Ms. Dominique Hyde, Director of External Relations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Moderator
| Ms. Dominique Hyde is the Director of External Relations at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She is responsible for partnerships with governments, civil society, UN agencies, and the private sector, as well as communications and advocacy, in support of the UN Refugee Agency’s protection and assistance programmes. Dominique began her career working for the Canadian Government (Senate, House of Commons and Ministry of Foreign Affairs). She later joined the International Organization for Migration in Haiti. From 1997 to 2010, she worked for the United Nations World Food Programme where she held different positions in Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Iraq, Italy and Nepal. In September 2010, Dominique joined UNICEF as Representative for Jordan and in late 2013, she moved to New York as the Deputy Director of the Public Partnership Division. In 2017, she joined the World Health Organization as the Director for Strategic Engagement at their HQ in Switzerland, before joining UNHCR as the Director of External Relations in January 2019. Dominique has an M.A. in International Relations from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, Master Courses in Economics at the London School of Economics, and a B.A. in Communications from the University of Ottawa, Canada.
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Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Panelist
| Dr Cosmas 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.
Previously, as ITU's Chief of Projects and Initiatives, he oversaw development projects focused on gender, youth, and people with special needs, along with capacity building, emergency telecommunications, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and e-waste management.
Earlier, Dr Zavazava headed the Republic of Zimbabwe's Government Telecommunications Agency and served as a senior diplomat. He also taught MBA classes at the UK's Nottingham Trent University.
Throughout his career, he has focused on closing the digital and skills divide and accelerating digital transformation to achieve socio-economic development for all.
Dr Zavazava holds a PhD in Multilateral Trade from Business School Lausanne (Switzerland), and a Master of Laws degree in Telecommunications and Information Technology from the University of Strathclyde (UK), as well as a Master's in International Relations from Webster University (US), and an MBA from the University of Zimbabwe. He also holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration and diplomas in Telecommunications and Systems Engineering.
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Ms. Paula Ingabire (TBC), Minister of ICT and Innovation, Government of Rwanda
Panelist
| Ms. Paula Ingabire is a Rwandan technology enthusiast who serves as the Minister of ICT and Innovation in the Government of Rwanda.
Prior to her appointment as Minister, she served as Head of the Information Technology at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) where she led the implementation of National ICT programs, notably on eGovernment and cybersecurity, as well as the coordination of the Kigali Innovation City project, a flagship program of the Government designed to nurture and strengthen a pan-african innovation eco-system in Rwanda. She also coordinated the creation of Smart Africa, an initiative that seeks to leverage broadband infrastructure as a driver for Africa’s socioeconomic growth.
Paula Ingabire is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) School of Engineering & of the MIT Sloan School of Management, in the System Design and Management program. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and Information Technology from the University of Rwanda.
Paula Ingabire is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum (WEF). She is also a member of the WEF Cyber Security Board, the WEF Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) Global Network Advisory Board, and a founding board member of the EDISON Alliance. She was also a WEF Young Global Leader (YGL).
Paula is a Member of the International Advisory Board of the Global Finance & Technology Network and used to serve on the Global Council of the World Summit Award Board of Directors.
She was named among the world's 100 leading public servants on AI adoption (2025) and among the world's 20 most influential people in digital government (2020) by Apolitical.
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Mr. Max Lamesch, Deputy Director for Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
Panelist
| Mr. Max Lamesch was appointed Director for Humanitarian Affairs in the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in August 2021. Prior to his current position, he was Chargé d’affaires at the Embassy of Luxembourg in Ouagadougou covering Burkina Faso and Niger (2016-2019) and head of the Asia department in the Directorate of political affairs of the MFA (2019-2021). Before becoming a diplomat, he worked for several nonprofit organisations and was part of an international rehabilitation team in Haiti from 2010-2012. Max Lamesch holds diplomas in German and English literature and in international relations.
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Dr. John Giusti, President of the Mobile for Development Foundation, GSMA
Panelist
| As Chief Regulatory Officer for the GSMA, John Giusti is responsible for leading the organisation’s public policy and industry advocacy agenda with governments, regulators and international institutions, as well as overseeing the work of the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation and engaging with key development organisations worldwide.
Prior to joining the GSMA in 2011, John spent 17 years at the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), working in a variety of capacities. Most recently, he served as chief of staff and senior policy advisor to Commissioner Michael Copps, where he provided legal, strategic and policy support to the Commissioner on all major agency actions, including the implementation of the National Broadband Plan.
He also previously ran the FCC’s International Bureau, where he managed the agency’s relationships with its foreign counterparts and served as its chief negotiator at meetings of the International Telecommunication Union, the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission and other multilateral organisations.
John was educated in the United States, earning a Juris Doctorate from Boston University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications from the University of Florida. He has been a member of the Massachusetts bar since 1994.
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