Annual Latin America & Caribbean Digital Communications and Media Forum
Digital Communications and Media Forum (DCMF), Regional Regulators Forum
Read this quarter’s Intermedia here
Date: Wednesday 7 – Thursday 8 May 2025
The IIC will hold its 12th annual Latin America & Caribbean Digital Communications and Media Forum in Panama City.
Kindly hosted by
The Forum will comprise:
Breakfast Roundtable for Regulators
Wednesday 7 May 2025
• Best practice policy making and regulatory models for the digital era: moving to a more horizontal approach to support digital transformation
• Digital literacy and the role of the regulator to promote citizens’ and consumers’ ability to participate effectively and safely online
Annual Latin America & Caribbean Digital Communications and Media Forum
Wednesday 7 May 2025 – Thursday 8 May 2025
• Closing the digital divide: where to focus? Accessibility? Affordability? Relevance?
• Closing the funding gap: quantifying the investment required and potential sources of finance / business models to drive the digital economy
• Leveraging technology neutral / multi-modal approaches to resolving the region’s connectivity challenges
• What are the essential components of a national audiovisual strategy to drive the creative powerhouse? What role for regulation?
• Regulating online platforms and internet intermediaries: what principles, checks and balances should be considered?
• Creating an enabling but safe environment for the use of Artificial Intelligence for social and economic good. How is regulatory oversight developing in LAC?
• Tackling the rapidly expanding cyberthreat landscape: building alertness and resilience
• Internet governance masterclass: architecture advancements, security, interconnection, fair share evolution
• Industry 4.0, data governance and the gig economy in LAC
Further information will be available soon.
The Conference Venue is:
The Grand Salon
Millicom International Services LLC
Business Park
Edif. Este, Av. de la Rotonda
Panama City
Panama
The following are a selection of hotels close to the offices of Millicom, the conference venue.
The Westin Panamá Hotel – (Costa del Este):
La Rotonda Avenue
East Coast
Panama City
Panama
Tel: +507 -6670-2523
More information here
Santa Maria Boulevard
Panama City
Panama
Phone: +507-304-5555
More information here
Courtyard Panama Metromall
Avenida Domingo Diaz via Tocumen
Centro Comercial MetroMall
Panama City
Panama
Tel: +507 304-9595
More information here
Sheraton Grand Panama
Vía Israel y Calle 77 San Francisco
Panama City 0819-05896
Panama
Tel: +507 305-5100
More information here
Aloft Panama
Via Israel & Calle 76 San Francisco
Panama City 0819-05896
Panama
Tel: +507 282-6000
More information here
Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Panama Punta Pacifica
Via Israel y Calle 71 San Francisco
Panama City
Panama
More information here
Courtyard Panama Mulpiplaza Mall
Multiplaza Pacific Mall
Via Israel Avenue
Panama City
Panama
Tel: +507 301-0101
More information here
Additional hotels (including those listed above) can be found here on Google maps, showing the locations and approximate price.
The IIC accepts no responsibility for bookings made at any of the listed hotels and recommends that you check out the hotels on the internet before booking.
Registration is free to attend for IIC Members
£250 GBP (excluding VAT*) for Non-Members
*VAT will be applicable for UK registrations only
** Please check eligibility to attend
Regional Regulators Roundtable
Wednesday 7 May 2025
(Regulators ONLY)
Latin America & Caribbean Digital Communications and Media Forum
Wednesday 7 May – Thursday 8 May 2025
Arthur Pereira Sabbat has a degree in Administration, a master’s degree in Military Applications and postgraduate degree in Project Management, in Information Security Management and in Cybercrime. He is a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). He was Director of the Information Security Department of the Institutional Security Office of the Presidency of the Republic and is currently Director of the Board of Directors of the National Data Protection Authority.
Bio coming soon …..
Christian O’ Flaherty is Regional Vice-President for Latin America and The Caribbean at the Internet Society. He works with governments, policy makers, civil society, academia, companies, technical communities and other stakeholders in Latin America and The Caribbean, for an open, globally connected, secure and trustworthy Internet for everyone.
Ivana Kriznic is Verizon’s head of public policy for Canada, Latin America and Emerging Markets. She started her legal career in private practice at the law firm of Morrison and Foerster and worked thereafter in different legal, regulatory, compliance, privacy, government affairs, and policy positions for AT&T, BT and Orange.
Ms Kriznic has been recently appointed Co-Secretary of the Hispanic National Bar Association Corporate Counsel Division. She is also part of Verizon PPLS Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, co-leading the International Committee and of SOMOS (Verizon Latinx employee resource group) acting as one of the Communications Coordinator.
Ms Kriznic received her LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law and her legal degree from Universidad de Buenos Aires in Argentina. She also holds a master degree in Telecommunications Management, a bachelor degree in International Affairs and she has been certified as an information privacy professional by the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
José F. Otero is an adjunct instructor at the University of New York. He teaches courses on how digital technologies impact society, policymaking, and business.
His work experience includes research on public policy issues of information and communication technologies (ICT) for institutions such as the White House, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, the World Bank, and IDB Invest. In addition, he is often invited to present his perspective before legislative bodies of the Americas, including those of Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, and other government entities.
Mr Otero is part of the Advisory Board that reviewed the methodology for the ICT section of the Global Knowledge Index published by the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation. He participated at the ITU Expert Forum on Telecom / ICT Indicators to help define ways in which the use of radio-electric spectrum can be measured more efficiently by government entities.
His academic background includes degrees in politics from Boston University, law from Cornell University and the University of Edinburgh, technology from Georgetown University, and social innovation from the University of Cambridge.
Lynn Robinson became Director General of the International Institute of Communications (IIC), in March 2020.
Lynn is an experienced senior director and trustee / non exec-director, having held key senior leadership positions in the technology, built environment, regulation, accreditation and dental industries. She has extensive experience of professional membership bodies working within the full spectrum including, Regulatory bodies, Industry associations and Chambers of Commerce. Lynn is a well-known and established ambassador in these areas having led on many strategic programmes to aid engagement, growth, retention, change management, stakeholder and political engagement.
An experienced Trustee / Non-Executive Director as Vice Chair at Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, a unique heritage site in the heart of Bristol (UK), Lynn is also a Trustee / Non-Executive Director at The Bristol and Bath (UK), Parks Foundation.
Reflecting on becoming Director General at the IIC at the outbreak of a pandemic, Lynn said, ‘these last two years have been like no other we have known, with many challenges coming our way. In 2020 we successfully pivoted the organisation through a digital transformation programme to maintain a full schedule of events and by increasing the outputs delivered. Transforming the programme enabled us to continue to deliver the professional service and increase our engagement with IIC members and stakeholder community to remain connected to them through such a difficult time.
As we move through 2022, I am delighted to return to a combined in-person and online programme and to continue to evolve the IIC in to the next phase, with the vision and strategic focus to deliver our objectives and to build on our growth, engagement and retention’.
Maribel Dalio is a Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank and has 14 years of experience in impactful digital development projects at local, national, and regional levels.
Previously, she was a Digital Infrastructure and Development specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and has a rich history of leadership roles in governments, where she managed complex projects and teams. She served as the General Director of Institutional Relations at the Ministry of Modernization and Communications of the Government of Argentina and as Senior Advisor to the Head of the Cabinet of Ministers of the same country. Also, she was the General Manager of Electoral Technologies in the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, overseeing the first implementation of electronic voting. Ms Dalio’s career has also seen her collaborate with various international institutions on digital issues, including the G20, OECD, UN, ITU, and the European Union.
She has trained in 10 different countries and Universities, including Harvard and Brown, has a Master’s in Executive and Organizational Leadership from the University of Barcelona, and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from the Catholic University of Córdoba.
Maryleana Méndez Jiménez is a professional with an outstanding career in Telecommunications and Information Technologies. In 2009, she became a member of the first Council of the Superintendency of Telecommunications (SUTEL), the regulatory body for telecommunications in Costa Rica, a position Ms Méndez held for 8 years, in two consecutive periods. During this time, she led and organized the process of opening the telecommunications market and the development of regulatory institution.
Before this position, Ms Méndez worked for 6 years directly in the telecommunications industry, as project director in Latin America. In 2017 she joined ASIET as an expert advisor on regulation, an organization that she now leads since August 2019.
Ms Méndez is a Systems Engineer from the University of Costa Rica with a master’s degree in Information Technology Management from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México.
Raúl Echeberría is an expert in Internet Development, Policy and Governance, with wide recognition.
Prior to joining ALAI, Mr Echeberría worked as an international consultant.
Mr Echeberría served as Global Vice President of the Internet Society (ISOC) from 2014 to 2019. He was also a member of the ISOC Board of Directors from 2008 to 2014 and Chairman of the Board from 2009 to 2012.
Mr Echeberría was one of the founders of LACNIC (the Internet Address Registry for Latin America and the Caribbean) and CEO of that organization from 2002 to 2014.
Throughout his career, Mr Echeberría also served in other important positions such as: Member of the Internet Governance Working Group (WGIG) formed in 2004 by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Member of the Uruguayan delegation to the World Summit on the Information Society in 2005, member of the Multi-Party Advisory Group of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF-MAG) between 2006 and 2014, and Co-Chair of the NetMundial Executive Committee in 2014.
In 2014, Mr Echeberría received the “Ing. Julio Granato” award, awarded by the Association of Computer Scientists of Uruguay – ASIAP, for his “contribution to digital inclusion in Uruguay” and in 2015 he was recognized with the LACNIC Lifetime Achievement Award for his “continuous contribution to an open, stable and secure Internet for the development of Latin America and the Caribbean”
A leading voice and advocate for the multistakeholder internet governance model in Latin America and the Caribbean, Rodrigo de la Parra is a Regional Vice President for ICANN. Based in Mexico City but frequently travelling through the region, Mr de la Parra is responsible for outreach, support and engagement with user groups, governments, private sector and civil society throughout the region. In his role, he works closely with the Latin American technical community to build a robust internet infrastructure in the region. Under his leadership, ICANN has opened an engagement centre in Montevideo, Uruguay, in the House of the Internet.
With more than 20 years’ experience, Mr de la Parra served as Director General of Prospective Regulation and Director General for International Cooperation of Mexico’s Federal Commission of Telecommunications (Cofetel) before joining ICANN in 2011. While at Cofetel, he leveraged his skills and knowledge of internet governance structures and ICT to develop public policy and regulation recommendations for new technologies. He was involved with various ICT groups of international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Organization of American States, and the World Trade Organization, among others.
Mr de la Parra also represented Mexico on ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee which gives governments a voice in the organisation’s policy formation. He was a member of the Consultative Committee of NIC.MX, the non-profit operator of Mexico’s country-code Top-Level Domain and the registry that manages allocation of Internet Protocol address space to Mexican Internet Service Providers.
Mr de la Parra has a Master’s degree in political economy and international relations from the University of Essex in the UK. He has been a lecturer of International Organizations and Economic Negotiations and a consultant to the Latin American Cooperation for Advanced Networks.
Saul Kattan is a strategist and corporate turnaround specialist, board member and an expert in growth and transformation for a wide range of industries gained over more than 25 years’ experience. He is currently responsible for the digital transformation and cybersecurity of Colombia. He was Chairman of the board of directors of one of the 10 largest companies in Latin America, Ecopetrol, and he led the expansion in the USA of Colombia´s flagship brand, Café Juan Valdez. Mr Kattan also led the transformation of the capital´s telephone company in the deployment of fiber optics, becoming a triple play company (mobile, television ,Internet). He recently orchestrated the acquisition of DirectTV South America, one of the most important media companies in the region.
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