IGF 2023 HIGH-LEVEL TRACK

Mr. Koichi Watanabe is State Minister in the Ministry for Internal Affairs and Communication of Japan.

Daisaku Kadokawa, known as an advocate for the environment at the local, national and international level, has served as mayor of Kyoto since 2008. Easily identifiable due to his preference for wearing a kimono, he is a mayor of contrasts – widely recognized for both his role as a proponent of Kyoto traditions and his modernization of the local economy. Now in his third term, he has overseen an explosion in visitor numbers, with over 55 million tourists making the trek to the former imperial capital of Japan in 2014 – many of them from overseas.

Over the past two decades, Sylvia has worked on strategic use of the internet for development with an emphasis on capacity building.

Since her early years as a UN Volunteer working on a South-to-South farmers' internet information exchange project in Colombia in 1993, she has worked across the multistakeholder spectrum of organisations with technical and advisory roles, mainly about information systems, access provision and innovation.

Ms. Alves Brito is a Brazilian lawyer and researcher working in the areas of intersection between Law and Technology, with a focus on Protection and Privacy of personal data, Competition and Intellectual Property.

Kasar Mahesh, Senior Vice President, Rakuten Symphony responsible for Indirect & Channel Sales and heads APAC Sales operations. 

On 1 June 2023, the United Nations General Assembly elected Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago as President of its seventy-eighth session, which runs from September 2023 until September 2024.  (See Press Release GA/12504.)

Dr. Eliamani Laltaika is a Judge of the High Court of Tanzania and an adjunct faculty member of The Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha Tanzania where he teaches Intellectual Property, Cybersecurity Law and Bioethics since 2013

Mr Bjørn Berge serves as the Council of Europe’s Deputy Secretary General since 1 March 2021.

As the Deputy Secretary General he is involved in a number of key areas of the work of the Organisation, including advising and overseeing the implementation of the Secretary General’s reform agenda, in line with the decisions and priorities of the Committee of Ministers.

Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen took up his duties as Deputy Secretary-General in January 2019. His portfolio includes the strategic direction of OECD policy on the digital and technological transformation; global relations; trade and agriculture. In June 2021, he was appointed OECD Gender & Diversity Champion, and leads the organisation’s work on gender equality and diversity. Mr. Knudsen led the transformation of the OECD Executive Committee in Special Session into the Global Strategy Group (GSG) to have a strategic forum to discuss issues of global relevance.

Arisa Ema is Associate Professor at the Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo and Visiting Researcher at RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project in Japan. She is a researcher in Science and Technology Studies (STS), and her primary interest is to investigate the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence by organizing an interdisciplinary research group.

Mr. Luciano Mazza de Andrade is Director of the Department of Science and Technology in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil.

Denise is presently the Assistant Chief Executive (Data Innovation & Protection Group). Her scope of work includes developing forward-thinking governance on AI and data, driving a pipeline of AI talent, promoting industry adoption of AI and data analytics, as well as building specific AI and data science capabilities in Singapore.

Axel van Trotsenburg (@AxelVT_WB) is the World Bank’s Senior Managing Director (SMD), responsible for Development Policy and Partnerships.

A Dutch-Austrian national, he directs the World Bank’s core development work captured by the Bank’s Global Practice groups – including equitable growth, finance and institutions; human development; infrastructure; and sustainable development – and ensures its integration into operations, with a special focus on climate change, fragility, human capital, and debt sustainability issues.

Mr. Rodney Taylor, a national of Barbados, was appointed as CTU Secretary General from 1st March 2021.

He was formerly the Chief Digital Technology Officer with Barbados’ Ministry of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology (MIST), where he was the technical lead on Barbados’ digital transformation, improving public sector service delivery through the strategic use of innovation, science, and SMART technology.

Mr. Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández is Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Communications, Cuba. 

Graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, the University of Tokyo and conducted research as a visiting scholar at the MIT Media Lab. She later founded and became the president of CANVAS, Digital Ehon and Learning of Tomorrow. She successively serves as a member of many ministry committees including the Information and Communications Council of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), a member of NHK Central Broadcast Programs Council etc. Concurrently, she is the director of Digital Signage Consortium. Ph.D. in Media and Governance.

Mr. Masanori Kondo, Secretary General of the APT, brings to his post over 25 years of eminent experience and expertise both in national and international stage.

Kojo Boakye is Meta’s Vice President of Public Policy for Africa. He’s an experienced ICT for Development Practitioner, with 15+ years’ experience working with governments, fixed-line and mobile operators, development partners, online service providers, content developers and civil society organisations. Before joining Facebook, he was the Deputy Director of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), and the Head Research and Consultancy at the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) prior to that.

Since December 2021, Stefan Schnorr has been a permanent state secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. He is responsible for the Central Services, Budget and Shareholdings, Digital and Data Policy, Digital Connectivity as well as Aviation directorates-general. Stefan Schnorr is a legal professional. He began his career as an administrative judge in Rhineland-Palatinate. From 1994 to 2001, he worked for the Ministry of Justice of Rhineland-Palatinate, serving as Head of Public Relations and Press Officer.

Pearse O’Donohue is Director for the Future Networks Directorate of DG CONNECT, European Commission, dealing with policy development and research as regards 5G networks, IoT, cloud and data flows, service platforms and next generation Internet.

Dr. Jun Murai is known as the ‘father of the Internet in Japan,’ and, outside of Japan, has also been called the 'Internet samurai.’ In 1984, he developed the Japan University UNIX Network (JUNET), the first-ever inter-university network in that nation.
In 1988, he founded the Widely Integrated Distributed Environment Project, a Japanese Internet research consortium, for which he continues to serve as a board member.

He is a professor and dean of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies at Keio University, from which he earned his PhD in computer science in 1987.

Barbara Carfagna is an Italian journalist, currently an anchorwoman for the Rai Corporation's major news broadcast, TG1. She is also the creator and host of the documentary news series, "Codice: la vita e' digitale", aired on Channel Rai 1. 

Jewel Forde is a television producer and presenter with the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation in Barbados. She has hosted "Monitor" and worked as an announcer on CBC 900 AM radio. She is also joint public relations officer for the Barbados Association of Journalists.

Forde has a Diploma in Mass Communications from University of the West Indies, Mona in Jamaica and a master's degree in Journalism Studies from the University of Cardiff.

Shivanee Thapa Basnyat is a Senior News Editor at Nepal Television. She holds over 17 years of experience in broadcast journalism and covers politics and foreign affairs as well as sports (occasionally).

Her experience also includes production of news & current affairs programs, interview programs and documentaries.

Deborah is a former ABC news executive, editor and journalist and a strategic communications specialist. She led the ABC’s Asia – Pacific newsroom from 2009-2017 and established Australia’s first 24/7 multiplatform newsroom producing content for digital, television and radio for the ABC’s domestic and international services. She has extensive experience in identifying and developing strategic opportunities, strengthening stakeholder relationships and building Asia- Pacific partnerships.

Nezar Patria, a former journalist, was named as deputy minister in July 2023 to help oversee tech-related matters such as data sovereignty, artificial intelligence and spectrum frequencies.

Nicolas Suzor researches the regulation of networked society. He is a Professor at the Law School at Queensland University of Technology, and one of the leaders of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society. Nic is a member of the Oversight Board, an independent organisation that hears appeals and makes binding decisions about what content Facebook and Instagram should allow or remove, based on international human rights norms. He is the author of Lawless: the secret rules that govern our digital lives (Cambridge, 2019).

Nicolas Suzor researches the regulation of networked society. He is a Professor at the Law School at Queensland University of Technology, and one of the leaders of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society. Nic is a member of the Oversight Board, an independent organisation that hears appeals and makes binding decisions about what content Facebook and Instagram should allow or remove, based on international human rights norms. He is the author of Lawless: the secret rules that govern our digital lives (Cambridge, 2019).

Randi Michel received oint JD/MPA from Yale Law School and Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs. Before graduate school, Randi worked for five years as a conflict and stabilization advisor at the U.S. Department of State, including two years in Nairobi, Kenya as the U.S. Embassy's lead on election security and violence prevention. She has also worked in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and South Africa. Randi received her BA summa cum laude from Harvard in social studies.

Professor of Keio University Law School. Deputy Director of Keio Global Research Institute(KGRI). Member of the MIC “AI Governance Committee”, METI/JFTC/MIC “Digital Platformer Trade Infrastructure Committee,” and MIC “Accreditation Scheme for Information Agency Committee.” Authored “The Future of the Constitutional Law,” “Thoughts on Privacy Rights,” “Scary Big Data,” “AI and the Constitution,” etc.

Courtney Gregoire serves as Chief Digital Safety Officer and Assistant General Counsel for Microsoft Corporation. In this role, Courtney is responsible for Microsoft’s company-wide digital safety strategy to reduce harm from illegal and harmful content online through technology, policy and partnerships. From 2015-2019, Courtney led Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit work to combat cybercrime against vulnerable populations including children and the elderly.

Sir Nick Clegg is President, Global Affairs at Meta. He joined the company, then called Facebook, in 2018 after almost two decades in British and European public life. Prior to being elected to the UK Parliament in 2005, he worked in the European Commission and served for five years as a member of the European Parliament. He became leader of the Liberal Democrat party in 2007 and served as Deputy Prime Minister in the UK’s first coalition government since the war, from 2010 to 2015.

Kent Walker is the President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet, where he oversees the teams responsible for legal matters, government affairs, content policy, and philanthropy. 

Responsibilities

Date of Birth | April 7, 1958;
Birthplace | Born in Aichi Prefecture
Affiliation | Member of the House of Representatives; From Aichi 7th District (Elected six times)

Date of birth | July 29, 1957
Birthplace | Tokyo
Political party | Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP)
Affiliation | Member of the House of Representatives
Constituency | Hiroshima 1st District
Numbers of elected | 10

Antonio M.A. Pedro is the Acting Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Africa’s premier thought leadership institution focused on generating knowledge and applying policy research in support of accelerated economic diversification and structural transformation. A mineral exploration geologist with more than 40 years’ experience, Pedro has broad experience of and exposure to international development issues and management at national, sub-regional, and continental levels. 

Leonida (Leo) Mutuku is a Nairobi-based entrepreneur and researcher working at the intersection of inclusive AI and development. She is the founder of Intelipro, an African company building financial management and analytics tools that enable entrepreneurs to make sustainable and profitable decisions for their businesses. She is also a Board Director and AI Research Lead at the Local Development Research Institute, a Nairobi-based think-tank whose work contributes to the efforts of African governments to end extreme poverty, hunger and reduce inequalities.

António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, took office on 1st January 2017.

Nizar Ben Neji, Minister of Communication Technologies, is a Tunisian computer engineer and doctor in information and communication technologies, specializing in cybersecurity and cyber criminality with a special focus in his career on cryptography and PKI-related solutions. Recognized for his expertise in innovation and qualified by his rich international experience in the field of information and communication technologies, cybersecurity and cyber criminality, Dr.Ben Néji has been appointed in charge of the Ministry of Communication Technologies in Tunisia since August 2, 2021. 

Karoline Edtstadler was appointed Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution at the Federal Chancellery under Kurz II by President Alexander Van der Bellen in January 2020.

Previously, from July 2019 to January 2020, she was Member of European Parliament and Head of Delegation of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) after serving as secretary of state at the Federal Ministry of the Interior under Kurz I from 2017 to May 2019.

Maria Fernanda Garza is a Mexican businesswoman, CEO of Orestia, a manufacturing home improvement- water solutions company, with exports to USMCA region, Latin-America and Asia.

Her interest in improving the business environment, made her a prominent business leader at a young age. Board member of Mexico´s leading business organizations such as COPARMEX, CCE, ALIARSE, among others.

For ten years, Mexico’s Employer Delegate to the International Labour Organization Conference, where she became appointed Employer’s Vice Chair at the ILO’s 98th Session.

Vinton G. Cerf co-designed the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet and is Chief Internet Evangelist for Google.  He is a former member of the National Science Board and current member of the National Academy of Engineering and Foreign Member of the British Royal Society and Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering, and Fellow of ACM, IEEE, AAAS, and BCS.

Lise is Director General of ETNO, the Association representing Europe’s leading telecom operators, which she joined in 2016. Lise is the Chairwoman of the Boards of Public Interest Registry (.org domain name registry) and the Public Technical Identifiers (PTI), formerly IANA, and affiliate of ICANN. She is also a Board member of European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO).

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Mr. Li Junhua of China as the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs effective 25 July 2022.

Meredith Whittaker is Signal's President and a member of the Signal Foundation Board of Directors.

His Excellency Engineer Abdullah Alswaha has over two decades of experience in leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship. Throughout his multi-decade career, he has built multi-billion riyal, high-performing organizations in both the private and public sector.

Chat Garcia Ramilo became the executive director of APC in April 2017, after several years as the organisation's deputy executive director. She first joined the APC staff in 2000, and is an experienced manager, evaluator, resource person and speaker on gender and ICTs internationally. Chat was the manager of APC’s women’s programme from 2005 to 2012 and led the development, fundraising and management of nine multi-country ICT for development projects that focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In June 2022, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill as his Envoy on Technology.  

Mr. Gill is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research Collaborative (I-DAIR) project, based at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.  

Doreen Bogdan-Martin took office as Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023. 

Professor Marwala is the seventh Rector of the United Nations University. The decision to appoint Professor Marwala was taken after an extensive international search process. Professor Marwala will succeed Professor David M. Malone of Canada who has served as UNU Rector since 2013.

Mohamed Shareef was appointed as State Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology in 2021.

Mohamed Shareef served as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology from January 2019 to May 2021. He has years of experience in information technology, including as the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Deputy Director General (DDG) and Head of Networks at the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT).

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development is responsible for managing administrative policy, local government finances, local government and conduction of elections, housing and building policy, coordination of the Government's work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, national mapping and geodata policy, government employer policy, state building and property management, administrative responsibility for county governors, contact with the Royal Family, management of regional and rural policy, IT policy, electronic communication, privacy protection, policy towards Sami and n

Tripti Sinha is Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at the University of Maryland (UMD) in the Division of Information Technology. She leads Advanced Cyber Infrastructure and Internet Global Services (ACIGS) and the Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX). She has over three decades of progressive experience in Internet and Cyber-Infrastructure technologies. Her wide-ranging experience includes leadership positions in engineering, operations, finance, governance, advocacy and policy.

Sir John Whittingdale was appointed Minister of State jointly in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 9 May 2023 while Julia Lopez is on maternity leave. He was previously appointed a Minister of State for Media and Data in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 14 February 2020.

He previously served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from May 2015 until 14 July 2016. He was elected Conservative MP for Maldon in 1992.

Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana was appointed Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on 13 September 2018.

A journalist in Asia for more than 35 years, Maria Ressa co-founded Rappler, the top digital only news site that is leading the fight for press freedom in the Philippines. As Rappler's CEO and president, Maria has endured constant political harassment and arrests by the Duterte government, forced to post bail ten times to stay free. Rappler's battle for truth and democracy is the subject of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival documentary, A Thousand Cuts.

The Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern became the Prime Minister of New Zealand at just 37 years of age. During her time in office, she faced the challenges of a live streamed domestic terror attack against New Zealand’s Muslim community, a volcanic eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic.