Mr. Samaddin Asadov is the Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

With a strong background in finance and strategic management, he has held several senior leadership roles in the country’s communications and space sectors.

Before his current appointment, he served as the Chairman of the Board of the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos), where he oversaw the agency’s strategic transformation and financial sustainability.

Earlier in his career, he led the Finance Department at Azercosmos and worked at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies, contributing to national policy and financial reforms in the telecommunications sector.

Mr. Asadov holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Finance and Credit from the Azerbaijan State University of Economics and has completed advanced executive programs at ADA University, Maastricht School of Management, and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

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.

Roxana WIDMER-ILIESCU heads the Digital Inclusion Service at the Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where she has dedicated over 27 years to advancing the global digital inclusion agenda. She advises ITU Members on inclusive digital policies and strategies that enable everyone’s participation in the digital society, economy, and environment.

A passionate advocate for ICT and digital accessibility, Roxana promotes human-centred technologies and equitable digital opportunities for all—regardless of age, gender, ability, or location. To support global efforts toward building a digitally inclusive world where no one is left behind, she has spearheaded the development of more than 75 ITU-D key resources aimed at fostering the implementation of available, affordable, and digitally accessible technologies.

Before joining ITU, she served in the International Relations Department of the Romanian Parliament. She holds a legal background with a specialization in strategic management of telecommunications, and is fluent in English, French, Romanian, and Spanish.

He leads national space education and outreach initiatives, promoting STEAM learning and coordinating Azerbaijan’s international space engagement, including the country’s participation in the educational and scientific programs of International Astronautical Congress.

Imran’s career spans leadership roles in international relations, education, and diplomacy, including positions at Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Azerbaijan Badminton Federation, and Sorbonne Business School.

As a SALTO-certified facilitator, he has collaborated with institutions such as the British Council, NATO, and the European Union, fostering youth leadership and intercultural dialogue.

Fluent in six languages, he is recognized for his commitment to advancing global cooperation through education, innovation, and the space sciences.

Ms. Sona Abbasova is the Director of Corporate and Marketing Communications at Azercell, Azerbaijan’s leading telecommunications operator.

She is a seasoned communications strategist with over 20 years of experience in shaping brand identity, stakeholder engagement, and corporate reputation across international markets.

Before joining Azercell, she held senior roles at PASHA Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), leading initiatives in sustainability reporting, policy engagement, and media relations across Europe and Central Asia.

An alumna of IE Business School with an Executive Master’s in Corporate and Business Communications, Ms. Abbasova continues to champion purposeful communication that connects business impact with social responsibility.

Klaus Höckner, born 1966 in Austria, married (2 daughters), is member of the board of the Austrian Association Supporting the Blind and Visually Impaired (Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs) based in Vienna. Having more than 4500 members, the Hilfsgemeinschaft is the leading organisation representing and helping visually impaired persons in Austria. He is also member of the board of the Austrian Disabilty Forum – an umbrella organisation for Austrian organisations working in the field of Disablilty – and vice president of the Austrian Computer Society. He organises within the framework of the organisation Accessible Media every year the A-Day, an event where more than 350 persons of the german-speaking community, working with Accessibility meet together. He is also member in the International Association of Accessibilty Professionals (IAAP) and is Certified Web Accessiblity Expert (CWAE), a certificate issued in Austria by Incite. He is member of the organising board of the m-enabeling Europe Conference, the nomination committee of the ICCHP and member of the AAATE and sitting in various working groups in standardisation bodies, like the ISO TC 35/42 and the Joint Working Group of CEN/CENELEC/ETSI on eAccessiblity. Since 2018 he is member of the High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence at the European Commission. Klaus has an ICT background. He studies at the University of Economics in Vienna and has a a degree in WebAccessiblity and Fundraising. He started his work career as a IT-trainer, also working in jobs, related to ICT. Klaus is working for more than 15 years in the field of Accessiblity, especially regarding to ICT and standardisation and is member of various working groups as well as participating in many conferences and projects in this context on an european (i.e. in the European Disability Forum EDF) and inter/national level.

Ms. Aysel Suleymanova is the Director of Communications at Bakcell, Azerbaijan’s first and largest private telecommunications company.

With over two decades of leadership experience in strategic marketing, communications, and stakeholder relations, she has successfully guided corporate transformation and brand positioning across multiple industries.

She also serves as the Founder and Chair of the Marketing, Communications, and Business Development Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham), fostering private–public collaboration and thought leadership.

Previously, she led communications at Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) and PwC Azerbaijan, where she strengthened brand reputation and stakeholder engagement.

Ms. Suleymanova is recognized for her strategic vision, integrity, and commitment to advancing communications excellence in Azerbaijan and beyond.

Mr. Alper Gezeravcı is Türkiye’s first astronaut, marking a historic milestone in the nation’s space exploration journey.

Born in Silifke in 1979, he holds a degree in Electronic Engineering from the Air Force Academy in Istanbul and a master’s from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology.

A seasoned fighter pilot with over 18 years of experience across multiple aircraft, Mr. Gezeravcı has also served in leadership roles within the Turkish Air Force and Turkish Airlines.

In 2024, he successfully completed Türkiye’s first crewed space mission to the International Space Station, becoming the 275th astronaut to fly to space and the 610th in human history.

Beyond his achievements, he continues to inspire new generations toward science, technology, and exploration.

Mr. Tuva Cihangir Atasever is a Turkish astronaut and aerospace engineer serving under the Turkish Space Agency (TUA).

A graduate of Bilkent University in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, he pursued postgraduate studies in photonics in the United States.

Before joining Türkiye’s astronaut corps, he worked at Roketsan as an avionics systems engineer and payload integration manager, contributing to satellite launch vehicle projects.

After training with NASA and SpaceX as part of the Axiom Space program, he flew aboard Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity (Galactic 07) mission in June 2024, conducting seven scientific experiments in microgravity.

Mr. Atasever continues to engage in outreach efforts inspiring youth toward STEAM education and space careers.

Mr. Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu is a pioneering Romanian astronaut and aerospace engineer, recognized as the first Romanian to travel to space.

In 1981, he spent eight days aboard the Soyuz-40 spacecraft and the Salyut-6 space station, contributing to scientific and technological advancements in human spaceflight.

Dr. Prunariu is a founding member and former president of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), where he continues to advocate for international cooperation in space.

He has also served as President of the Romanian Space Agency, Ambassador of Romania to the Russian Federation, and Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS).

For his lifelong dedication to space exploration, an asteroid — “10707 Prunariu” — was named in his honor.

He leads national space education and outreach initiatives, promoting STEAM learning and coordinating Azerbaijan’s international space engagement, including the country’s participation in the educational and scientific programs of International Astronautical Congress.

Imran’s career spans leadership roles in international relations, education, and diplomacy, including positions at Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Azerbaijan Badminton Federation, and Sorbonne Business School.

As a SALTO-certified facilitator, he has collaborated with institutions such as the British Council, NATO, and the European Union, fostering youth leadership and intercultural dialogue.

Fluent in six languages, he is recognized for his commitment to advancing global cooperation through education, innovation, and the space sciences.

Mr. Samaddin Asadov is the Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

With a strong background in finance and strategic management, he has held several senior leadership roles in the country’s communications and space sectors.

Before his current appointment, he served as the Chairman of the Board of the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos), where he oversaw the agency’s strategic transformation and financial sustainability.

Earlier in his career, he led the Finance Department at Azercosmos and worked at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies, contributing to national policy and financial reforms in the telecommunications sector.

Mr. Asadov holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Finance and Credit from the Azerbaijan State University of Economics and has completed advanced executive programs at ADA University, Maastricht School of Management, and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

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.