Biographies

Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Doreen Bogdan-Martin took office as Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023. Ms Bogdan-Martin was elected as ITU’s first-ever female Secretary-General by Member States at the Union’s Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest, Romania.

Ms Bogdan-Martin was previously the Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. She took office on 1 January 2019, becoming the first woman in ITU history to hold one of the organization’s top elected management positions.

Ms Bogdan-Martin is a strategic leader with more than 30 years’ high-level experience in international and inter-governmental relations and a long history of success advising governments around the world on policy and regulatory issues.

From 2008-2018, she led ITU’s Strategic Planning & Membership Department. She was instrumental in establishing the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, on which she has served as Executive Director for more than a decade, and was an architect of the annual Global Symposium for Regulators, the pre-eminent global event for digital policymakers, as well as director of ITU’s first global youth summit, #BYND. She pioneered and oversees ITU’s ongoing contribution to the EQUALS Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age, and is leading ITU’s collaboration with UNICEF on the Giga project to connect all the world’s schools.

Ms Bogdan-Martin is a frequent speaker at top-level international policy events and has spearheaded ITU’s new Youth Strategy to more actively engage with the young people who are driving the next wave of digital transformation.

During her tenure as Director of BDT, she has led the implementation of a Results-Based Management system, improved internal accountability frameworks, and initiated a comprehensive review of reporting mechanisms across BDT’s global network of field and area offices, with a view to creating a more dynamic, responsive and fit-for-purpose organization.

Ms Bogdan-Martin holds a Master’s degree in International Communications Policy from American University in Washington, DC, post-graduate certification in Strategies for Leadership from the Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is certified in Accountability and Ethics by the United Nations Leaders Programme.

She is an affiliate of the Harvard University Berkman-Klein Center for Internet and Society, a Generation Unlimited Champion, and a Champion of the EDISON Alliance led by the World Economic Forum. She serves on a number of advisory bodies, including the Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative, the SDG Lab Advisory Board, the UN Technology Innovation Labs, and the Alumni Expert Council of the Internet Governance Lab of American University in Washington D.C. She is also a qualified amateur radio operator.

Ms Bogdan-Martin is married with four children.

Sandra Maximiano

Chairwoman, Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM), Portugal

Sandra Maximiano, Chairwoman of ANACOM’s Board of Directors since 15 December 2023, holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Amsterdam. She is an 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 the 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.

Ariff Olan Kholid

Project Management Officer, FNSValue Malaysia

Ariff Olan Kholid is the Project Management Officer (PMO) at FNSValue Malaysia, specializing in Client Relationship Management, Business Development, Marketing, Partnership Management, and Project Management. With over seven years of experience, he designed and launched fnsbsa.com, a platform showcasing Blockchain Secure Authentication (BSA). Ariff represented FNSValue at the Regional Digital Financial Services Security Clinic for the Asia Pacific Region in Seoul, South Korea, in April 2024, and at the Expand North Star, GITEX exhibition in Dubai in 2023. He began his career at Accenture in 2018 as an Analyst and quickly established himself as a key contributor. His accomplishments include implementing an innovative helpdesk system at Evolution Commerce and developing an internal job application management system. Ariff holds a BEng in Electrical Engineering (Hons.) from The University of Sheffield, UK, and is an HRD Corp TTT Certified Trainer.

Atsuko Okuda

Regional Director, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Atsuko Okuda was appointed as the Regional Director in April 2020. Prior to the new assignment, she was the Chief of the ICT and Development Section of the ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in Bangkok, Thailand from 2015 to 2020. At ESCAP, she promoted the development of regional broadband connectivity and inclusive broadband through the implementation of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS) initiative.

Before joining ESCAP, Ms. Okuda served the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in Beirut as the Chief of the Governance and State building Section and as the Team Leader responsible for ESCWA Knowledge Management. Prior to it, she contributed to the Umoja project, the UN Secretariat ERP initiative, as Testing Manager at the Department of Management, UNHQ for 2 years. From 2002 to 2010, she was responsible for promoting a wide range of ICT for development initiatives at ESCAP and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) as Senior IT Officer. She started her UN career in the area of ICT for Development at the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, the Bureau for Development Policy and UNDP Country Office in Bhutan from 1997 to 2002. Ms. Okuda obtained BA from Kyoto University (Japan), MA from Helsinki University (Finland) and PhD from the United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (Netherlands). Her doctoral thesis focuses on the topic of e- governance in the context of anti-corruption efforts. Her academic articles on broadband and AI were published by the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy. Among other publications and research papers, she was the author of a chapter on e-resilience in the 2018 UNDESA E- government Survey and various blogs on digital transformation at ESCAP and ITU.

Wendy Teresa Goico Campagna

Vice-Chair, U4SSC
Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland

Wendy Teresa Goico Campagna is a career diplomat with over twenty-five years of service to the Dominican State. Currently, she serves as an Economic and Cooperation Affairs fonctionnaire at the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva. She is the focal point for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and since March 2023, she has coordinated the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) within the ITU.

Wendy has held several key positions, including Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Dominican Republic’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), as well as Counsellor in charge of Trade, Investment, and Tourism at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Canada. She played a vital role in enhancing trade relations and attracting foreign investment.

Futoshi Sasaki

Deputy General Manager of Strategy and Business Development – MVNO, Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ)

Since joining IIJ in 2000, Futoshi Sasaki has engaged in the operation, development, and planning of various network services. He was one of the founding members of IIJ’s MVNO project in 2007 and has been in charge of corporate and consumer MVNO services ever since. He is Coordination Director, Strategy and Business Development, MVNO in IIJ, and also a chairperson of MVNO Committee, Telecom Services Association, which is the MVNO industry organization in Japan.

Uwe Baeder

Director of International Relations, Rohde and Schwarz

Uwe Baeder studied physics and electrical engineering and holds a physics diploma from the University of Kaiserslautern. He joined Rohde & Schwarz in 2000 as standards engineer for radio communication tester. He represented Rohde & Schwarz in various international standardization groups for wireless communications and oversaw the company’s presence on these committees. His interest was especially focused in the standardization of an IMT-2000 and IMT-Advanced system within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Here he contributed to the development of the test specifications, which are a basis for radio regulation of wireless communication devices.  At the same time, he was leading an international team for the development of certification tests for WCDMA/HSDPA, eCall, EWTS, LTE radio protocols including IMS and IoT standards like eMTC and NB-IoT. He is now Director of International Relations ITU/UN and acts for Rohde & Schwarz towards these institutions in general.

Minah Lee

Principal Researcher, Ministry of Science and ICT, Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA)

Minah Lee has been actively involved in ITU-T through her role at the Telecommunication Technology Association (TTA), a national SDO of Korea (Rep. of) for over a decade. Her contributions include work on TSAG issues, such as ITU-T working methods and collaboration with other organizations, and she currently serves as Vice Chair of TSAG Working Party 1 for 2022-2024. She has also played a key role in WTSA meetings since WTSA-12 and is Vice Chair of Working Group 1 (Working Methods) for the APT WTSA-24 preparatory group.

She has collaborated with various organizations, including serving as a member of the CJK (China, Japan, and Korea) IT Standards Meeting and as Rapporteur for GSC-17’s Telecommunication group (GTSC). Currently, she is a committee manager at the Korea ITU Association, where she has overseen TSAG, WTSA, and other Study Groups for many years, supporting national preparations. Her work with the Korean industry in developing and implementing telecommunications/ICT standards, as well as managing TTA technical committees, further demonstrates her commitment.

Ernest Cid

CEO, Wavecontrol

Ernest Cid is a Telecommunications and Electronic Engineer from UPC (Polytechnics University of Catalonia) and URL (University Ramon Llull) and PADE in management by IESE business school in Barcelona. He was a founder and is currently the CEO of Wavecontrol, a company specializing in the development of instruments for the assessment of human exposure to EMF, with more than 25 years of experience. He has participated in standardization committees at a national and international level, and he is currently a member of the CTN 215 (AENOR/CENELEC) ITU-T Study Group 5 and ITU-R Study Group 1.

Dayn Amade

CEO, KAMALEON

Dayn Amade is an inventor of Tablet Comunitário, a digital and interactive mobile technological infrastructure. This platform is currently 100% environmentally friendly, consisting of recycled plastic and fully powered by solar energy panels.

He is also the founder of Kamaleon, Ltd and CEO of Tablet Comunitário Foundation, which is its corporate social responsibility project. Tablet Comunitário was built in Africa, Mozambique for all Digital Divide challenged countries with a clear objective in increasing digital literacy and to empower people in rural communities promoting auto sustainability.

Dayn is the inventor of this initiative, and it is registered in Intellectual Property and Patents office, which built and implementation is thank to his young and Mozambican team. Since 2015, this platform has reached around 2.000.000 people in rural Mozambique, in various programmes related to Health, Agriculture, and Financial Education in partnership with Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations.

Liangliang Zhang

Standardization Senior Manager, Huawei Technologies, China

Liangliang ZHANG has more than 16 years’ experience on standardization in standardization of the ITU-T, ISO, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and IEEE, especially regarding to distributed ledger technologies (DLT) as well as telecommunication areas.
She is the Associate rapporteur of SG16 Question22 regarding to DLT and related services. She was the WG3 Chairman of ITU-T Focus Group on Data Processing and Management to support IoT and Smart Cities & Communities (FG DPM), and was in charge of the data sharing, interoperability and blockchain.

Sudipta Bhaumik

Head- Applications and Standards Engineering, Sterlite Technologies

Sudipta Bhaumik is designated as Head of Applications and Standards Engineering of Optical Networking Business at STL. He has been in the telecommunication field for over 25 years and engaged in research into quality, reliability, and application issues of optical fibre and cable. He is one of the architects of quality, process, and application engineering of STLs state-of-the-art optical fibre and cable manufacturing plants. He worked in various areas in optical fibre and cable manufacturing like Quality Assurance/Control, Reliability Engineering, Process Engineering, Management Systems, Business Development, Applications & Standards Engineering. He is an active expert member in telecom standard development organizations like ITU-T, IEC, BIS, TEC, and is in various leadership positions of ITU-T and IEC. He serves as Vice Chair of ITU-T SG15 and WP2/15, one of the Editors and Liaison Rapporteurs of ITU-T SG15. He was an American Society for Quality (ASQ) certified Six-Sigma Black Belt, Manager of Quality/ Business Excellence and Quality Auditor. Sudipta worked as Management Representative to implement and sustain various management systems like ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 10002, TL 9000 and OHSAS 18001 and guided to get ITU-T testing laboratory recognition for the first time in India for two optical fibre testing laboratories of STL. He has published over 40 technical papers and several patents.  A frequent author of technical papers, he twice won the Urbain J.H. Malo Award for most meritorious research paper in Wire Association International (WAI) convention in Atlanta, USA. Sudipta served as Editor/ Project leader of 9 international standards. He was conferred with the prestigious IEC 1906 award in 2022 from IEC TC 86 (Fibre Optics). He is one of the Guinness World Record holders to achieve the most viewers of a telecommunication lesson live stream on a bespoke platform. Sudipta holds a M.Tech degree in ceramic engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University.

Dr. Annesha Maity

R&D, Sterlite Technologies, Aurangabad, India

Dr. Annesha Maity is a seasoned professional in the field of research and development, currently serving as the Manager at Sterlite Technologies Limited. With over eight years of experience at the company, she has demonstrated her expertise and leadership in driving innovative solutions.

Before her current role, Dr. Maity held the position of Deputy Manager at Sterlite Technologies, where she contributed significantly to various projects. Her career also includes a tenure as an Assistant Professor at Heritage Institute of Technology, where she imparted knowledge in her areas of expertise.

Dr. Maity holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Photonics and Optical Fiber Devices from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and an Executive Program in Telecom Business Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. She also earned her Master of Engineering (MEng) in Digital Systems and Instrumentation from IIEST, Shibpur. Her extensive academic background and practical experience make her a valuable asset in the telecommunications and technology sectors.

Irfan Miswari

International Affairs Advisor, PT Mukti Mandiri Lestari

Irfan Miswari is a graduate of Political Science from Delhi University, He was the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Winner of the 2020 Desertification and Drought Day theme and slogan contest. Since 2022 until now he has joined PT Mukti Mandiri Lestari as an electronic waste management company in Indonesia as an International Affairs Advisor. In addition to representing the company as a focal point at ITU-T SG 5, he also represents the company as an observer at the Basel Convention. At the national level, he collaborates with various ministries in Indonesia to provide input on e-waste policies such as EPR, E waste SOP for telecommunication Operators with the Ministry of Communication and Information of Indonesia.

Dalal Al Ishaq

Infrastructure and Access Section Head, Communications Regulatory Authority Qatar

Dalal Alishaq is the Head of the Infrastructure and Access Section at the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) since 2017. She holds an MSc in International Business Management (IBM) in addition to her bachelor certificate in Architectural and Civil Engineering. She plays a key role in overseeing the regulation and development of Qatar’s Telecommunication infrastructure. Her work is integral to ensuring the efficiency and reliability of the nation’s telecom networks, contributing to the advancement of its communication systems.

Dalal has been instrumental in crafting critical regulations, including those for Radio Communication Station permits, Telecom Infrastructure construction Standards, and in-building wiring standards. She is currently spearheading efforts to establish a framework for infrastructure sharing and development, driving innovation and connectivity in the sector.

She is an active participant in global telecom forums, having spoken at numerous international events, including panel discussions on topics such as Telecom Infrastructure, Next-Generation Networks, women’s leadership in telecom, and the role of youth in innovation.

Assaf Klinger

Head of R&D, Vaulto, Israel

Assaf Klinger is an accomplished cyber security entrepreneur. In the last 3 years, Assaf has been Vaulto’s R&D lead. A native of Israel, he has over 20 years’ experience as a full stack developer and researcher with specialty in cyber-telecom vulnerability research. Assaf is an ISNU veteran of 13 years (Maj.) and has led the development of many complex systems, for this Assaf was decorated at 2011 with the Israel Defense award, the highest award a non-combatant in Israel, given for exceptional technological achievements and major contribution to the security of Israel. Assaf has a BSc. in electrical engineering from Tel-Aviv university and an MBA from the Technion, in the past 3 years Assaf and his team at Vaulto created the first cyber-telecom security startup aiming to protect the end-users from attacks while providing a seamless solution that doesn’t disrupt the user experience. Assaf is a family man, married with twins, in his spare time he enjoys tinkering with electronics and music.

Denis Andreev

Advisor, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), ITU

Denis Andreev started his career as an engineer of the testing laboratory of ZNIIS in 2000. He became the head of telecommunication Testing Centre (Technopark) in 2007. Under his supervision, Technopark tested key technologies which were further implemented on public telecommunication networks. From 2008, he managed the joint ZNIIS/ITU project, aimed at establishing the International Telecommunication Testing Centre (ITTC). In 2012 he joined the ITU-T HQ as the TSB C&I Programme Coordinator. Since 2017, he is Advisor of ITU-T SG11 “Signalling requirements, protocols, test specifications and combating counterfeit telecommunication/ICT devices”. His current activities focused on facilitating ITU-T SG11 on development signalling protocols and test specifications for existing and future networks (4G/5G interconnection, flat ENUM signalling architecture, signalling security, IMS testing, remote testing etc.). Also, he assists ITU-T SG11 on research and studies related to combating counterfeiting and stolen ICT devices.

Vanessa Copetti Cravo

Telecommunication Regulation Expert, Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (ANATEL)

Vanessa Copetti Cravo is a civil servant working for the Brazilian National Telecommunication Agency (Anatel) since 2005, with a legal background (J.D. and LL.M.) and a Ph.D. at the International Strategic Studies Program at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, with a research focus on cybersecurity.

She serves as one of Anatel’s focal points for cybersecurity, she is a member of the Anatel Cybersecurity Technical Group (GT-Ciber), and she has been a Brazilian delegate to several International Telecommunication Union (ITU) meetings and conferences (including the past four World Telecommunication Development Conferences – WTDC and the last Plenipotentiary Conference), as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCDE) meetings and Forums, always following cybersecurity related-issues.

Mrs. Cravo has been following and actively contributing to Study Question 3/2 (former Study Question 22) since 2009 and has been vice-rapporteur for the 2010-2014 cycle. She also served twice as Chair of the Correspondence Group created within Question 3/2 to improve the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) questionnaire. She currently serves as Study Question 3/2 Co-Rapporteur.

Tejpal Singh

Advisor, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Government of India

Tejpal Singh has more than 25 years of experience in telecom and IT field. Currently he is working as Advisor(Quality of Services) with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) at New Delhi. At TRAI, he is responsible for setting the standards for quality of service in India and monitoring their compliance. TRAI has notified new QoS standards recently on 2nd August 2024.

Before joining TRAI in January 2023, Tejpal Singh was handling the work of numbering resource administration in Ministry of Communication. During 2010 to 2013, he has played an important role in implementation of AADHAAR project which is considered to be the largest biometric based identity management system in the world.

Between 2000 to 2010, he has been instrumental in planning and implementation of IT and new technology projects in State owned telecom service provider. In BSNL, he has implemented Intelligent Network and Convergent Billing Systems for fixed line services. He was also responsible for planning, development and implementation of customized pan-India centralized Network Management System for BharatNet project.

Matthew Harrison-Harvey

Interim Vice President of Government and External Affairs, Opensignal

Matthew Harrison-Harvey is an external affairs, policy, and regulatory leader with 25 years of experience in telecoms, fintech, and technology sectors, primarily with Vodafone Group and currently through his consultancy, hhelpful. His career has spanned the globe, with significant experience in Africa, the Middle East, and India. This international exposure has provided him with deep insights and strong connections, enabling him to effectively navigate complex geopolitical environments and deliver results through partnerships across both the public and private sectors.

Karen McCabe

Senior Director of Technology Policy, IEEE Standards Association

Karen McCabe is a Senior Director of Technology Policy at the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA), where she leads IEEE SA’s technology policy initiatives, including efforts to build and connect communities working in the standardization and technology policy ecosystem with the aim of impactful outcomes to help advance technology for the benefit of society. Karen works at the nexus of mission-driven organizations, industry, NGOs, and government bodies to raise awareness, educate, and build capacity among stakeholders in the technology sphere. Karen is engaged in technology policy initiatives in sustainability, AI, digital and energy transition, and global standards in trade and policy. She leads the organization’s engagement with the UN and other international and intergovernmental bodies, with a focus on engagement of the technical community at the intersection of technology, standards, regulation, and policy. 

Prof Pradipta Biswas

Associate Professor, IISc, India, Vice Chairman, ITU SG 9, Co-Chairman, ITU IRG AVA

Pradipta Biswas is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing and affiliated faculty at the Robert Bosch Centre for Cyber Physical Systems of Indian Institute of Science. HIs research focuses on user modelling and multimodal human-machine interaction for aviation and automotive environments and for assistive technology. He setup and lead the Interaction Design Labat CPDM, IISc. He is a Co-Chair of the IRG AVA, International Telecommunication Union and a Member of the UKRI International Development Peer Review College. Earlier, he was a Senior Research Associate at Engineering Department, Research Fellow at Wolfson College and Research Associate at Trinity Hall of University of Cambridge.

Nakul Prasad

Project Officer, World Meteorological Organization

Nakul Prasad specializes in hydrology, water resources, climate services, and the application of emerging technologies in these areas. He coordinates operational hydrology activities for Asia and the Southwest Pacific and supports global flood forecasting and water resources management initiatives. He serves as the Secretariat of the WMO Working Group on Digital Transformation for Hydrology and Water Resource Management, collaborating closely with other UN Agencies on the topic.

Before transitioning to his current role, Nakul worked in the private sector, where he led projects focused on water treatment and integrated water resources management. He holds a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Surat, a Master’s in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, and an Advanced Master’s in Technology for Integrated Water Management from Universiteit Gent and Universiteit Antwerpen.

Qi Shuguang

ITU-T SG5 Vice Chair

Qi Shuguang graduated from the Beijing University of posts and telecommunications in 2007 and holds a master’s degree in computer science. She has been working in the field of green and low carbon  ICT for more than 10 years. Currently, she is the Vice Chief Engineer of China Telecommunication Technology Labs (systems) in the China Academy of Information and Communication Technology (CAICT). Her focuses include fundamental Research, prospective study and standardization work in sustainable development and carbon Neutrality. She is also Vice-Chair of ITU-T Study Group 5; Chair of the ITU-T Study Group 5 Asia pacific regional group; and also Chair of Working Group 1 / Technical Committee 4(Power and environment for ICT) in China Communication Standardization Association (CCSA). She is also very active in IEC TC22 and IEC SyC LVDC. She developed around 20 Recommendations as a chief editor in ITU such as ITU-T L.1210, ITU-T L.1380, ITU-T L.1381 series Recommendation on smart energy. Moreover, she is also very active in Chinese domestic standardization activities and developed more than 20 Chinese standards including National standards, industrial standard and regional standards. She has got first prize scientific rewards from the China Institute of Communications and first prize scientific reward from CCSA.

Sebastian Bosse

Head of the Interactive & Cognitive Systems Group, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI)

Sebastian Bosse is head of the Interactive & Cognitive Systems group at Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), Berlin, Germany. He studied electrical engineering and information technology at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain. Sebastian received the Dr.-Ing. degree in computer science (with highest distinction) from the Technical University Berlin in 2018.

During his studies, he was a visiting researcher at Siemens Corporate Research, Princeton, USA. In 2014, Sebastian was a guest scientist in the Stanford Vision and Neuro-Development Lab (SVNDL) at Stanford University, USA.

After 10 years as a research engineer working in the Image & Video Compression group and later in the Machine Learning group, he founded the research group on Interactive & Cognitive Systems at Fraunhofer HHI in 2020 that he has headed since.

Sebastian is a lecturer at the German University in Cairo. He is on the board of the Video Quality Expert Group (VQEG) and on the advisory board of the Interational AIQT Foundation. Sebastian is an affiliate member of VISTA, York University, Toronto, and serves as an associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Image Processing. Since 2021 he has been appointed a chair for the ITU focus group on Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture.

His current research interests include the modelling of perception and cognition, machine learning, computer vision, and human-machine interaction over a wide field of applications ranging from multimedia and augmented reality, through medicine to agriculture and industrial production.

Osvaldo Larancuent

Academic Representative,Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC)
President, Internet Society Dominican Republic Chapter

Osvaldo Larancuent is citizen from the Dominican Republic, with a bachelor degree on Systems Engineer, graduated from the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC); and holds a master’s degree in Leading Innovation & Change from York St. John University in the United Kingdom.  He is currently doctoral student on Artificial Intelligence for Productivity in Miguel Hernandez de Elche University in Spain.

He is a professional with over 30 years of experience, including senior leadership roles in information technology within the banking sector. As an academic, he has conducted research, published in academic journals and the press, and contributed to books. His areas of interest and research include cybersecurity, innovation, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, data science, cyber diplomacy, digital transformation and digital public policy.

Osvaldo is also a speaker on emerging digital technologies, digital public policies, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. He authored and coordinated the Cybersecurity engineer bachelor program, Cybersecurity Management Diploma, as well as the first Digital Diplomacy Diploma for the Diplomatic and Consular School of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic (MIREX).

He is an active collaborator in civil society, serving as the chair of the Internet Society chapter of Dominican Republic (isoc.do), an organization that promotes Internet for all. He has been elected as representative of non-governmental organizations in the Multistakeholder Open Government Forum of the General Directorate of Ethics and Government Integrity in DR, part of the Open Government Partnership.

He is a senior member and director of the IEEE Dominican Republic section and represents the country in the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) as well as its local initiatives (NRI).

He is part of the delegation of Dominican Republic in the WTSA-2024, from Academy and Civil Society.

Rosanny Arias Castillo

Manager, Innovation Department, OGTIC

Rosanny Arias holds a degree in International Relations from the Catholic University of Santo Domingo and a Master’s Degree in Digital Transformation from the School of Industrial Organization (EOI) of Spain, completed in 2022. Since 2021, she has worked at the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC), where she initially worked in the Digital Innovation Lab and is currently Head of the Department of Innovation Promotion.

In her current role, Rosanny has collaborated in the elaboration of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA) and leads the implementation of the priority projects of this strategy. She is also actively involved in the National Innovation Policy and its implementation.

Rosanny holds a certification in Responsible Artificial Intelligence from the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing in India. She stands out for her passion for public administration, public policy and innovation.

Ulaç Demirag

Country Director and Head of the Multi-Country Office in India, IFAD

Ulaç Demirag has over 20 years of experience working in the area of rural and agricultural development. His professional expertise includes community-driven development, rural finance, agricultural value chain, private sector development, and natural resources management.

He joined IFAD in 2002 and managed the country programmes in Equatorial Guinea and Chad (2006-2007), Guinea (2008-2009) and Ghana (2010 – 2015), Ethiopia, Eritrea and South Sudan (2016-2020) before moving to his current role as Country Director of India and Head of the Multi-Country Office in India. He holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Heidelberg, Germany (2002).

His academic background is coupled with extensive experience in leading interdisciplinary research in West Africa, with several publications in the fields of climate change, development economics, centered on agro-pastoral and small-holder farmers’ livelihoods.

Martin Brynskov

Founding Board Director, Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities (OASC)

Martin Brynskov, PhD (CS), is an academic and standardisation expert who has led some of the world’s largest pilot studies on smart and sustainable cities and communities, as Associate Professor at Aarhus University and later as Senior Researcher at Technical University of Denmark (DTU), both in his home country Denmark, leading groups focusing on connected communities, interoperability and ecosystems in the context of data spaces, local digital twins, artificial intelligence and internet of things. He is also Founding Board Director, and previously Chair, of the Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities (OASC), a Brussels-based global network of cities and communities acting as a voice of the needs of citizens and their communities towards Big Tech and regulators, promoting Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms (MIMs).

Katharina Weitz

Project Manager, Fraunhofer HHI

Dr. Katharina Weitz is a Project Manager in the Applied Machine Learning Group at Fraunhofer HHI. She brings a multidisciplinary background in education, psychology, and computer science to her role. Before joining Fraunhofer HHI, Dr. Weitz was a research associate at the University of Augsburg. Her research focused on applying explainable human-centered AI in medical, educational, and industrial contexts, emphasizing end-user perspectives. At Fraunhofer, Dr. Weitz continues to advance the field of Explainable and Human-Centered AI, particularly in natural disaster management and early warning systems. In addition to her research, she has been a board member of the German Computer Science Society since 2022.

Rajbir Singh

Assistant Director General (Agronomy, Agroforestry & Climate Change) in Natural Resource Management Division, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Dr. Rajbir Singh is presently working as Assistant Director General (Agronomy, Agroforesrty & Climate Change) in Natural Resource Management Division of ICAR at KAB-II, Pusa, New Delhi since February, 2023, where he is instrumental in planning, coordinating and monitoring of R & D programmes for sustainable agricultural production and resource conservation under changing scenario of climate change. He is also coordinating eight research institutes and five AICRPs on important aspects of NRM.

Previous to this, Dr. Singh served as Director, ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana for almost 8 years (2015-2023). Dr. Singh infused new energy in the functioning KVKs and putting all-out efforts to popularize conservation agriculture and natural farming for sustainability, addressing the issue of climate change, soil health deterioration, low farm profitability and environmental pollution. He put all-out efforts to popularize Nutri-gardens to demonstration the role of vegetables and fruits in mitigating malnutrition in rural area. Dr. Singh believes in team building, good coordinator and communicator and exhibited his traits of problem solving.

He has been bestowed with many prestigious awards like Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award during 2021, Nanaji Deshmukh ICAR Award for Outstanding Team Research in Agricultural Sciences during 2019, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Outstanding Scientist Award of ICAR during 2016, Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) during 2022, Fellow of Indian Society of Agronomy (ISA) during 2014, Fellow of Horticultural Society of India (HSI) during 2016 besides several other awards.

Dr. Singh has specialization in Conservation Agriculture, Extension Research and Natural Farming. Dr. Singh has more than 100 research papers published in referred international and national journals (Citation score in Google scholar: 5621; H-Index: 32, i10 Index-66) besides 41 technical bulletins, 121 popular articles, 10 books, 27 book chapters, and symposium papers in his credit. Dr. Singh has visited many countries (Israel, Brazil, Germany, Nepal, Poland, Thailand, USA and UAE) for participation in various seminars, symposium and in many advance laboratories for research work.

Dr. Singh has over 27 years of experience in research, research management and coordination; and application of technology and has a clear understanding of challenges, opportunities and research priorities of northern states. He has worked with a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and his scientific efforts in natural resource management has led to impact at scale benefiting large number of small holder men and women farmers of Northern India. He has handled more than 15 projects sponsored by different agencies including DST, DAC, ICAR.

Looking into his vast experience in the field of natural resource management, Dr. Singh has been assigned as National Nodal Officer to execute Central Scheme on “Promotion of agricultural mechanization for In-situ management of crop residue in the states of Punjab, Haryana, UP & NCR” in which 60 KVKs of Punjab, Haryana and UP is involved. The salient outcome of the project resulted into impact at scale covering more than 0.5 million hectare under zero-tilled wheat and direct seeded rice (DSR) in states of Punjab and Haryana besides one third reduction in active fire incidences of residue burning. ICAR-ATARI under his leadership has made its valuable presence not only in northern zone but across the country as a technology application institute for the welfare of farming community.

Pritha Acharya

Scientist (Adaptation & NBS), ICARS

Pritha Acharya has around 7 years of experience in Awareness Generation, Training & Capacity Building, Policy Linked Research & Documentation, Knowledge Integration and Mainstreaming across areas of Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change Adaptation, Sustainable Development, Nature-based Solutions and Biodiversity. She worked with the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), assisting in leading and coordinating the ‘Climate Adaptive Planning for Resilience and Sustainability Development in Multi-Hazard Environment (CAP-RES)’ project funded by DST, Govt. of India under the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC). She has also contributed in development of sectoral disaster management plans of Govt. of India. She is one of the editors of the Springer Nature book on ‘Disaster Risk and Management Under Climate Change’. She was also associated with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), India and contributed to their Leader’s for Nature Project. Currently, she is associated with the Integrated Centre for Adaptation, Disaster Risk Resilience and Sustainability (ICARS), a Centre of Excellence established in collaboration with DST-GoI and IIT Roorkee.

Frederic Werner

Chief, Strategy and Operations, AI for Good, TSB, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Frederic Werner, based in Geneva, Switzerland, currently serves as the Head of Strategic Engagement at ITU, the United Nations’ specialized agency for ICTs, and also holds the position of Chief of Strategy and Operations for AI for Good. Fred leads TSB’s strategic engagement initiatives, covering digital marketing and communications, membership and business development, business intelligence and analytics, fundraising and resource mobilization, community building and event design, as well as piloting AI-powered tools to enhance business processes and operations.

As one of the creators of the landmark AI for Good Global Summit, his mission centres on connecting AI innovators with problem owners to collectively advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Motivated by the potential of communication technologies and AI, he believes in harnessing their power to drive business, improve society, and tackle global issues.

Prior to his role at ITU, Frederic worked in Brussels as the Communications & Program Director of ETIS – The Global IT Association for Telecommunications, where he played a pivotal role in the creation of a pan-European network of CIOs and cybersecurity professionals. Earlier, he was the Head of Marketing and Communications at the European Organization for Conformity Assessment, where he led capacity-building projects, trainings and events with the European Commission to enhance the ICT infrastructure in EU candidate countries.

On the academic front, Frederic has a B.A. in Business & Human Resources Management with a Communications Minor from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He also completed an MBA in International Business from the United Business Institutes, a Technical MBA in Telecoms Technology from Informa Telecoms in Dubai, and an executive course from the MIT Sloan School of Management focused on AI’s Business Strategy Implications.

A recognized figure in the AI sphere, Frederic is a regular keynote speaker and panellist at global tech and AI events, such as AI House Davos, SXSW, AI Africa Expo, World AI Festival Cannes, World AI Summit Amsterdam, WSIS, AWS Reinvent, Huawei Connect and GITEX to name a few. His insights on AI and the Sustainable Development Goals have led to numerous interviews and features across media, books, and podcasts.

Having lived in diverse countries such as Belgium, Senegal, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Austria, Turkey, Hungary, and Switzerland, Frederic brings a unique and global perspective to his partnerships and collaborations.

Arne Ingebrigtsen

CEO, City of Kristiansund 

Arne Ingebrigtsen is the Chief Executive Officer, serving the City of Kristiansund, Norway. Previously an entrepreneur from the global private sector with several nominations and awards, including Europe Fast 500. Now innovating the Norwegian public sector. Kristiansund established the first municipal master plan in Norway based on the UN SDGs and U4SSC Key Performance Indicators. Kristiansund was top 3 in the European Public Service Awards, won the Farmand price, the Framsikt price and several others after innovating the city’s services under his leadership. He is also serving as a board member at Innovation Norway and the public innovation board (KommIT). His expertise lies in the area where technology meets its beneficiary.

Rebecca Mukite

Head, Communications Infrastructure and Services, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Uganda

Rebecca Mukite is the Head of Communications Infrastructure and Services at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). With over 15 years of experience in telecommunications, Rebecca has a rich background in radio frequency spectrum planning and monitoring, telecommunications licensing, communications, public relations, and international relations.

In her current role, Rebecca leads the Communications Infrastructure and Services Division, where she oversees the planning, authorization, and compliance of communication operations, networks, services, and numbering resources. She is responsible for ensuring the protection of consumer interests and promoting sustainable development within the communications sector. Her work involves coordinating with key stakeholders—government agencies, industry players, and international organizations—to maintain effective technical regulation of communications infrastructure. Additionally, Rebecca drives initiatives in environmental sustainability and EMF safety within the telecommunications space.

Her earlier career in RF spectrum planning and telecommunications engineering provided her with deep expertise in managing and evaluating RF systems, which later expanded into strategic roles in telecommunications licensing and standards development. This foundation has equipped her to address complex regulatory challenges and contribute to the creation of regulatory frameworks that align with international best practices.

Throughout her career, Rebecca has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, developing strategies that bridge the gap between technical telecommunications requirements and socio-economic development. Her understanding of the telecom sector’s evolving needs informs her leadership in guiding her division’s long-term planning and response to emerging industry trends.

Rebecca holds a degree in Telecommunications Engineering from Kyambogo University and a master’s degree in communications management from Bucks New University, along with specialized training in global communications and regulatory frameworks.

Joshua Cockerill

Director, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Australia

Joshua Cockerill is the Director of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts in Australia. With over 17 years of experience in public service, he has held various key positions that highlight his expertise in international engagement and regulatory reform.

Joshua serves as the Director of International Engagement, focusing on collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT). Previously, he directed initiatives related to border re-opening and airport regulatory reform, and oversaw projects in South Australia and Tasmania.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History from The University of Queensland and a Bachelor of International Relations from Bond University. His diverse background and commitment to enhancing infrastructure and regional development contribute to his impactful leadership in Australian governance.

Ronaldo Neves

Head, International Affairs Office, Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações – ANATEL, Brazil

Ronaldo Neves is the Head of the International Affairs Office at the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) in Brazil. With nearly 15 years of experience at Anatel, he has developed a deep expertise in regulatory affairs and international collaboration within the telecommunications sector.

Since November 2021, Ronaldo has served as a Regulatory Expert, where he focuses on enhancing Brazil’s international telecommunications policies. Previously, he was the Chief of Staff for the presidency of Anatel, overseeing strategic initiatives and providing senior-level support. His earlier role as a Senior Regulatory Advisor to the Board of Directors further solidified his influence in shaping telecommunications regulations.

Before joining Anatel, Ronaldo practiced law in Uberlândia, for nearly four years. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from IDP and a Specialty Certificate in Public Policy Analysis from ENA (Ecole nationale d’administration). His educational background and extensive professional experience equip him with the knowledge and skills to effectively navigate complex regulatory environments and promote Brazil’s interests on the international stage.

Radhika Batra

Chief of Staff, Resident Coordinator’s Office

Radhika Batra is the Chief of Staff at the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in India, where she has worked for over 18 years. In her current role since May 2011, she provides strategic leadership to enhance UN initiatives across the country. Previously, she served as an Advocacy Officer in the same office.

Radhika has a background in journalism, having worked as a Senior Newscaster and Director at Zee Telefilms Ltd and as a Television Journalist at Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. She also has experience as an independent media consultant, writer, and filmmaker.

She holds a Master’s degree in Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia and a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Wales, Cardiff. Radhika’s expertise in communication and advocacy supports her commitment to driving impactful change within the UN system in India.

Li Tian

Director of Standards Management, ZTE Corporation, China

Li Tian is the Head of Standards Strategy at ZTE Corporation, a role he has held since October 2021. With nearly a decade of experience at ZTE, he previously served as a Research Manager, focusing on pre-research, algorithm design, simulation, and standardization.

Li has also gained international experience as a visiting Ph.D. student at the University of Bologna. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering from Tongji University, where he also completed his Bachelor’s degree in the same field, receiving a National Scholarship for his studies.

His expertise in standards strategy and research plays a critical role in advancing ZTE’s technological innovations and industry standards.

Shombi Sharp

UN Resident Coordinator in India

Shombi Sharp is the UN Resident Coordinator in India, a position he has held since November 2021. With over six years of experience in the United Nations, he previously served as the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia from March 2018 to November 2021.

His extensive career with UNDP includes roles as Deputy Resident Representative in Georgia and Deputy Country Director in Lebanon. Shombi also led the Regional HIV/AIDS team for Europe and the CIS, demonstrating his commitment to health and development initiatives.

He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in HIV/AIDS Management from Stellenbosch University and a Certificate in High-Performance Leadership from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Shombi’s leadership and expertise continue to drive impactful UN programs in India and beyond.

Areti Sianni

Chief of Mission, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Areti Sianni is the Chief of Mission for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). With over 13 years of experience at UNHCR, she currently serves as a Senior Asylum/Migration Policy Adviser, focusing on critical policies surrounding refugees and migration.

Before her current role, Areti worked as an independent consultant, conducting evaluations and providing expertise on refugee policies, including a real-time evaluation of UNHCR’s Policy on Refugees in Urban Settings in Bulgaria. She has also held positions as a Regional Integration Officer and Resettlement Expert, where she developed integration and resettlement strategies for Central Europe and managed resettlement processes for Iraqi refugees in Jordan.

Areti holds an MSc in Development Studies from The London School of Economics and a Master of Arts in Politics from Macquarie University. Her extensive background in refugee policy and migration makes her a vital leader in advancing UNHCR’s mission globally.

Dr. Roderico H. Ofrin

WHO Representative to India

Roderico Ofrin is the WHO Representative to India, a position he has held since July 2020. With nearly 17 years of experience at the World Health Organization, he has developed a strong expertise in global public health, focusing on Health Emergency Risk Management, Humanitarian Assistance, and Community Health.

In addition to his role in India, Roderico has served as the Regional Emergency Director and Director of Health Security and Emergency Response at the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia in New Delhi. He also worked as a Technical Officer in Emergency and Humanitarian Action and has experience as a Public Health Officer in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Roderico holds a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His leadership and extensive background in public health are vital to advancing WHO’s mission in India and the region.

Preeti Soni

Head, Asian & Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT)

Preeti Soni is the Head of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), a position she has held since June 2021. With extensive experience in sustainable development and environmental economics, Preeti previously served as Chief of Climate Change, Resilience, and Energy at UNDP from January 2018 to June 2021.

Her career with UNDP spans over seven years, during which she held various roles, including Assistant Country Director and Head of Energy and Environment, and Advisor on Climate Change. Preeti also led the Energy Environment Unit at UNDP and worked as a Knowledge Coordinator for the Environment at the United Nations.

She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Economics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and has furthered her studies at UNU-INTECH. Preeti’s expertise in technology transfer and climate resilience is pivotal in advancing sustainable development initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region.

Frances Loraine Valdez

Director, International Cooperation Division, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Republic of the Philippines 

Loraine Valdez is the Director of the International Cooperation Division at the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in the Republic of the Philippines. With over ten years of experience as a public servant and development practitioner, she is a passionate advocate for countryside development, specializing in ICT4D and community development.

Loraine has held various roles within DICT, including Chief of the ICT Industry Ecosystem Development Division and ITU Focal Point for the Philippines. Before her current position, she served as President and CEO of Komyulab Strategies Inc. and led initiatives for the Philippine Commission on Women, focusing on empowering women microentrepreneurs in the cacao and coffee industries.

She holds a Master’s degree in Community Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines. Loraine’s expertise in technology and community engagement is instrumental in advancing the Philippines’ digital transformation and inclusive development goals.

Ajay Kulkarni

Leader – IBM Quantum Safe Product Engineering

Ajay is the Quantum Safe Product Engineering Leader at IBM. He leads global engineering, testing and expert lab services teams and collaborates with IBM Research labs across the world. Ajay possesses 34+ years of cross-functional and cross-technology leadership experience at IBM, Honeywell, and Selectica. He drove several   software and services development, engineering, and delivery businesses. He holds Engineering degree from Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune, India and earned several leadership trainings from MIT Sloan and Yale School of Management. Ajay is also a IBM Certified Complex Program Manager and Certified PMP from PMI.

Sachindra Joshi

Distinguished Engineer, IBM

Sachindra Joshi is a distinguished Engineer and leads the conversation AI effort across IBM research and works closely with different research labs and business divisions to create state-of-the-art conversation technologies and integrate them with IBM products. He also manages the AI for Interaction department at IBM India Research Lab that focuses on research in natural language processing, question answering, conversation modelling, process mining and automation.  Sachindra has over 70 research papers in top journals and conferences and has over 60 patents to his name. Prior to joining IBM research, Sachindra completed Masters in Computer Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in year 2000.

Elisabeth Steinmayr

Programme Officer, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Elisabeth Steinmayr is a Programme Officer at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), based in New Delhi since June 2023. With a strong background in food security and rural development, she previously worked as a Food Security Specialist at the World Bank, where she contributed to global Food Security Crisis Preparedness Plans and managed projects in the Lower Mekong Region.

Before her role at the World Bank, Elisabeth served as an International Programme Officer at Jesuit Refugee Service, focusing on humanitarian aid projects for refugees and internally displaced persons. She also has experience at IFAD as a Rural Development Specialist, providing technical support on value chain development and gender issues.

Elisabeth holds a Master’s degree in Human Development and Food Security from Roma TRE University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Vienna. Her expertise centers on sustainable development, gender empowerment, and community engagement in agricultural contexts.

Azeem Ahmed Alvi

Indian Sitar player

Azeem Ahmed Alvi is a musician, social entrepreneur, and art promoter dedicated to environmental sustainability. As the founder of the Raag Mantra Music Foundation, he blends his passion for music with social impact, promoting cultural initiatives and environmental awareness through artistic expression. Azeem is also known for his explorations and efforts to foster community engagement in the arts.

Sandeep Kumar Gupta

Director, Ministry of Communications, India

Aarush Qureshi

General Manager, ITU APT Foundation of India (IAFI)

Aarush Qureshi is the General Manager of the ITU APT Foundation of India (IAFI), with over a decade of experience in the eCommerce and ICT sectors. For the past six years, Aarush has been instrumental in managing IAFI’s operations, fostering collaboration between government agencies and industry stakeholders, and driving key initiatives within the organization.

She has represented India in prominent international forums such as PP-18 and PP-22, and actively contributes to global programs, including APG-19, the APT Preparatory Meeting for PP-22, and WRC-23. Aarush also plays a vital role in representing IAFI at ITU working party meetings, ensuring India’s interests are well-represented on the global stage.

Prior to joining IAFI, Aarush served as the Operations Head for India at Alibaba.com during the peak of the eCommerce revolution, gaining deep industry insights and leadership experience. She holds a degree in Operations and Management from Delhi University.

Yamamoto Hiroshi

Director, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT)

Yamamoto Hiroshi is the Director and Head of the Standardization Office at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), where he oversees the company’s standardization strategy and activities. Since January 2023, he has played a pivotal role in shaping NTT’s approach to standardization on both domestic and international levels.

Previously, he served as a Supervisor, focusing on integrating next-generation communication technologies into agriculture. His extensive experience includes a role as the Primary U.S. Liaison, where he facilitated Japan-U.S. collaboration projects and strengthened ties with international standards organizations.

He began his career at NTT as a Research Engineer, specializing in Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Service (QoS) technologies. He holds both a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Waseda University.

Balakrishna Pisupati

Head, UNEP India, supporting UNCTs and Co-Convener UNSDF Group on Environment

Balakrishna Pasupati is an experienced leader in environmental governance, currently serving as the Head of UNEP India. With over 32 years of expertise across national and international NGOs, UN agencies, government, and academia, he focuses on environmental law, diplomacy, and biodiversity.

He has held prominent positions, including Chairperson of FLEDGE and Vice-Chancellor of TransDisciplinary University. He has served as a Senior Adjunct Fellow at the Research Information Systems for Developing Countries and a Senior Research Fellow at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Oslo. His roles within the Government of India include Chairman of the National Biodiversity Authority.

Internationally, he has been Chief of the Biodiversity, Land Law and Governance Unit at UNEP-DELC in Nairobi and Coordinator of the Biodiplomacy Programme at the United Nations University in Yokohama. With his extensive background, he continues to advance initiatives that promote biodiversity and sustainable development.