Foro Mundial sobre GovTech e Innovación en el Sector Público

His Excellency Jose Ulisses de Pina Correia e Silva is the fifth Prime Minister of the Republic of Cabo Verde and President of the Movement for Democracy (MPD), the country’s majority party. Since assuming office in April 2016, he has led Cabo Verde through sustained economic growth and critical political reform. Under his leadership, the country has seen GDP growth, reduced public debt, increased foreign investment and tourism, declining unemployment, and expanded education and entrepreneurship. He champions regional collaboration and strong municipal partnerships.

Arturo Herrera is the Global Director for Institutions in the Prosperity vertical of the World Bank. He joined the Bank in 2010 as a Senior Public Sector Management Specialist in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, holding various roles such as Sector Manager in LAC and Practice Manager in Governance Global Practice for LAC and East Asia and the Pacific. He left the Bank in 2018, and until 2021, Arturo held leadership positions in the Government of Mexico as Co-Head of the Finance Team in Presidential Transition Team, Deputy Finance Minister and, most recently, as Minister of Finance and Public Credit. Currently, as Global Director for Institutions, Herrera leads the strategy and engagement of the Bank’s work on public institutions and country-level governance.

Siim Sikkut is Managing Partner at Digital Nation, an Estonia-based advisory network supporting governments in building digital societies. As Estonia’s Government CIO and Deputy Secretary General for Digital Development (2017–2022), he led the first national AI strategy, launched a government-wide AI program, and initiated the virtual assistant #Bürokratt. He also served on the EU High-Level Expert Group on AI. He has advised over 40 governments on digital transformation, including national AI strategies. He co-founded Estonia’s e-Residency program and was named among the world’s Top 20 most influential people in digital government by Apolitical. He is the author of Digital Government Excellence (2022), a global guidebook on public sector innovation.

Daniel Ortega Nieto is a Lead Governance Specialist and Program Manager of the World Bank’s Public Sector Innovation and GovTech Program, which promotes frontier technologies to transform how governments operate. He previously managed Indonesia’s Public Financial Management Multi-Donor Trust Fund and led public sector operations in Brazil, where he designed the Pro-Gestão Program, a US$1 billion credit line to improve state-level financial management. Daniel has supported governance projects across regions, including in Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, India, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, and Uruguay. He holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a PhD from Georgetown University.

Dr. Olubunmi Ajala is National Director of Nigeria’s NCAIR and Technical Adviser on AI, Research, and Data to the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. A Data Scientist and Economist with a PhD and FHEA, his work spans AI policy, digital innovation, and economic research, leveraging previous roles in academia and banking. He leads Nigeria’s National AI Strategy and Research Scheme, representing the country in global AI forums like AI Safety Summits. His contributions include tools for AI researcher mapping and inflation tracking. Dr. Ajala champions inclusive innovation, promoting digital solutions in agriculture and trade and contributing to indices such as the SCI Africa Trade Opportunity Index. He is a driving force shaping Nigeria’s digital and AI policy landscape.

Dr. Lina Oueidat, a dual Lebanese-French national, graduated in Electronic Engineering from USJ and ENSTA. She holds two PhDs in Engineering—Electronic and Biomedical—from SUPELEC Paris XI, France, four European patents in engineering and medical fields, and a Master in Philosophy from the Lebanese University. A senior expert in ICT, cybersecurity, and AI, she has served since 2017 as National Coordinator for ICT, Cybersecurity, and Counter-Terrorism at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. A professor at the Lebanese University in modern telecommunications, AI, real-time embedded systems, physics, lobbying, and decision-making. Owner of ECS Consulting and EDITRA, an international consultant for EU, UNESCO, WHO, WB, KFAED, etc. PhD supervisor, published in cyber sciences, contributor to Lebanon’s AI ethics guidelines.

Carlos is Program & Engagement Director at MIT Emerging Talent, building partnerships to equip learners from migrant, refugee, and displaced communities with computer science and life skills to become leading change agents. He co-founded SOMOS Civic Lab, collaborating with civil society and public sector to democratize ethical AI deployment.

Catherine Nikolovski is the Executive Director of the CivicTech Software Foundation in Thailand, where she leads efforts to build open-source digital tools that promote civic participation, transparency, and accountable governance. With a background in civic technology and digital rights, she has worked across Southeast Asia to support community-led innovation and responsible tech use in public institutions. Under her leadership, the Foundation has developed platforms for public feedback, open data, and citizen engagement. Catherine advocates for ethical tech design, open government, and digital inclusion, working closely with civil society, government agencies, and multilateral partners. She also supports capacity-building for local technologists and policymakers to ensure contextually appropriate, sustainable digital solutions across the region.

Teddy Svoronos is a Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), teaching rigorous statistical methods to inform and improve public decision-making. His work focuses on leveraging technology to scale interactive learning globally, researching the critical intersection of pedagogy, technology, and evidence adoption. At HKS, he is Faculty Lead for the Evidence for Decisions area of the online Public Leadership Credential and Faculty Liaison for Pedagogy and Digital Learning, fostering innovation. Teddy co-founded Teachly, a web application for creating effective and inclusive learning environments, and PingPong, a platform using AI for unique learning experiences. He holds a PhD in Health Policy from Harvard University and an MPH from Columbia University.

Oleksii Balabushko is a Practice Manager for Institutions Practice in the East Asia and Pacific region. He has over 20 years of professional experience across four regions (ECA, EAP, Africa and MENA) and in the PEFA Secretariat. He served as Co-Chair of the Public Expenditure and Financial Management Community of Practice at the World Bank. A public sector economist, he has with in-depth expertise in public finance, tax policy and tax administration. His extensive operational and analytical work includes delivery and implementation support for large operations across regions, and publications in international journals. Oleksii holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Florida State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy of Ukraine.

Florin Hasler leads Opendata.ch, a Swiss nonprofit committed to using data in the public interest. After working in foreign policy and political communications, he found his passion in technology-related advocacy and open innovation. At Opendata.ch, he supports the public sector's journey to become more open. Furthermore, he advocates for a digital transformation that works for the people and the planet. He is convinced that a more inclusive and collaborative approach is necessary to tackle today’s societal and climatic challenges. Before becoming Director, he managed Opendata.ch's Prototype Fund, a support program for civic and public interest tech.

Ciro Pitangueira de Avelino graduated in design and specializes in strategy, people management, and IT. He holds a master's in public policy. A third-generation public servant with over 20 years at Brazil's largest public bank, he has held leadership roles, including Former Director at the Regional Bank of Brasília. He has contributed to Brazil's digital transformation for a decade, serving the GOV.BR Platform team as Deputy Secretary, Chief of Staff, and Senior Advisor. Co-founder of movements like GovHackers and IGOVNights, and a pioneer in collaborative networks like INOVAGOV. He lectures at ENAP and other private academic institutions. Citro is deeply committed to public innovation and transformative people-centred policies and technology.

João Ricardo Vasconcelos is a Senior Governance Specialist in the World Bank’s Governance Global Practice, where he leads cross-cutting GovTech work and builds global communities around key digital government priorities. He manages the World Bank’s GovTech Global Partnership, including flagship initiatives such as the GovTech Maturity Index, the GovTech Global Forum, and the GovTech Working Groups. His expertise spans whole-of-government digitalization, green GovTech, CivicTech, AI in the public sector, data governance, interoperability, digital skills and culture, and inclusive service delivery. Prior to joining the World Bank, João was a Digital Government Policy Analyst at the OECD, leading initiatives like the E-Leaders Working Party. He also held leadership roles in Portugal’s public sector, driving digital innovation and international cooperation.

Michael Downey is Project Officer for the Open Source Ecosystem Enabler initiative at UNDP. With over 20 years of experience across the UN system, civil society, and the private sector, he led collaborative IT programmes in international health and finance before moving on to help lead OpenMRS, an open source health platform built in and for the global majority, earning the Free Software Foundation's Award for Projects of Social Benefit. He directed open-source programs for Digital Impact Alliance at the UN Foundation, focusing on Digital Public Goods ecosystem. At UNDP, he leads a joint effort with ITU to support countries adopt open-source software and DPG's through local capacity-building and the establishment of Open Source Programme Offices (OSPOs).

Dr. Huynh Nhat Nam is a Senior Research Fellow at the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM), Dr. Nam Huynh provides assistance to the Dean of FSPPM for the satisfactory progress and successful completion of the big urban data analytics project funded by the Vingroup Innovation Foundation. He also assists in outlining an agenda for policy-related data intensive research at FSPPM, and in identifying prospective funding sources for these research projects. Before joining Fulbright University Vietnam, Nam has a decade working in academia and government in Australia developing data analytics and simulation models of urban infrastructure systems for government and industry-funded projects.

Rajiv Garodia is the Global Head of Visa Government Solutions, leading a global team that works with governments, public institutions, and NGOs to advance inclusive and sustainable growth through digital payments. With over 20 years in payments and financial services, he has held executive roles across product, innovation, and marketing. He previously led Visa’s global Real-Time Payments group and, before that, Mastercard’s international Real-Time Payments and pay-by-bank businesses. Rajiv also spent 12 years at Western Union, leading operations across Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia, and managing global product functions. He brings extensive general management and market experience and has lived and worked in Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia. He is currently based in London.

Priya is the CEO of the Digital Impact Alliance, with over 20 years of experience empowering the marginalized communities with political voice and economic opportunity. A widely recognized leader in global development, Priya has forged strategic partnerships and networks with leading development champions worldwide and has a proven record in designing effective interventions for financial inclusion and digital development. Before joining the Digital Impact Alliance initially as the Managing Director, Priya founded Future State, a non-profit focused on inclusive data economies. Her career includes launching the Digital Development team in the USAID during the Obama Administration and establishing the financial inclusion practice at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Priya also serves as a non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institute.

Pooja is Chief Partnerships Officer at Apolitical, a global network and learning platform with a mission to help build 21st century governments that work for people and the planet. Prior to Apolitical, Pooja was the Founding Managing Partner of Conduit Connect, an impact investing platform for investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders. She was also the co-founder and CEO of UnLtd India, an incubator for social entrepreneurs. Pooja has been recognised as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, an Aspen India leadership fellow and a TED India fellow.

Tulsi Parida is the Global Director of Multilateral and Development Finance Partnerships at Visa. She works at the intersection of digital transformation and the public sector, building partnerships with multilaterals and development finance institutions to advance financial inclusion through digital solutions. She brings a decade of experience at the intersection of technology, society, and business, with a focus on reducing digital inequality and promoting inclusive innovation. Prior to Visa, she led teams at startups addressing digital divides in literacy in both the U.S. and India. Tulsi holds a BSc from Northwestern University and a dual MSc/MBA from the University of Oxford. She is a recipient of the Global 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics and TechWomen 100 UK awards.

Piers Clough is the Global Head of Pre-Sales & Solution Architecture, where he leads the practice dedicated to accelerating digital transformation for government clients worldwide. With over a decade of experience at Visa, Piers held various roles across technology, innovation strategy, new product development, solution sales, and client advisory, gaining deep insights into complex digital ecosystems. Prior to Visa, he consulted for the UK public sector, specializing in enterprise architecture and change management. Holding an MBA from Imperial College London and a BA from King’s College London, Piers combines strategic thinking with practical execution. His recognised superpower is collaborative solution design, development, and commercialization, enabling successful, impactful digital initiatives for public sector organisations.

Hyejeong Lim is Director of the Global Center at the National Information Society Agency (NIA) in South Korea. She previously served as Director of the Open Data Center at NIA, where she led the development of the national open data master plan and managed pan-government open data evaluations. She is also a member of the OECD Data Expert Group. Her areas of expertise include open data, data analysis, and ICT policy. Hyejeong holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Missouri–Columbia.

Arbjan Mazniku has served as Albania’s Minister of State for Local Government since September 2023. He was Deputy Mayor of Tirana from 2015 to 2023 and previously Deputy Minister of Education and Sports (2013–2015). Before entering public office, he was Executive Director of the AGENDA Institute, focused on governance, European integration, and development. From 2003 to 2007, he was active in the MJAFT Movement and previously led the National Debate Association. Mr. Mazniku studied journalism at the University of Tirana and holds a Master’s in Political Communication from the University of Sheffield. He also completed executive programs at Harvard University, including “Leading Economic Growth” (2014) and the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative (2017–2018).

Lisa Finneran is Director for Innovation at the World Bank Group.  In collaboration with units across the Group, she is responsible for leading innovation initiatives that help strengthen the implementation of the World Bank Group’s “Evolution Agenda” and for building a collaborative and experimental innovation ecosystem within the institution.

Since joining the World Bank in 2022, Lisa has worked across its finance, operations and knowledge functions.  Prior to her current role, the most significant innovation she led was when she found herself out of her comfort zone upon being appointed as Director for IDA Resource Mobilization in 2014. 

Dr. Soonmin Bae aims to transform AI technology into meaningful services. She holds multiple positions including CRAIO and AI Future Lab Director at KT, Adjunct Professor at KAIST, Member of Presidential Committee on Digital Platform Government, and Full Member of National Academy of Engineering of Korea. Prior to industrial experiences, she received her Ph.D. and M.S. in EECS/CSAIL at MIT and earned her B.S. at KAIST.

Andrew Cooke is Global Policy Lead at Microsoft, supporting the Worldwide Public Sector business. He heads the Global Market Development Policy Team, working with the governments and regulatory community to ensure optimized policy settings are in place to best take advantage of digital transformation technologies. Andrew is a subject matter expert in various digital transformation-related policies, including data governance and data classification, cloud first policies, centralized procurement, government framework agreements and digital identity. Andrew joined Microsoft in 2007, providing commercial legal support for the Australian and New Zealand operations before moving to Singapore in 2012 as lead commercial lawyer for Asia, late heading the region’s government affairs and public policy team.

Kelly Ommundsen is the Head of Digital Inclusion and a Member of the Executive Committee for the World Economic Forum. In this role, Kelly leverages her expertise in technology, policy, and partnerships to advance social equity and systems change. She leads key initiatives like the Global GovTech Network, EDISON Alliance, and the Global Regulatory Innovation Platform, promoting public-private collaboration to modernize governance and bridge the digital divide.

Dr. Bushra AlBlooshi is a global leader in digital transformation and cybersecurity, bridging strategic vision with technical expertise. She leads major national and international initiatives, including the Dubai Cybersecurity Strategy and the World Bank’s Cloud Computing Working Group. As the first Arab woman on the World Economic Forum’s Cybersecurity Council, she contributes to the G20 agendas, WEF task forces, and ITU mentorships. Nationally, she pioneered UAE Pass, Dubai Digital Policies, and the region’s first cybersecurity regulations. Dr. AlBlooshi serves on advisory boards across government, academia, and global organizations. Holding a PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, two master’s degrees and two U.S. patents. Her research spans cloud computing, digital forensics and cryptography, while mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.

Maximilano Maneiro is the Deputy Director of the Information Technology Department at Agesic, the Agency of the Presidency of the Republic responsible for promoting the development of digital government and the information society in Uruguay. Maximiliano is part of the leadership team of the department tasked with researching, developing, and promoting solutions, methodologies, best practices, and tools that contribute to value creation and facilitate the effective management of information technologies within State organizations. At Agesic, he led the Emerging Technologies team and was responsible for the design and implementation of the Presidential Office’s private cloud, a reference solution for the Central Administration. Previously, he worked as a consultant for technology companies in the areas of infrastructure and virtualization.

Antoine Sebera serves as the Government Chief Innovation Officer at the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), under the Ministry of ICT and Innovation. RISA is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing national ICT strategies and projects. Antoine leads key digital transformation initiatives across government sectors, promotes innovation through emerging technologies and leads the institution's efforts to support national startup ecosystem, IT workforce capacity building and skills development. Being deeply passionate about ICT for development, he brings over 20 years of experience in e-Government, software development and systems integration, IT infrastructure, broadband telecommunications networks, data centers, and cloud computing. Antoine holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science and Software Engineering from the University of Rwanda.

Khuram Farooq is a Senior Governance Specialist of the World Bank with over 25 years of global experience in digital transformation, spanning more than 100 operations across 50 countries. Known for combining visionary leadership with operational expertise, he is a recognized authority on PFM and GovTech. Hhe has led six global publications on Cloud Computing, AI in the Public Sector, Agile Treasuries, Mobile Government, Integrated Financial Management Information Systems, and Human Resource Management Systems. He is currently co-authoring a book on ‘Digital Money’ with the IMF. Before joining the World Bank, he was a senior civil servant in the Government of Pakistan, where he led a large-scale, whole-of-government SAP deployment for budgeting and payroll across all levels of government.

Birago Antwi-Agyei is a Customer Service Practitioner with over 25 years’ experience in Customer Service. She is a Change Expert, Customer Experience and Enablement Strategist, Training Consultant, and Corporate Social Responsibility Strategist. She is an internationally certified Trainer, Facilitator, and Coach. She is currently the Assistant Commissioner at the Ghana Revenue Authority in charge of Customer Experience. She has been responsible for setting up the unit and formulating the strategy to drive service delivery in a tax environment, including training and changing the culture of tax payment. She also leads the World Bank project on Public Financial Management for Service Delivery. She runs ACE of Spade, her consultancy focused on delivering corporate social responsibility functions.

Clemens Denner is a Policy Officer at the Federal Chancellery of the Republic of Austria, working in the Department for Digital Strategies and Innovation within the General Directorate for Digitalisation and E-Government. The department coordinates Austria’s national AI and Data strategies and implements key EU digital policies, including the AI Act, Data Governance Act, and Data Act. Mr. Denner focuses on advancing the responsible use of AI in the public sector. He leads projects on AI use case identification, transparency of AI solutions, and the development of a public sector AI blueprint. He holds a background in political science and public policy, with academic experience in Vienna, Warsaw, and Berlin, and began his career in the technology and consulting sectors.

Yiannis is a Senior Digital Transformation Advisor at TBI, leading the Advisory portfolio on Digital ID & Wallets in 25+ countries. He works directly with government leaders around the globe, helping them reimagine public service delivery in the age of AI, accelerate digital economies, and build citizen trust. With over 20 years of cross-disciplinary experience spanning law, policy, technology, user experience, privacy, and ethics, Yiannis has spearheaded strategic programmes and partnerships with prominent private sector and international development organizations, including the UN, World Bank, FCDO, the EU, and numerous donors across more than 50 countries.

Stela Mocan leads the Technology Innovation Office at the World Bank Group CIO Office. During 2010-2015, she served as the Government of Moldova 1st Government Chief Information Officer, leading the digital transformation of government operations and public service delivery. During 2009-2010, she served as Moldova Prime Minister's advisor on governance and public administration reform. Prior to that, she led and managed governance and democracy building programs with UNDP, USAID, World Bank, international NGOs.

Anumita works to expand eGov's footprint globally, engaging with governments and multilateral institutions. She comes from the foreign policy and security sector, where she worked on issues ranging from terrorism and water diplomacy to human security and gender, in regions including South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Anumita has degrees in Mathematics and Diplomacy

Gautham leads eGov’s policy initiatives with the Government of India and partner states. He started his career at Janaagraha where he led the Ward Infrastructure Index Program and was a founding team member of The Education Alliance. Gautham has a MIB degree from The Fletcher School at Tufts University where his studies focussed on social enterprises and leveraging business models to reach underserved populations. At Fletcher, Gautham organized and co-chaired the first Tufts Innovation Symposium on Scaling Innovation in Emerging Markets.

Alan Jiménez Martínez holds a Bachelor of Laws from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre Y Maestra. And a master’s degree in French Civil and Private International Law from the University of Panthéon-ASSAS (Paris II), and master’s degree in administrative law and public Affairs with the Universidad de Salamanca. He is currently a professor of Public Law, Energy Law and Electric Utitly Services at Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre Y Maestra. He is also a doctoral candidate at Externado University. As a public official, he has served as Deputy Director of PPP Contracts at the Direccion General de Alianzas Público-Privada. He is vice-minister of public services in the Ministry of public administration.

Dr. Debasish Prusty a member of the Indian Administrative Service is now serving as the Principal Secretary Finance in the sub national Government of Rajasthan in India. He has more than 25 years of experience in designing and implementing polices in the realm of sustainable development, public financial management systems and development cooperation. Currently he is responsible for the preparation of the Annual Budget and the Finance Account through the Integrated Financial Management System for the Sub national Government. Dr.Prusty has contributed to India's initiative to launch the International Solar Alliance (ISA) platform in the year 2015. He was a member of the standing committee on Finance of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) in 2016.

Barbara Ubaldi is the Senior Director for AI and Government Innovation at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. She leads global efforts to help governments harness technology to improve public services and drive innovation. With over 24 years of experience, Barbara previously spent 16 years leading the OECD’s Digital Government and Data Unit. There, she advanced digital transformation, transparency, and citizen engagement through global initiatives, country reviews, and key frameworks like the Digital Government Index. She also spent seven years at the United Nations focusing on e-government and ICT for development. A Fulbright Scholar, Barbara holds a Master of Science from Northeastern University and has been recognized among influential figures in digital government and AI in government.

Tracey Lane is Practice Manager, Institutions, at the World Bank. She joined the Bank in 2001 as a Young Professional. Since then, she has served in various capacities, including Senior Economist in Eastern Europe, East Africa, and South Asia; Program Leader in the Middle East and North Africa; and Lead Economist in Latin America. Recently, she was the Practice Manager in the Governance Global unit of the EFI Vice Presidency before moving to the Africa West region. With a background in U.K. government economics, Tracey's expertise spans government expenditure, fiscal policy, and public finance management. She holds BA and MA degrees in Economics from the University of Essex.

Ayanda Hlatshwayo is the Acting Chief Data Analytics Officer of the National Treasury of South Africa, focusing on data driven policy data analytics and research analysis to inform policy and decision making; oversees the National Treasury Secure Data Facility (NT-SDF); leads the mzansiXchange initiative; and supports the Presidency's Operation Vulindela digital transformation agenda. She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Stellenbosch and MCom (Economic Science) from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Tadej Gabrijel is the Deputy Director-General of the Directorate for the Development of Digital Solutions and the Data Economy at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Government of Slovenia. He has extensive experience with the development and management of government digital solutions and digital public services. He is involved in preparing strategic documents and leads or participates in various coordination and working groups at both national and international levels (e.g. the Interoperable Europe Board, EU eGovernment Benchmarking Group, OECD E-Leaders Group, coordination in the digital government field with the United Nations and the World Bank Group). In the past, he made a significant contribution to the modernization of the Central Population Register and other national basic registers. In 2011, his team developed an internationally awarded data exchange platform (UNPSA Winner 2013), which is now also used in an international context and enhanced with machine learning algorithms.

Louise Holden leads the global government partnerships team at Visa and is based in London, UK. Louise is a digital payment specialist who builds sustainable programs for organizations including governments, humanitarian and development NGOs, and the private sector. Louise’s team builds and manages Visa partnerships with financial institutions, multilateral organizations, NGOs, and fintech/govtech organizations, with a current focus on creating Visa’s humanitarian and development practice. She has 30 years of experience working in large multinational organizations, including roles at Barclaycard, American Express, and Mastercard. Louise has worked across Europe, Africa, and Australia, and is a Life Fellow at the RSA and on the Leadership Circle of ARISE and ActionAid.

Chiara Bronchi is the Practice Manager for Public Institutions Data and Analytics in the Institutions Global Department. Prior to that she was a Practice Manager at the Fiscal Policy and Sustainable Growth Unit in the Macroeconomics, Trade, and Investment Global Practice of the World Bank Group.

Chiara has over 26 years of professional experience in managing multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary programs in various international organizations. She started her professional career as Economic Adviser with the U.K. government, joined the OECD in 1998, and then the IMF in 2003. She served at the Head of the Fiscal Affairs Office of Kosovo under the UN Protectorate before joining the World Bank in 2008. In 2018-19 she was on external assignment as the Chief Thematic Officer of the ADB, where she provided vision and goals for the ADB thematic cluster and the ADB Strategy 2030. Chiara holds a PhD in economics from Bologna University and a MSc in economics from University College of London.

Francesca Recanatini is a Lead Economist at the World Bank, specializing in institution building and anticorruption for over two decades. Since joining in 1998, she has integrated governance and anticorruption into development using data and stakeholder participation. She supported governance reforms across Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East via data collection, coalition building, and multisector engagement.

Currently focusing on public sector reforms and multistakeholder initiatives in Latin America, Middle East and Africa, her research interests include corruption measures, accountability, state capture and fragility, and sextortion. She has published numerous papers and contributed to key reports and handbooks in the field. She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Dr. Oksanna Abrahamyan is leading Armenia’s digital transformation in the justice sector as Deputy Minister of Justice, advancing e-governance reforms to improve judicial efficiency, transparency, and access to justice. She oversees the digitization of core justice services, reducing bureaucratic barriers and creating citizen-centered systems that are more accessible and responsive. With over 20 years of experience in international development, public policy, and institutional reform, she brings expertise in strategy design, GovTech implementation, and managing complex programs. She holds a PhD in Economics and has taught at universities and adult education programs. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®), Accredited Contract Manager (UK Civil Service), and Erickson Certified Professional Coach (ECPC), focused on delivering reform through practical, people-centered solutions.

Gilbert Matura leads the Smart Government Department under Kenya’s Executive Office of the President, where he is responsible for coordinating the implementation of digital initiatives across government. His work focuses on advancing Kenya’s transformation into a Smart Government by integrating cutting-edge technologies and harnessing data to enhance public service delivery. With a mandate that spans cross-agency collaboration and innovation-driven reform, Gilbert plays a key role in institutionalizing the digital transformation agenda at the highest levels of government.

Aaron Snow has led national digital transformation efforts in both the United States and Canada. In 2014, he co-founded and led 18F, the U.S. government’s in-house technology consultancy, and later became the first Deputy Commissioner of the Technology Transformation Service. In 2018, he was appointed the first CEO of Canada’s Canadian Digital Service. He now serves as Principal Advisor for international government transformation at Amazon Web Services. Aaron was also a Presidential Innovation Fellow under President Obama and has been twice named among the “World’s 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government.” He holds degrees from Harvard College and Columbia Law School and serves on the boards of FWD50, DIGIT Governance Council, and the Foundation for Public Code North America.

David Eaves is Co-Deputy Director and Associate Professor in Digital Government at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) at University College London. He teaches and writes on digital-era public administration, digital transformation, and the governance of digital public infrastructure. He is widely recognized for his work on digital state capacity, including establishing the digital public infrastructure map, used globally by researchers, donors, and governments. David has also published on topics such as What is Public in Digital Public Infrastructure and the Economics of Shared Digital Infrastructure. He co-founded Teaching Public Service in a Digital Age, an open-licensed curriculum used by faculty at over 70 universities in more than 30 countries.

Kalpana Kochhar is the Director, Development Policy and Finance at Gates Foundation. She oversees an advisory group of economists and development finance experts at a foundation, using economic analysis to inform global policy and advocacy work. Before joining in 2021, she had a distinguished 33-year career at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Her senior roles included directing Human Resources, serving as deputy director for the Asia and Pacific Department, and in Strategy, Policy, and Review, where she notably launched the IMF’s work on gender and women’s economic empowerment. From 2010 to 2012, she was seconded as the World Bank’s chief economist for the South Asia region. She holds multiple economics degrees, including an M.A. and Ph.D. from Brown University.

Harish leads a global team at the World Bank focused on financial inclusion, payments and market infrastructures, digital finance, and credit infrastructure. He represents the Bank in several international working groups and was a lead contributor to the IMF–World Bank Bali Fintech Agenda, co-led the Future of Finance flagship paper, and co-chaired the CPMI–World Bank taskforce on Payment Aspects of Financial Inclusion. Before joining the World Bank, Harish held senior positions at Visa in business development, operations, and risk management. He holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology–Madras and a Post Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Management–Calcutta, specializing in Finance and Systems.

Silvana Kostenbaum is a public sector senior specialist in the LAC region for the World Bank, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is the focal point on institutions and public sector issues for Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, providing cross support to other practices and working on projects in the region. She is a member of the GovTech Global Solutions Group and was Co-Chair of the GovTech Community of Practice. Before joining the Bank, Silvana worked for the Government of Argentina for ten years mostly focusing on the Integrated Financial Management Information System reform. Silvana holds a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan and a Political Science degree from the University of Buenos Aires.

Cem Dener is a Lead Governance Specialist in the Institutions Global Department of the World Bank. In the past two decades he contributed to the modernization of public financial management information systems and digital government programs in over 70 countries. He has extensive system design and application development experience gained in private and public sector projects. He represents the Bank in regional and international events to share and discuss experiences and trends in digital governance, the transition to a whole-of-government approach, and the use of open-source software, AI/ML, and innovative solutions in the public sector. He holds BSME degree from Middle East Technical University, Türkiye, M.Sc. from Cranfield Institute of Technology, U.K., and Ph.D. from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.

Saki Kumagai is Senior Governance Specialist with the Institutions Global Practice in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region. She specializes in supporting governments create and strengthen more transparent, accountable, and participatory government systems that sustain and deliver citizen-centric public services. Currently, Saki co-leads the Institutions’ work in Yemen on core government systems, civil service reforms, public financial management, and local governance, and continues to be engaged in service delivery operations in the MENA region and beyond. Prior to joining the Bank, Saki worked in the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations. She holds a BA in International Relations with a minor in Sociology from American University, Washington, D.C. and a MA in Human Rights from LSE.

Dr. Simon O’Meally is a Senior Public Sector Economist and leads work on institutional reform for improved services and accelerated economic development. Simon is based in Vienna with the World Bank, focusing on supporting institutional and public sector reform lending and economic policy reform, notably in the Western Balkans. A British-Jamaican citizen, Simon joined the World Bank as a Young Professional in 2011 and held World Bank field positions in India (2012-2016) and Tunisia (2016-2020). Simon has a PhD in Political Economy and Development Studies (2009) from the University of Manchester.

Anita Sobjak is a Senior Public Sector Specialist in the Public Administration Global Unit of the Institutions Global Department of the World Bank. She provides support to government counterparts globally on institutional modernization through lending operations, analytical and advisory engagements. Her main areas of focus are GovTech (digitalizing public services, modernizing core government systems and embedding frontier technologies) and strengthening institutional capacity by building a fit for the future public workforce.

Ms. Romina Kostani is the Director of Digital Agenda Coordination and Foreign-Funded Projects for e-Government at the Albanian National Agency of Information Society. She holds a MSc in Information Systems, a Master’s in EU Business Law, and a Bachelor’s in Business-Informatics from the University of Tirana. Romina has played a key role in the drafting and implementation of the GovTech Program in partnership with the World Bank, advancing innovation and digital governance in Albania. Her work focuses on the digitalization of public services, interoperability, open data, and alignment of national legislation with the EU ICT Acquis. She also has experience in university-level teaching in information systems and has contributed to ICT innovation, including public sector start-up incubation programs.

Alisa Zomer is the Assistant Director at the MIT Governance Lab (MIT GOV/LAB), where she leads strategic partnerships and bridges research with practical applications in governance. Her expertise encompasses urban climate governance, environmental equity, and international policy. Previously, she was a research fellow at Yale University and worked with the World Resources Institute's global governance team, focusing on environmental rights and access to information. Alisa is a World Social Science Fellow in sustainable urbanization and a member of the NSF-funded Research Coordination Network on sustainable cities. She holds a Master's degree from Yale University and a Bachelor's degree from The George Washington University.

Natalia Avendaño, a PhD in Economics, is an expert in international financing, public project management, and development policy design. She currently leads Argentina's Agencia R+D+i, promoting strategic science, technology, and innovation for federal productive development. Her focus includes leveraging ICTs in sectors like health, energy, and the knowledge economy from a value chain perspective. With a strong track record, she has managed multisectoral projects for state modernization and digitalization, coordinating with international agencies. She held key roles in the Chief of Cabinet, Economy, Health, and Finance ministries, focusing on policy evaluation and financing. Avendaño also excels academically as a professor and researcher on economic development and poverty.

Omid Ghaffari-Tabrizi is Head of U.S. Federal Civilian Policy at Google, leading engagement on technology, procurement, and regulatory issues. With expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and public sector procurement, he has contributed to major IT modernization across multiple U.S. administrations. His career includes roles such as Director of Cloud Policy at the Internet Association, Principal at Monument Advocacy, and an appointee to the Washington State Governor’s Cloud Transition Task Force. He also held senior procurement positions at the U.S. General Services Administration, including Acquisitions Lead at 18F, focused on improving federal technology procurement. Earlier, he was a litigator and led a legal tech firm. Omid holds a B.B.A. and J.D. from the University of Miami, and an LL.M. in Government Procurement Law from George Washington University.

Natalia María Iregui Ortigoza is the Director of Public Policy for North and South Latin America, including Central America and the Caribbean, for Amazon Web Services (AWS). In her role, she focuses on building relationships with government officials, representing AWS in industry associations, and advocating for regulations that allow business development. He has worked for more than 20 years in the public and private sectors, acting as a liaison between public and private companies and developing relationships with associations, embassies and legislative bodies in Colombia and throughout the region. She has held management positions in the Colombian Government, Congress and the private sector at Telefónica and DIRECTV/ATT. Additionally, she is a founding member of Mujeres Tic Colombia, a nonprofit organization whose objectives include promoting and inspiring women in the world of technology as well as promoting the closing of the gender gap in the sector. Iregui is a lawyer by training, with master's degrees in public management and administrative institutions.

Mykola Tkachenko - since the beginning of 2023, he has been the CEO of the state-owned enterprise "Prozorro." Prozorro is a state electronic procurement system built on the principle of "Everyone sees everything," ensuring maximum transparency and efficient use of public funds. Before joining Prozorro, he held leadership positions for over 15 years in the IT departments of  Ukrainian companies across various economic sectors, including construction, agribusiness, and telecommunications. He is now leveraging this diverse experience, understanding of technological processes, and implementation skills to help the state make the Prozorro system even more technologically advanced and user-friendly, as well as public procurement as efficient as possible. He is focused on developing the system's electronic tools, expanding its capabilities, and building a broad partnership community. Today, his key goal is to ensure the transparent reconstruction of Ukraine through innovative Prozorro solutions.

Michael Jarvis is the Executive Director of the Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative–Funders for Participatory Governance, a platform for funder learning and collective action, leveraging over USD 500 million in active grants, at the intersection of climate, democratic and fiscal accountability. An expert in good governance and multi-stakeholder approaches, Michael advises a range of international donors. In past roles, notably at the World Bank, Michael incubated new initiatives ranging from collective action against corruption to a business alliance against malnutrition to the Open Contracting Partnership that promotes better outcomes from the estimated $9.5 trillion in public-private contracts globally. He is a board member for Publish What You Fund, Accountability Counsel and Transparency International US.

Irina Sprenglewski is a governance specialist with deep experience supporting Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) to strengthen oversight and accountability. With a Master of Science in Economics and ongoing studies in Technology Management and Digital Transformation, Irina brings a unique blend of strategic insight and digital expertise. She has worked extensively with SAIs on strategic management and ICT governance also drawing on experience in both software product management and service design thinking. At the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), based in Oslo, Norway, Irina champions the use of technology to modernize audit institutions and promote more transparent, accountable governance. She is passionate about bridging the worlds of audit, innovation, and digital transformation to help SAIs play a pivotal role in delivering value to citizens.

Saleiman S. Umar serves as Director General of the Ministry of Finance for the Government of Somalia. With over 25 years of experience across public, private, and non-profit sectors, he previously served as Senior Financial Expert Advisor within the Ministry, managing donor-funded projects and establishing robust financial control systems. Umar played a pivotal role in advancing public institution reforms, achieving economic development objectives, and was instrumental in Somalia's debt relief initiatives and public financial management reforms. His career includes senior auditor and financial consultant roles, conducting audits and evaluating internal controls for diverse clients. Umar holds a PhD in Governance, Peace, and Development, an MBA, and degrees in Accounting and Civil Engineering.

Mbinison Dorette Ratsiavahana is Director of Public Accounting at the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Madagascar, leveraging over fourteen years in the Public Treasury. Starting as a Treasury Inspector, she was among the first public finance experts trained at the AfDB's African Development Institute. She ascended through key positions, including Director of the National Printing Office, head of financing agreements at the Public Debt Directorate, and Authorized Representative at the General Pay Office in Antananarivo. Holding a Master's in economic studies and management, her expertise is enhanced by certifications in public procurement, negotiation, and financial management. Passionate about innovation, she drives the modernization of financial administration and good governance, also pursuing personal development and environmental protection.

Trevor Vaugh is Policy Design Lead at Ireland’s Department of Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, advancing human-centered design across policy, services, and operations. He chaired the creation of Ireland’s Government Design Principles and led the Action Plan for Designing Better Public Services. Internationally recognized for his design leadership and public engagement, he featured on RTÉ’s The Big Life Fix. A former medical designer with over 50 patents, his work has received global recognition. He has published on public sector transformation, healthcare, and education reform, and previously lectured in strategic design at Maynooth University. Trevor serves on multiple advisory boards, promoting design as a tool for innovation, empathy, and effective public service.

Eoin Tunstead is a Civil Servant driving digital transformation and public sector innovation in Ireland. Based in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, he leads on emerging technologies, including the development of the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service. He is coordinating the forthcoming Digital Public Services Plan (2030) and plays a key role in cross-government initiatives, including the Government Digital Wallet. With experience across policy, delivery, and EU-funded reform tools, he champions responsible innovation and user-focused service design across the public service. He holds a Bachelor Degree in French and History and a Masters Degree in International Relations.

Philip John McGrath is a Senior Governance Specialist with the Institutions Global Department of the Prosperity vertical at the  World Bank. He is focused on public administration reform and GovTech. Previously, he led the delivery of the public service transformation programme in Ireland’s Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform.

Carlos Orjales is Senior Economist and Program Manager at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland. He has 20 years of experience in designing implementing and monitoring technical assistance programs in the area of public finance management and financial sector development. As thematic lead on tax policy and administration, he represented Switzerland in several global initiatives and international fora dedicated to domestic resources mobilization. Since 2020, he is responsible for digital transformation of the public sector and GovTech. Carlos holds an MSc degree in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics from the University of Geneva. He also studied International Relations at the Graduate Institute of Geneva, as well as Information and Communication Technology at the Centre Universitaire d’Informatique.

Anthony Sarpong is the acting Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). His primary function is to provide strategic guidance for assessing, collecting, and accounting for tax revenue in Ghana. Previously, he served as Senior Partner at KPMG Ghana, where he provided strategic direction and oversaw operations. With over 22 years of professional experience across Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa, he specializes in Audit, accounting advisory, corporate recovery, and insolvency. Before becoming Senior Partner, he was Head of Audit and led the Financial Services sector at KPMG. He holds an MSc in Financial Risk Management from London Metropolitan University and a First-Class Honours degree from the University of Ghana. He is a member of ICAG, ICAN, and GARIA.

Shiho Nagaki has extensive experience in economic and fiscal management, public administration reform, public employment management, and GovTech. She joined the World Bank in 2009 as an economist for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Washington D.C. Since then, she has held various positions in Africa, Europe and Central Asia and worked in about 40 countries, ranging from low-income to high-income countries. She is currently leading the GovTech Program and the Public Administration Reform work in the Global Unit of the Institutions Department. Before joining the Bank, she worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Sumitomo-Mitsui Banking Cooperation.

Adina Popescu has served the Romanian public administration—and above all, its citizens—for over 20 years. She began her professional career immediately after graduating from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, joining the General Inspectorate for Communications and Information Technology to work in the then-emerging field of electronic public procurement. She was part of the project team that developed and launched Romania’s Electronic Public Procurement System and continued her work at the National Authority for the Regulation and Monitoring of Public Procurement (now ANAP). At ANAP, Adina leads efforts to modernize public procurement through data-driven approaches—shifting from traditional analysis to advanced visual tools that enhance transparency, understanding, and oversight across the public procurement system.

Woldeab holds a Master's degree in Public Procurement and Asset Management from the Ethiopian Civil Service University and possesses extensive professional experience, in public procurement and asset management. His career began as a procurement officer, progressively ascending through various middle and senior-level managerial positions across several development sectors, including serving as the Treasury Director at the Ministry of Finance. He was appointed as the Deputy Director General of the Federal Public Procurement and Property Authority. In this capacity, he has spearheaded Ethiopia's public procurement modernization agenda, successfully transitioning the federal procurement system from manual processes to digital operations. His leadership in this transformation has been pivotal in aligning government and societal aspirations with the benefits of a modernized framework.

Undersecretary, Attorney Maria Francesca M. Del Rosario is the Head of the Information and Communications Technology Group and Chief Information Officer of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). She previously served as Vice President and Head of Artificial Intelligence and Data Policy at Union Bank of the Philippines. She represents DBM at the National Human Settlements Board, serves as Vice Chairperson of both the Philippine National Identification System Policy and Coordination Council and the Public Finance Management Committee, and chairs the PHILHEALTH IT Governance Committee. Her leadership across these roles reflects her strong commitment to public policy, digital transformation, and good governance in both the public and private sectors.

Thomas K. Bondzi is Head of the MIS Directorate at the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) of Ghana, with over 30 years of IT experience across public and private sectors. He holds a Computer Science degree from KNUST and held IT leadership roles in the mining and shipping industries before joining PPA in 2009. He leads the implementation of Ghana’s Electronic Procurement System, having trained thousands of procurement officers, management staff, and service providers. He also holds an MSc in Procurement and Supply Chain Management and a Commonwealth Executive MBA from KNUST, along with certifications in eProcurement and ICT strategy. A member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, he contributed to World Bank projects and procurement reforms in Ghana.

As Director of ICT at Tanzania’s Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and Project Manager of the National eProcurement System (NeST), Michael Abel Moshiro leads the country’s digital procurement transformation, integrating AI and interoperability for efficiency, accountability, and transparency. With over a decade in e-Government initiatives, he oversaw NeST's design and integration, automating bidding, contract management, and payment processes. His leadership positioned NeST as a strategic tool for procurement reform and integrity. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s in Business, Information Management & Systems. Michael also contributed to national strategies on cybersecurity, digital governance, and public sector innovation in Tanzania and the SADC region.

Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah is Mastercard’s Deputy Chief Security Officer, leading the Emerging Corporate Security Solutions team to protect information assets and drive the future of security. She joined Mastercard in 2019 after serving as CISO of Xerox and as Deputy CIO of the White House, where she modernized IT systems with cloud and virtualization. Dr. Jay hosts Mastering Cyber and CISO 500 for Cybercrime Magazine and serves on the Boards of Smartsheet and Girls in Tech. She is also Vice Chair of BITS, the technology policy division of the Bank Policy Institute. Dr. Jay holds a PhD in IT Management from Capella University, a Master’s from George Washington University, and a Mathematics degree from Savannah State University.

Chris Holden is the Chief Client Officer at Recorded Future responsible for the company's global intelligence deployments. He founded Recorded Future's services teams as an early employee and built the capabilities that exist today across a global client base. Chris was responsible for much of the early research and use case development applying Recorded Future's intelligence graph to cyber threat intelligence.

Melanie Kolbe-Guyot, PhD, is Head of Policy at the Center for Digital Trust (C4DT) at EPFL, the Swiss Federal School for Technology, Lausanne. Hailing from Berlin, Germany, Melanie has studied Political Science and International Affairs in Germany and the United States, and received her PhD from the University of Georgia. She served as an Assistant Professor for Political Science and International Affairs at the Graduate Institute in Geneva, focusing on public policy and political economy. At C4DT she leads projects on digital trust and technology policy, authors policy papers and expertise studies, and drives strategic outreach and communications. Her current research projects include the politics of data, privacy-preserving data-sharing technology and the use of AI in the public sector.

Oren Ariav is the Senior Director of Digital and Information Technologies at Israel's Population and Immigration Authority since August 2017, and a member of its management. He leads the organization's digital transformation and national strategic projects, including managing citizen, resident, and foreigner identities. His primary goal is to provide full digital government services, reducing the need for physical visits. Ariav manages substantial annual projects. He also chairs ICA (International Council for IT in Government Administration), connecting government IT leaders globally, elected President in September 2023. Previously, he served as CIO at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the homeland security office. He is a member of the Chamber of Information Systems Analysts and an outstanding CIO award recipient.

Judith is a senior public officer with over 20 years of experience as an ICT and e-Government specialist, and more than six years in executive leadership as Council Secretary/Chief Executive across three Local Authorities. She has led transformative ICT initiatives, including the development of the first Local Authority website, municipal service automation, revenue enhancement systems, and policy frameworks in ICT and gender. Judith has advanced ICT governance through business continuity planning, cybersecurity awareness, and ethical ICT use. She has represented Zambia at national and international forums and served as focal point for projects with UNESCO, SIDA, the World Bank, and ICLD. She currently serves as Director of ICT in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in Zambia.

Anat Lewin is an expert in digital public policy with over 25 years of experience, currently serving as the Asia Lead for Cybersecurity at the World Bank. She has a robust background in cybersecurity policy, digital government, and emerging technologies, having led significant initiatives that span 30 countries and involve substantial financial investments. Anat's career includes roles at the World Bank and the United Nations, where she has built extensive networks and provided strategic advice on cybersecurity, digital government, data governance and digital transformation. She holds a Master’s degree in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University and is fluent in multiple languages, including English, German, and French.

Kai Kaiser is Senior Governance and Public Sector Specialist in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region, currently based in Vienna, where his engagement is focused primarily on issues of public finance and public sector governance reform. He was also based in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Previously he was Senior Economist at the (global) Public Sector and Governance Group, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PREM), in Washington, DC, with a focus on issues of public finance, inter-governmental relations, natural resource-led development, and applied political economy/institutional reform issues. He takes a keen interest in how digital technologies can make a tangible difference in addressing governance challenges for improved service delivery and public infrastructure investments, including through climate change.

Gerhard Embacher-Köhle is an expert in public sector innovation and digital government transformation. As principal consultant and innovation manager of the Austrian Federal Computing Center he works with citizens, businesses, academia, and government officials to co-create innovative digital government services. In his role as a consultant to the World Bank he supports several initiatives focusing on innovation and user-centric digital government transformation.

Roby Senderowitsch currently serves as the Practice Manager for Public Administration in the Institutions Global Department of the World Bank. Previously, he has held various positions, including Practice Manager, Governance Global Practice, Europe and Central Asia (West); Manager for Leadership, Learning & Innovation; Manager of the Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA); and Country Manager in the Dominican Republic. His work at the  World Bank includes a strong focus on political economy analysis, building coalitions for change, anti-corruption, and performance-based management of public institutions. He has been a lecturer in Human Resource management in nonprofit organizations, as well as director of educational programs and community development and HR management in the private sector.

Antonio De Palmas was appointed Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector Market Development for Microsoft in August 2020. In this role, he leads Global Market Development operations to shape Cloud, AI, and Procurement requirements, driving digital transformation across the Public Sector. Previously, De Palmas was President of Boeing's Southern Europe region, overseeing operations and business growth. He joined Boeing in 2003, leading European and NATO Relations, engaging with European institutions, and representing Boeing in the EU and NATO. From 2000 to 2003, he was Director of Business Development for Cisco Systems, managing strategic initiatives and public sector market development. An Italian native, De Palmas has a background in economics and law.

Rita Ramalho is a Lead Economist in the Public Institutions Data and Analytics Unit of the Governance Global Practice.  Previously she was a Lead Economist in the World Bank Chief Economist's Office where she researched the links between sovereign debt and private sector development, in particular the importance of domestic arrears for firms. She was part of the 2022 World Development Report team on Finance for Equitable Recovery. Earlier, she led the Global Indicators Group which housed data products such as Enterprise Surveys, Women Business and the Law, Enabling the Business of Agriculture, as well as other indicator projects. 

Joseph Mubiru Kizito is the Practice Manager for Institutions-Financial Management in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region at the World Bank, overseeing activities across 30 countries. Mr. Kizito’s expertise centers around providing strategic guidance, driving business development, and enhancing development effectiveness through strengthening country Public Financial Management systems. With extensive experience in both technical and operational leadership of financial management teams, he has demonstrated a consistent ability to deliver high-quality financial management services, shape strategic directions, and cultivate collaborative relationships among team members and external stakeholders. Mr. Kizito possesses key skills including visionary leadership, problem-solving, client-oriented service, innovation, data analysis, strategic planning, active listening, and fostering collaboration.

Lennig Pedron is CEO of Trust Valley, a Swiss public-private partnership initiative and Switzerland's center of excellence in digital trust and cybersecurity, part of the EPFL Innovation Park Foundation. A recognized leader in cybersecurity and emerging technologies, she was awarded European Cyber Woman 2023 in the Executive Leader category in Paris. As co-founder and president of NGO iCON, she represents an international community of over 100 digital trust experts at the Council of Europe. A Certified Board Member and former Data Protection expert for the Swiss Confederation, Lennig advises diverse audiences including police, prosecutors, and financial institutions. She has served as judge for the GCSP's 9/12 geopolitical challenge for four years, spoken at the WSIS Forum, and co-authored "The Fundamentals of Cyber Crisis Management" (Ellipses, 2022).