International Regulators’ Forum Asia 2016

Albert E Enninful is a telecommunications/systems engineering professional with over 20 years’ working experience in the US, Switzerland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, and West Africa. His areas of telecommunications experience include telecommunications regulations, network planning, network operations, signaling, project management and sales/systems engineering for fixed, mobile and converged networks.

Mr Enninful has held a number of positions with increasing responsibilities within and outside AT&T: he began his career with AT&T Bell Laboratories as a member of technical staff in the transmission network planning department. Since then he has held a number of positions and responsibilities including Technical Manager at AT&T Bell Laboratories and AT&T International; Director of Network Quality Department, Utel, Ukraine; Technical Sales Manager, ITXC in NJ; Technical Consultant at Backbone Connectivity Network in Nigeria; and NOC SME at T-Merge in Egypt.

From 2007 to 2011, Mr Enninful was an independent telecommunications/system engineering consultant; he assumed his current position as Deputy Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA) in August 2011.

Mr Enninful obtained a BSc from University of Ghana, and MSc from New Mexico State University in Computer Science.

Andrew Haire has been associated with some of the industry’s most successful telecom initiatives and his portfolio includes architecting major policy frameworks in the telecoms, technology, and postal sectors, as well as serving as regulator and ICT policy for 10 years at Singapore’s IDA, soon after its inception in the year 2000.

Previously, his experience included senior management roles with regulatory and public policy portfolios at one of the world’s largest telecom operators and before that, various engineering and management positions at the world’s largest computer company.

Mr Haire holds a degree in engineering in the United States, and attended the advanced management program from Harvard University.

Andrew Haire is also an Advisory Council member at the International Institute of Communications.

Chris Chapman was appointed President of the International Institute of Communications on 1 April 2016. He is also a member of the IIC Advisory Council and Former Chair of the IIC Nominations Committee.

Mr Chapman previously held the position of Chairman and CEO of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). He was appointed in February 2006 and was re-appointed for a 2nd five year term in October 2010 until April 2016. He was appointed an Associate Member of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in September 2007.

Mr Chapman is a seasoned executive with experience in the media, broadcasting and film, internet, telecommunications, sports rights and infrastructure development worlds.

Before joining ACMA, Mr Chapman held a number of senior management positions with the Seven Network, Stadium Australia Management, Optus and Babcock & Brown. He has also been the Chairman of Film Australia and Sports Vision Australia, and a previous member of the National Film and Sound Archives’ Advisory Council.

Mr Chapman has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales and has completed the Harvard Business School AMP program.

Chris Woolford is Ofcom’s Director of International Spectrum Policy where his responsibilities cover the UK’s international spectrum interests, especially in relation to the ITU, CEPT and EU. He has closely engaged for the UK on a number of key European regulatory initiatives in the field of electronic communications and participates in many European spectrum groups. He leads UK engagement with the ITU and led the UK delegations to WRCs in 2019, 2015 and 2012. He is currently preparing to lead the UK delegation to WRC-23.

In 2019 Mr Woolford took on the role of Chairman of the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of CEPT and was re-elected for a second term in 2022. He has also been a Director of the International Institute of Communications since 2018.

Mr Woolford has 25 years’ experience of working on spectrum and communications regulation, both at Ofcom and its predecessor (Oftel). He has a degree in mathematics and statistics from Manchester University.

Eliza Lee was appointed Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Creative Industries) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on 18 August 2017. Her policy responsibilities include telecommunications, broadcasting and creative industries.

In this role, Miss Lee also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Communications Authority (CA), the independent unified regulator for the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors in Hong Kong.

Before taking up her current post, Miss Lee was Director General of Communications. She headed the Office of the Communications Authority, the executive arm of the CA. Miss Lee provided support to the CA in the exercise of its statutory functions covering licensing matters and regulatory affairs relating to telecommunications and broadcasting services, management of radio spectrum, enforcement of the provisions safeguarding fair competition.

Jean-Pierre Blais was Chairman & CEO of CRTC until June 2017. Before joining the CRTC, Mr Blais was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Government Operations Sector.

From 2004 to 2011, he was Assistant Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs at the Department of Canadian Heritage. His responsibilities included legislation, policies and programs related to copyright modernisation, broadcasting, the cultural industries and the arts, as well as trade policy and cultural treaties. As the Director of Investment, he reviewed transactions in the cultural sector under the Investment Canada Act.

From 1994 to 2004, after practising law with a large Montreal law firm, Mr Blais served successively as Senior Legal Counsel, General Counsel (Broadcasting) and Executive Director (Broadcasting) at the CRTC, and as Assistant Deputy Minister of International and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Canadian Heritage. In this position, he was responsible for Sport Canada, Canada’s bid for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, negotiating the UNESCO Treaty on Doping in Sports and Federal-Provincial cultural relations.

Mr Blais holds a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne in Australia, as well as a Bachelor of Civil Law and a Bachelor of Common Law from McGill University.

Jeongho Park is Deputy General Manager in the Planning and Management Division of the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), which oversees standards in broadcast content while cultivating a culture of responsible internet communications through which information can be accessed safely.

During the past 10 years, Mr Park has worked in various positions for the Korean Broadcasting Commission and the KCSC, including international legal advices and researches in the sector of the broadcasting and internet contents regulation. He is currently developing the new strategy for the role of the KCSC in the era of technological convergence.

Mr Park graduated with BA Economics and LL.B Law from Korea University .He also studied Law at Maurer School of Law at Indiana University Bloomington (LL.M) and was admitted as an Attorney and Counselor at Law (New York).

Jeremy Godfrey is the Executive Chairperson of Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s media regulator and development agency. He took up this leadership role in March 2023, following the establishment of An Coimisiún under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022. Under Jeremy’s leadership, Coimisiún na Meán has grown to over 300 staff members and taken on and operationalised new responsibilities in areas such as online safety, video-on-demand regulation and media development and funding. Jeremy has played a critical role in shaping the growing organisation and its work.

Jeremy has held a series of influential positions in the public and private sectors, with over 30 years of regulatory, governmental, and industry experience in the communications, technology, and online sectors across Ireland, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.

Before joining Coimisiún na Meán, Jeremy served as Chairperson of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) from, where he led the organisation during a period of expanding enforcement powers under new competition and consumer rights legislation.

Prior to this, he spent eight years as a Commissioner and Chairperson of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), during which he also held roles as Chair and Vice‑Chair of BEREC, the EU body coordinating telecoms regulation.

Jeremy has been involved in regulatory developments such as the EU’s Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act and the Open Internet Regulation. As Hong Kong Government CIO, he had responsibility for the e-government programme and cloud computing strategy, as well as for Internet governance, digital inclusion and promoting online safety. As a consultant, he advised clients about online business strategies and on regulatory issues in the communications, energy, transportation and financial services sectors. While in the telecommunications industry he was involved in the launch of the world’s first commercial online video-on-demand service as well as in many regulatory issues.

Jeremy started his career as a civil servant in the UK government. He holds an MA from Cambridge University, where he studied mathematics. He has also completed further executive education, including programmes at Bond University and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Dr Sivaraks has worked in the telecommunications and IT sector for more than 25 years, having started his career as a systems analyst in the Thailand Supreme Command Armed Forces in 1991. He moved into working with the Telephone Organisation of Thailand (TOT) and worked as RF expert for some years in the Bay Area, USA before coming back to Thailand in 2004.

On 2011, Dr Sivaraks took up role at the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and worked with Colonel Dr Settapong Malisuwan, one of the two Vice-Chairmen of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand and Chairman of the Telecommunications arm of the NBTC before he has joined Ericsson Thailand in the position of Head of Government and Industry Relations in December 2017.

He was appointed to the Board of Government Housing Bank as well in 2014. He was also an Honorary Advisory’s chairman of Science &Technology committee and Honorary Advisory’s Science & Technology Committee of Parliament in 2008, 2009, respectively. Moreover, he had been appointed by many government agencies, Private Organisations, Associations for the role of advisor, counselor, and member of Strategy/Executive team.

Dr Sivaraks has a number of academic papers published in both domestic and international journal relating to Telecommunication and Digital Trend.

Dr Sivaraks gained his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Florida Atlantic University, an M.S., Electrical Engineering, Oklahoma State University and has a bachelor’s degree of Engineering in Telecommunications Engineering, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand. He has done many comprehensive programs for company director such as DCP(Director Certification Program), ACP (Audit Certification Program), etc. from IOD (Thai Institute of Directors) and executive director in State Enterprise from King Projadhipok’s Institute.

Jessica Rosenworcel, Acting Chairwoman at Federal Communications Commission, believes that the future belongs to the connected. She works to promote greater opportunity, accessibility, and affordability in our communications services in order to ensure that all Americans get a fair shot at 21st century success. She believes strong communications markets can foster economic growth and security, enhance digital age opportunity, and enrich our civic life.

From fighting to protect net neutrality to ensuring access to the internet for students caught in the Homework Gap, Ms Rosenworcel has been a consistent champion for connecting all. She is a leader in spectrum policy, developing new ways to support wireless services from Wi-Fi to video and the internet of things. She also is responsible for developing policies to help expand the reach of broadband to schools, libraries, hospitals, and households across the country.

Named as one of POLITICO’s 50 Politicos to Watch and profiled by InStyle Magazine in a series celebrating “women who show up, speak up and get things done,” Ms Rosenworcel brings over two decades of communications policy experience and public service to the FCC. Prior to joining the agency, she served as Senior Communications Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the leadership of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV and Senator Daniel Inouye. Before entering public service, Ms Rosenworcel practiced communications law in Washington, DC.

Ms Rosenworcel is a graduate of Wesleyan University and New York University School of Law.

Mr Keng Thai Leong, the Deputy Chief Executive of the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore, has more than 36 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry. He was previously Director-General of Telecommunications & Post at the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), which became part of the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore on 1st October 2016.

In his previous position, Mr Leong played a key role in significant milestones of the industry, including the full liberalisation of the sector, the introduction of a competition regulatory framework, and the deployment of the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network.

Mr Leong concurrently holds the appointment of the Chairman of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), the statutory body set up to administer the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). In addition, he is a Commissioner to the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development and Senior Advisor, International Strategy Unit at the Ministry of Communications & Information.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Singapore and obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California, USA. He also attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.

On September 10, 2013, Mario Germán Fromow Rangel was ratified by the Senate of Mexico as Commissioner of the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) until February 28, 2021.

At present, he is also the Chairman of the Permanent Consultative Committee II: Radiocommunications (CPP.II) of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) and a Vice President of the Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Commissioner Fromow Rangel’s career spans of over 26 years in both the public and private sectors at national and international level in technology and knowledge transfer, public policy and regulation on Broadcasting, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Telecommunications.

Commissioner Fromow Rangel was a member of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers (IEICE) of Japan.  He has participated as Deputy Head of Delegation of Mexico in the following International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Conferences; World Radiocommunications Conference 2019 (WRC-19) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt; Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 (PP-18) in Dubai, UAE; Plenipotentiary Conference 2014 (PP-14) in Busan, Republic of Korea;World Conference on International Telecommunications 2012 (WCIT-12) in Dubai, UAE, with Full Power granted by the President of the United States of Mexico to sign ad referendum the Final Acts and Plenipotentiary Conference 2006 (PP-06) in Antalya, Turkey.

He is a Communications and Electronics Engineer from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) of Mexico and has a Master of Science in Engineering from Keio University in Japan. He was a Researcher on Optical Communications at the Research and Technology Development Laboratories of the Japanese company Kokusai Denshin Denwa (KDD) and also a Research Associate at the Media Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Michael Cosgrave is Executive General Manager of the Infrastructure Regulation Division at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The ACCC is the economy wide competition regulator that has specific responsibilities in the economic and competition regulation of telecommunications and some other key infrastructure sectors. In this role it investigates allegations of breaches of competition and consumer law, and undertakes merger reviews in the telecommunications sector. Additionally it has specific responsibilities in relations to telecommunications, administering industry specific access and economic regulation rules which include the determination of the terms and conditions on which the National Broadband Network supplies its customers.

Mr Cosgrave has been the most senior official within the ACCC on telecommunications for the past 20 years

Mr Cosgrave’s current position involves the overall management of the ACCC’s Infrastructure Regulation Division, which is responsible for fostering competitive, efficient and informed markets in critical sectors and industries. This includes the economic regulation of certain communications, water and transport markets and the monitoring of industries where there is lack of competition such as fuel and airports.

Mr Cosgrave is a lawyer who has worked both as a barrister and as a solicitor across a range of areas in both the private and public sectors.

Dr Natee Sukonrat is Vice-Chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand and also Chairman of the National Broadcasting Commission, whose main responsibilities are licensing, promoting and regulating the broadcasting sector (radio and television) in Thailand.

Dr Sukonrat has worked in the broadcasting and telecommunications sector for more than 20 years with regulatory concerns for broadcasting. His first objective is to license all unlicensed broadcasting in Thailand. He has held senior posts with several organizations during his career, including Qualcomm Inc., Directorate of Joint Communications Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, CAT Telecom Public Company Limited in Thailand, and TOT Public Company Limited in Thailand.

Dr Sukonrat has a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Electrical Engineering (Gold Medal), Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, Thailand, and PhD in Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.

Nievia Ramsundar currently holds the position of Executive Director/CEO of the CARICOM Competition Commission, located in Suriname. She is an attorney at law with over 20 years’ experience. Her experience has focused primarily on telecommunications and broadcasting law and regulation, competition law, utilities regulation, commercial practice, intellectual property law, international environmental law and regulation.

Ms Ramsundar formerly held the position of Corporate Secretary/Executive Officer Legal and Regulatory Affairs at the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT). She has previously worked at Mair and Co, the former investment promotion agency T.I.D.C.O. and was also Head, Legal Services at the Ministry of Public Utilities and Environment (now Public Utilities). She contributed significantly to the policy and legislative reform of the tourism, environmental, utilities and communications sectors in Trinidad and Tobago. Her main work currently focusses on ensuring economic integration in the Caribbean Community Single Market and Economy.

Ms Nomvuyiso Batyi is the Chief Executive Office of the newly established Association of Comms and Technology, which is an NPC that focuses on ecosystem matters of importance to the broader Information, Communication and Technology (“ICT”) sector and provides a unified voice for this important sector in the South African economy.

Prior to this, she was at the Film and Publication Board (FPB) as the Interim Chief Executive Officer, a content regulator.

She previously held the position of Head: Presidential Commission: 4IR Programme Management Office at the DCTD. In this role she was responsible for ensuring South Africa develops a Strategic Implementation Plan for all 4IR programs and projects monitors the progress of the same. At the height of what we know now in South Africa as alert level 5, 4 and 3 in 2020 and 2021 she led the COVID-19 Response Project Management Office for the Communications and Digital Technologies sector and sub sectors which was a huge success in ensuring access to Communications services during the national lockdown.

Before this she served as the Acting Director General DCDT, then Department of Communications (DoC) until it was merged with the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) to create the new Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), a project which she championed.

Besides serving as the accounting officer for the DoC in her capacity as Acting Director General, she led the National Macro Organisation of Government (NMOG) process of the department. She was instrumental in ensuring proper transfer of entities such as Brand SA and MDDA to the GCIS, and placement of employees into the new structure of the DCDT.

Ms Batyi was initially appointed as the Special Adviser to the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies where she provided strategic advice to the Minister in the development of ICT policy and regulatory framework, including monitoring implementation as well as its impact on the wellbeing of South African citizens.

Ms Batyi worked at Primedia Broadcasting as Executive Human Capital and Regulatory Affairs, she was tasked with ensuring amongst others that the media assets of the company are digital ready, responsible submissions to the relevant national policymakers and regulators, and overall management of the HR function.

She served two terms as a Councilor (Executive Board Member) at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). Her core functions included ensuring that regulations are developed within the legislative ambit governing Broadcasting, Electronic Communications and other related legislation. For purposes of broadcasting sector, she led and finalised projects such as: Local Content Quota for TV and Radio; Licensing of Commercial Radio for Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Western Cape and Northern Cape; Call termination for voice; Licensing of Multiplex 3 for purposes of Commercial Television. She adjudicated on Complaints that have been tabled before the Complaints and Compliance Committee of ICASA.

Prior to her appointment as Councilor at ICASA, Nomvuyiso started as a Manager: Competition at the regulator and also served as Acting Senior Manager for Policy Analysis and Development. She cut her teeth in public service as an Investigator for the Competition Commission of South Africa.
She is a consummate professional who puts attention to detail without losing the bigger picture, passionate about public service and improving the lives of the citizens of South Africa.

Ms Batyi holds a Master of Business Leadership (MBL) from the University of South Africa, a BProc and LLB degrees from the University of Fort Hare.

Notachard Chintakanond is the Executive Director of the International Affairs Bureau at Office of The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission of Thailand (Office of the NBTC).

Mr Chintakanond is in charge of all international – related matters for Office of the NBTC. He has extensively in close cooperation with many international forums such as ITU, APT, APEC, ASEAN, WTO, ATRC as well other international collaborations. He has contributed greatly for Office of the NBTC’s work through his responsibilities covering all liberalizations and negotiations under various regional trading arrangements such as cooperation under ASEAN Telecom Regulators Council (ATRC); Spectrum coordination; Collaboration on regulatory issues with overseas regulators as well as Bilateral cooperation with other international regulatory bodies. He has also been main negotiator for Telecommunications issues under various FTA negotiations including the recently concluded RCEP 2020.

Mr Chintakanond joined the Office of the NBTC in 2009 as a Senior Analyst, Director of Policy and Planning Division, Senior Expert in Policy and Planning and Executive Director of International Affairs Bureau, respectively.

Previously, he has been Trade Negotiator at the Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) where he was the US Desk Officer responsible, in particular, for all trade related matters and trade negotiations with the US. Later on, he worked as Foreign Relations Supervisor at the Office of SMEs Promotion (OSMEP) where his capability covered a wide range of issues including Internationalization, Innovation, Informal Sector, Intellectual Property, and Capacity Building.

Mr Chintakanond holds a Master Degree in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick, England and Bachelor Degree in Business Administration (Marketing) from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Furthermore, He has completed The Civil Service Executive Development Program: Visionary and Moral Leadership.

Nur Sulyna Abdullah is the Chief Officer of Corporate Strategy for the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). She joined MCMC in 2000 and since 2001, has been responsible for the International portfolio, which she established.

Ms Abdullah has held various positions on the international front representing Malaysia. On the APEC front, she was the Chair of the APEC Ad Hoc Steering Group on the Internet Economy from 2015 – 2017, chairing the APEC TEL Working Group immediately before that. She also Chaired the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary 2018 (PP-18) and went on to chair the Working Group of the Plenary at the ITU PP-18 itself. She is currently the Honorary Advisor to the ASEAN ICT Centre.

Ms Abdullah holds an LLB (Hons.) from the University of London and is an Advocate and Solicitor of the Malaysian Bar.

Rabha Zeidguy was appointed a Member of the High Council for Audiovisual Communication in May 2011. She also is a University Professor at the National School of Administration in Rabat, Morocco.

From 1996 to 2002, Mrs Zeidguy was Head of the Legal department of the Moroccan Market Authority. From 2005 to 2008 she was Director of Administration Modernisation at the Ministry of Modernization of Public Sectors, then Secretary General of the Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption until May 2011. Mrs Zeidguy also was member of the High Instance for National Dialogue on the Reform of the Judiciary. She is a specialist on issues related to business law, regulation and public governance.

Shri Sudhir Gupta is the Secretary of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), but he was previously the Principal Advisor Network, Spectrum and Licensing (NSL) where he dealt with issues such as the license conditions of mobile operators, spectrum management for 2G, 3G and future technologies like LTE and Broadband Wireless Access, spectrum refarming and liberalization, Mobile Number Portability, and matters related to Universal Service Obligation (USO) etc.

During the course of his tenure in TRAI, he has authored a number of Consultation Papers / Recommendations / Regulations on a variety of matters including Quality of Service for Mobile and Fixed Network, Spectrum for 3G and Broadband Wireless Access, Do Not Call Registry (DNC) for curbing Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC).

Before joining TRAI, Mr Gupta worked in various capacities in the Department of Telecommunication.

Mr Gupta graduated with a BE (Electronics) in 1979 from the University of Indore and Post Graduate Diploma in IT & Management in 1999 from the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.

Supinya Klangnarong is the only female and youngest Commissioner of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission of Thailand (NBTC), selected by the senate in September 2011. She previously served as a Secretary General of Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR) from 2003 – 2008 and was co – founder and coordinator for Thai Netizen Network (TNN), and internet rights group and also a university lecturer as media reform 2008 -2011.

Ms Klangnarong received the Communication for Social Change Award (CSC) from the School of Journalism and Communication, the University of Queensland, Australia and other awards in Thailand. She belongs to several fellowships such as Ashoka & Eisenhower Fellowships.

Dr Syed Ismail Shah has been the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) since 2013. Prior to this, he served at the highest technical management position in the Pakistan’s Ministry of IT & Telecommunications as Member Telecom.

Dr Shah ranks among Asia’s most renowned telecom professionals, having led some of the most high profile undertakings in Pakistan’s telecommunications industry, including the undertaking of the PTA regarding the spectrum auction and subsequent launch of 3G/4G. These achievements were recognized by the GSMA in the shape of the Spectrum for Mobile Broadband Award 2015 given to Pakistan.

Dr Shah played a key role in the election of Pakistan to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council and was also elected Vice-President of the General Assembly of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT). As the Executive Director of Central Asian Cellular Forum, Dr Shah led technical audits of CDMA2000 networks, UMTS/WCDMA and LTE trainings in various countries and is experienced in handling major national-level administrative and security issues linked to the misuse of SIMs, unauthorized exploitation of telecommunications networks, highly volatile market dynamics, online content, low-cost end-user terminals and impact of digitalization on national security, deployment of optical fiber to guarantee connectivity to rural areas, and licensing.

Dr Shah is a strong proponent of using ICT to create smarter societies and believes in the power of digitization.

Dr Shah has more than 100 journal and conference publications. He is also a Senior Member of IEEE, USA and Member of the Institute of Electronics Information and Communication Engineers, Japan. With this research and teaching background, as well as his experience as a technology consultant at Qualcomm (USA), Dr Shah provides consultations to the industry and other government agencies.

Dr Shah holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

Sébastien Soriano was apointed the Chairman of Arcep (the French telecom regulator) in 2015.

He was the BEREC Chair 2017 (the European telecom body) and was the BEREC Vice-Chair in 2016 and 2018.  In 2019, he was Chair of Fratel, the network of French-speaking telecommunications regulators.

Mr Soriano has spent most of his career in digital policies, competition and telecoms regulation areas. He started his career at the French Competition Authority, as a case handler (2001-2004) and then as Deputy General Rapporteur (2009 and 2012). Between 2004 and 2009, he held various positions at Arcep.

From 2012 -2014, he was Chief of Staff of Mrs. Fleur Pellerin, French Minister for SMEs, Innovation and Communication. Prior to his appointment as Chairman of Arcep, he was Special Advisor to the French Minister for Culture and Communication.

Sébastien Soriano has published several papers on the challenges of regulators and law makers in the digital era. He also teaches regulation and digital economy in the Master’s programme in Public Policy at SciencesPo. He is also member of the board of directors of the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE).

Takorn Tantasith is the first Secretary General of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), having taken up the role in 2012, Mr. Tantasith, has dedicated his time and energy to guide the NBTC and facilitate the development of Thailand telecommunication and broadcasting industry.

Prior to joining NBTC, Mr Takorn held various notable positions in Bureau of Budget and Office of the Auditor General of Thailand. Additionally, he was an advisor to the Senate House Committee of Communications for many years.

During his tenure as a Secretary General of the NBTC, the organisation has delivered many tangible and meaningful projects such as spectrum auctions and price regulations that simultaneously advance Thai telecommunication and broadcasting industry as well as protect consumers’ benefits. He also pushed for universal services to ensure equal access to technology for Thai people.

Mr Takorn received a bachelor of laws with second-class honors from Ramkhamhaeng University, Thailand in 1982 and a master’s degree in public administration from Detroit University, USA in 1986. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in public administration from Prince of Songkla University, Thailand in 2013.

Air Chief Marshal Thares Punsri has a long and distinguished career within the Air Force in Thailand, becoming Chief of Air Staff (2001 – 2005), before moving to government as Deputy Secretary of Defence (2006 – 2008) and later a Member of the National Assembly (2006 – 2007). He became Chairman of Defence Technology Institute (2009 – 2011) and is the founding Chairman of the NBTC.

Air Chief Marshal Punsri has been granted many honours for his service, most recently being made a Knight Grand Cordon (SPECIAL CLASS) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (2003) to add to his other accolades.

Thomas Langheinrich, was elected President of the Media Broadcasting Authority of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Landesanstalt für Kommunikation, LFK) on 1 April 2005. Currently he is the Commissioner of European Affairs of the Directors’ Conference of the German Regulatory Authorities for Broadcasting and Audiovisual Mediaservices. He is also a member of the German Commission for the Protection of Minors in the media (KJM) and the German Commission on Concentration in the media (KEK). Since 2014 he acts as the German delegate at the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA) established by the European Commission.

Mr Langheinrich previously served as Managing Director of the Department of Commerce and Infrastructural Planning at the Baden-Wurttemberg State administration.

He has a law degree from the Albert-Ludwig University of Freiburg Law School and was a Fullbright-Scholar, at the Lyndon B.Johnson Graduate School of Public Affairs – University of Texas, Austin, USA.

Dr Tran Tuan Anh became Director of Policy and Regulation Division, Vietnam Telecommunications Authority (VNTA), Ministry of Information and Communications in 2011. Prior to that, from 2005-2011, he worked for the Telecommunications Department of Ministry of Information and Communications.

He is the expert in charge of telecommunications policies and regulations including Wireless Broadband Policies, Regulations and licensing, IMT2000 (3G beauty contest licensing), WiMAX and frequency allocations. Dr Tran is a Member of the Project’s Committee for VINASAT-1 and involved with the Master Plan of the ground broadcasting and transmission systems toward to 2020, among other major projects.

Dr Tran has been very active in Telecom International Conferences with many productive contributions: Co-chair of Building Infrastructure Commission of International Conference WITFOR 2009; Speaker at the APECTEL 43 Workshop “Sharing infrastructure to foster broadband access”; ITU expert on Wireless Broadband Plan for Vietnam until 2020; Chair of APT’s WG on ITR issues for WCIT-12; Chair of APT’s SWG on ITU-D issues for PP-14; etc.

Dr Tran obtained his degree in Electrical Engineering from Moscow State University of Transportation and Communication, Russia and subsequently a PhD Technical Science in the field of Telecommunication Science & Technology from the same institution. He is also an an Assistant and Lecturer in the Faculty of Radio Electronic Telecommunications specialising in digital multi-channel information systems, coding and decoding signal systems and fundamental theories for telecommunication systems.

Director for International Policy Coordination, Global Digital Policy Office, Global Strategy Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Government of Japan

Yasunari Ueno is Director for International Policy Coordination, Global Digital Policy Office, Global Strategy Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Government of Japan

Since he joined MIC, Mr. Ueno has worked in various positions mainly related to ICT such as the Deputy Director in the Standardization Division and International Corporation Division. He also has the experience of working in a local government, Tamano city office, Okayama prefecture as a Policy Director. He is currently in charge of multinational relationship in the field of ICT including G7 and G20.

Mr Ueno graduated with a Bachelor of Law from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and obtained a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of York, UK and a MSc Media and Communications from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.

Commissioner Yi-Ning Katherine Chen joined the National Communications Commission, Taiwan in August 2014.

Dr Chen previously served as Associate Dean of Communication College at National Chengchi University, as well as Vice Chair of Chinese Communication Society. She was also a panel review committee member in Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology and an external reviewer for the Research Grants Council in Hong Kong among other posts.

Dr Chen’s primary research is in the areas of media content and its effects, focusing on the media’s role in elections since 2000. Dr Chen has hosted two Integrated Research Projects for Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology – the Presidential Election in 2008, and Science Communication: From Content Production to Audience Perception – and served as a guest editor for special issues on Individualism vs. Collectivism for the Chinese Journal of Communication and Health Communication for the Journal of Communication and Society.

She has received a number of awards, including the Outstanding Research Award from Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology. Her academic research has been published in journals such as Journalism Studies.

Dr Chen has a PhD from The University of Texas at Austin.