Agenda

Mr. Giacomo Mazzone Secretary GeneralEurovisioni - Italy Moderator
Giacomo Mazzone is a seasoned media manager with 40 years of experience in news, sports, and international relations. Trained as a journalist, he has held significant roles at RAI, Euronews, Eurosport, and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Mazzone has expertise in European and multilateral negotiations, contributing to the UNESCO Cultural Diversity convention in 2005. His career highlights include founding Euronews, directing European Affairs, creating RAI's all-news channel, and leading international relations at RAI. Currently, he serves on the Advisory Board of the European Digital Media Observatory and holds various advisory roles with the EU, Council of Europe, Vatican Foundation CAPP, and the UN. He is also Secretary General of Eurovisioni and a board member of EuroDIG and of eu.MAG

Karen Woo Senior Coordinator on Early Warning Systems at the ITU, based in the area office in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Currently, Ms. Karen Woo is a Senior Coordinator on Early Warning Systems at the ITU, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. She leads efforts under the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative Pillar 3 focusing on Warning Dissemination and Communication, with a particular focus on enhancing early warning capabilities across Africa, Arab States and Asia-Pacific regions. Previously, she was the Project Officer in ITU's Connect2Recover initiative to strengthen the availability, and resilience of digital networks of beneficiary countries, including through emergency telecommunications preparedness and the affordability of digital services to address digital inclusion.

In addition, Ms. Woo has over 25 years of experience in telecommunications regulatory and policy, legal and information security. Prior to ITU, Ms. Woo worked at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and KPMG.  She also actively contributed to ITU-T Study Group 3’s work on international settlement, tariff and cost issues.  Ms. Woo graduated with a Master of Arts in International Policy and Diplomacy from Staffordshire University, UK; a Master of Laws in Information Technology and Telecommunications Law from University of Strathclyde, UK; and a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics for Competition Law from King’s College London, UK.  In addition, she is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). 

Dr. Walid Sami is Senior Project Manager at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Geneva, with responsibility for co-coordinating studies on frequency planning and spectrum sharing issues. He represents EBU in number of European and International Forums dealing with Spectrum Management. He is Vice Chair of ITU-R Study Group 6 (Broadcasting) and mostly active in Working Parties 6A (Terrestrial broadcasting delivery) and 1A (Spectrum engineering techniques). Prior to joining EBU, Dr. SAMI worked in spectrum management and frequency planning of Digital Broadcasting systems at Télédiffusion de France (TDF) and CSA (Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel) in France. Notable is his 7 years as head of Television Planning Department at the French Broadcasting Authority, where he was in charge of planning Digital Terrestrial Television in France. Dr. Sami received Electrical Engineering Degree from the Lebanese University in 1986 and a Doctorate in Physics from Supelec / Université de Paris Sud in 1991.

Natalia Ilieva has been global manager of the WBU´s Media saving lives project, managed by ABU, ASBU, AUB and CBU. Since 2010 and until 2024 was head of strategy development, members and external relations at the ABU . She is leading the ABU’s outreach campaigns Broadcasting for All: Diversity and Inclusion in the Media and Saving Lives: Building Resilient Communities, a media literacy campaign for climate change adaptation and disaster prevention. Her journalistic experience spans over two decades across print and electronic media working for public service and commercial organisations including ten years with the BBC. Natalia has worked for Thomson Foundation in transition management of media across Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union (Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine) and for Commonwealth Broadcasting Association before joining the Asia – Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development and later ABU. Natalia has a BS in Economics from Sofia University, Bulgaria and an MBA from the University of Ottawa, Canada and the University of Kent, UK.

Salwa Kamil is a senior spectrum planning Engineer with over 10 years of experience in spectrum management working with the National Communication Authority of South Sudan.

Key achievements:

- Participated in GE84 optimization for Africa, where we secured several FMs for future planning 

- Participated in the development of the first South Sudan National Fable of Frequency Allocations and the revised version.

-  Participated in WRC19 and WRC23 and was the vice chair for Com3 (budget control committee) of the conference, representing Africa.

-  South Sudan Focal point for Early Warning For All Pillar 3 (warring Dissemination and Communication).