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. 

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. 

Amy Alvarez serves is the AVP, International External and Regulatory Affairs at AT&T. In this capacity, she advocates AT&T’s positions on international telecommunications issues to the U.S. Executive Branch agencies and the Federal Communications Commission in support of AT&T’s global business and international wholesale business units.  Her portfolio also includes the management of AT&T Global Services Canada regulatory matters and the coordination of AT&T’s telecommunications and Internet policy positions before multilateral organizations, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), and the Organisation for Economic and Co-operative Development (OECD).
  
Amy holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Boston University and a Master’s degree in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University.  She is based in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Eun-Ju Kim is currently Chief of Digital Knowledge Hub Department, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) at ITU, where she serves ITU memberships for thematic programs such as capacity and digital skills development to strengthen capacities and bridge digital skills gaps, ICT data and analytics to ensure ITU’s global leadership as the main source of ICT data, and creating enabling legal, policy, regulatory and market environments conducive to the digital transformation as well as the neutral contribution-driven ITU-D Study Groups through various platforms, services and products in close coordination and partnership with multi-stakeholders, which aim to contribute to achieving ITU Vision – i.e., connect the unconnected – and UN SDGs – i.e., no one left behind – for ALL at inclusive digital society.
She holds MA from the Seoul National University (R.O. Korea), MA and PhD from the City, University of London (UK), and Executive Program at the Harvard Kennedy School (USA). As a social scientist, she has published numerous books and articles relating to interdependent international relations and organizations, and evolving digital technologies with socio-economic impacts of policies, regulations and strategies; executed various hands-on projects; and led to organize and chair numerous conferences for inclusive and sustainable development.

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.

Sanjay Dhawan is the Vice President of New Business Technology and Operations at SBA Communications, a leading independent owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure, with over 33,000 Communication Sites in 14 countries across North, Central and South America and South Africa.
In his role at SBA, Sanjay is responsible for supporting and advising on Technology aspects around SBA’s Core Tower business as well as New Business Initiatives. Additionally, Sanjay supports the operational aspects for New Business Initiatives at SBA.
Sanjay brings 30 years of international telecom experience across North America and the Asia Pacific (APAC) Region. He has held Professional and Leadership Roles in Wireless & Fixed Systems spanning Technology and Strategy domains.
Sanjay holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, USA, with a specialization in Computer Engineering and Computer Communications. He also holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Electrical Communications from the Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, India.

Mónica Duhem is founder and director of Hearcolors and an expert in access to telecommunications services and ICT. With HearColors Monica created an innovative model and unique in this country to push for a more inclusive internet for persons with disabilities and with certain age. Since HearColors was created in 2014 it has been recognized at an international level and Monica has been invited in many international for a to presents its social impact model. For her accomplishments as an entrepreneur Monica was appointed co-president of one of the Comfei working groups (Consejo México Francia de Emprendimiento e Innovación) where she organized the first edition in 2015 of the MXFR Innovation Day. Prior to the creation of HearColors Monica founded Perspectiva Integral, an international consulting firm. Monica has been a consultant for the Mexican government in issues related to telecommunications accessibility and has been rapporteur at the International Telecommunications Union of the access to telecommunications and ICT services for persons with disabilities since 2010. Monica has been a consultant for many organizations such as the ITU, OECD, APEC and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico. Monica has a Phd in Political and Social Sciences from the Universidad Iberoamericana and a MSC in Economics and Philosophy from the London School of Economics.

André is a lawyer with expertise in public policy and regulation. Since 2016 at Cullen International, he has led its Global Trends service, guiding the analysis of global policy developments in communications and technology. With 20 years of experience, his work has influenced policy and regulatory decisions across five continents. A sought-after speaker, he is also a key contributor to international policy debates. 

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.

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.

With 25 years of experience in IT and Telecom, I have held key roles at CMG, LogicaCMG, Acision, Mavenir, one2many, and Everbridge. Currently, I manage the national public warning product portfolio at Everbridge and lead the global national public warning commercial product management and technical sales team. Our customers include national governments (New Zealand, The Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Norway, Mauritius, Tonga, UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc.), telecom operators (KPN, Vodafone group, Deutsche Telekom group, STC, Telefonica group, 3, British Telecom, Telstra, Optus, etc) and Telecommunication software companies ( Mavenir, Ericsson, etc).