the drivers of the high interest rates in Uganda.

As the Head of the Supervision Directorate at Bank of Uganda, Dr Twine is the internal project sponsor for a SupTech solution to automate regulatory reporting, onsite and offsite surveillance processes and enable for the implementation of an early warning mechanism around SFI financial and solvency health. He represented the Bank of Uganda on the National Taskforce for Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies that was tasked to develop a strategy to guide the adoption, application and regulation of 4IR technology by the Government of Uganda. Dr Twinemanzi on behalf of Bank of Uganda, is working closely with the Uganda Banker’s Association, to establish an Asset Reconstruction (Rehabilitation) institution, and a Mortgage Refinance Institution within the Ugandan financial sector.

Separately but equally important, Dr Twine is the past Hon Secretary, past Hon Chairman and now recently elected as one of three Hon Trustees of Entebbe Club, the oldest Golf Club in East Africa established in 1901. He is an avid golfer with an incurable and addictive passion for the game.