Khyati Mehta from Sandbox Quantum
Nicky Jackson Colaco - Roblox, VP, Global Public Policy
Keith Andere - Executive Director, African Centre for Climate Research and Innovations
New and emerging technologies hold immense promise for driving innovation, economic growth, and societal advancement on a global scale. However, the benefits they offer are not uniformly distributed, with developing countries often facing barriers to accessing and effectively utilizing these technologies compared to their developed counterparts.
Speakers bios
Ms Lucia Russo, Artificial Intelligence Policy Analyst, OECD
Lucia Russo is an economist and policy analyst in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) unit of the OECD’s AI and Digital Emerging Technologies Division. In this role, she conducts in-depth analysis of national AI strategies, policies, and regulatory frameworks to support the development of AI governance. Prior to joining the OECD, Lucia worked as an economist in the Digital Economy and Skills Unit within the Directorate General CONNECT at the European Commission, where she contributed to policy development in the digital economy. Lucia holds a Master’s in Development Economics and a Bachelor’s in Economics from the University of Roma Tre.
Mr Thomas Schneider, Vice Chair of Council of Europe Committee on AI (CAI)
Ambassador Thomas Schneider is a leading figure in digital and internet governance, representing Switzerland in various international forums. He chairs the Council of Europe’s Committee on AI (CAI), where he leads negotiations for a binding convention on AI, and serves as vice-chair of the OECD’s Committee for Digital Economy Policy. Since 2012, he has been the president of the EuroDIG Support Association. His previous roles include chair of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Media and Information Society and chair of ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee, where he negotiated the IANA Stewardship transition. Additionally, he organised the 12th UN IGF in Geneva.
Ms Sulafah Jabarti, CEO and Founder of Clear Vision, Chair of ICC Saudi Arabia Digital Economy Committee
Sulafah Jabarti is serving as the current Chair of the Digital Economy Commission for ICC Saudi Arabia and is the Co-Founder and CEO of Clear Vision, providing IT solutions for businesses, organisations, and government agencies across the Middle East.
Dr Noura Alhaknani, Assistant Professor, Information Technology Department of the College of Computer and Information Sciences, King Saudi University
Dr Noura Alhakbani is currently an Assistant Professor in the Information Technology Department at the College of Computer and Information Sciences (CCIS) at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She earned her Ph.D. from KSU in 2018, focusing on machine learning within the IoT environment. Dr. Alhakbani has authored and co-authored several ISI-indexed papers and presented her research at international conferences. She received first and second place consecutively for best publications in 2018 and 2019 for PhD students in Computer Science and Information Systems. Additionally, she supervised a mobile pollution monitoring project that won first place for best live demo at Sheikh Zayed University.
Ms Paloma Villa, Head of Digital Public Policy, Telefónica S.A.
Paloma Villa is Head of Digital Public Policy at Telefónica S.A., where she leads the company's public policy initiatives related to the digital sector. With over 12 years of experience in regulation and public policy, Paloma has worked extensively in both the institutional field within the European Union and in international policy in Spain. In her current role, Paloma is responsible for shaping Telefónica's public positioning and communication strategy, while representing the company in international organisations such as the OECD and the European Round Table (ERT). She also leads initiatives focused on maximizing the positive impact of digital technologies on society and the economy. Paloma holds a degree in Political Science and Administration from the Complutense University of Madrid, a Master's in European Studies from Aachen University in Germany, and a postgraduate degree in Digital Telco from the Polytechnic University of Barcelona.
Ms Melinda Claybaugh, Director of Privacy Policy, Meta
Melinda Claybaugh is the Privacy Policy Director at Meta, where she oversees the company’s privacy and data protection policies. With a strong background in international privacy law, Melinda previously served as Counsel for International Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), where she focused on global privacy enforcement and policy development. She was actively involved in several international privacy initiatives aimed at strengthening cross-border data protection. Her career began as an Associate at Spiegel & McDiarmid LLP, where she gained significant experience in privacy law and regulatory matters. Melinda holds a JD from New York University School of Law and a degree in Art History and French from Wellesley College.
Prof. Liu Chuang, Editor-in-Chief of Global Change Research Data Publishing & Repository, World Data System - WDS, Professor of Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China