Enhancing the digital contribution to peace, development, and sustainability

Mr Wouter Kobes, Standardisation Advisor, Netherlands Standardisation Forum
Mr Chris Buckridge, Senior Strategy Advisor, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE)
Ms Robyn Greene, Director of Privacy and Public Policy, Meta
Mr Mike Latza, Regional Security Officer EMEA, Mastercard (TBC)

Speakers bios

Mr Rene Summer, Director Government and Industry Relations, Ericsson Group (keynote speaker)

Rene Summer is the Director of Government and Industry Relations at Ericsson Group, focusing on ICT public policy areas such as cyber norms, 5G security, privacy, and cross-border data flows. He is also responsible for analysing the internal political landscape and geopolitical trends impacting Ericsson. Joining Ericsson in 2001, Rene transitioned to public policy in 2009 after working in various Business and Market Units, where he specialized in market analysis, forecasting, and business intelligence. He has extensive international policy experience, engaging with policymakers across multiple jurisdictions and actively participating in several trade associations. Rene holds an MSc in International Business and Finance from the University of Reading, UK, with expertise in Business Strategy and Economic Policy.

Ms Julia Rodriguez Acosta, Permanent Mission of El Salvador to the United Nations

Julia Rodriguez Acosta is a Minister Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of El Salvador to the United Nations. With expertise in disarmament, international security, and cybersecurity, she plays a pivotal role in shaping policies and discussions at the UN related to these critical issues.

Mr Wouter Kobes, Standardisation Advisor, Netherlands Standardisation Forum

Wouter Kobes is a Standardisation Advisor at the Netherlands Standardisation Forum, part of the Dutch government. In this role he focuses on internet and cyber security standardization. His background lies in public administration and computer science, and he has experience working on cyber related issues in both the public and private sector.

Mr Chris Buckridge, Senior Strategy Advisor, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE)

Chris Buckridge joined the GFCE Secretariat as a consultant in 2023. An independent consultant and analyst in Internet governance and digital policy, he has over two decades of experience with Regional Internet Registries, starting at APNIC in 2003 and moving to the RIPE NCC in 2006. At the RIPE NCC, he focused on public policy and Internet governance, collaborating with organizations like the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations. In 2015, Chris was part of the Australian government delegation for the WSIS+10 review. He has served on the EuroDIG Association Board since 2016 and joined the UN Internet Governance Forum’s Multistakeholder Advisory Group in 2021, completing his final term in 2024. In 2023, he began a three-year term on the ICANN Board of Directors. Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland in Australia.

Ms Francesca Bosco, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer, The Cyber Peace Institute

Francesca is the Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer at the Cyber Peace Institute, with over 15 years of experience in international law and human rights from her work with the UN and WEF. She specializes in action-oriented research, capacity building, and technical assistance in human rights, justice, peace, and security. Her expertise includes countering cybercrime, misinformation, and the misuse of technology, focusing on the risks and opportunities of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. Francesca leads initiatives to enhance digital resilience and promote diversity and inclusion, particularly for vulnerable organisations in developing countries to support the SDGs. At the Cyber Peace Institute, she fosters multistakeholder cooperation among civil society, academia, corporations, philanthropy, and public institutions to mitigate cyberattack impacts and promote sustainable cyber peace.

Ms Robyn Greene, Director of Privacy and Public Policy, Meta

Robyn Greene leads Meta’s global privacy policy efforts on cross-border data flows and government access to data. She oversees policy development, research, and coalition building on critical internet governance issues, including Meta’s strategies regarding EU-US data transfers and global data localization requirements. Before joining Meta, Robyn spent five years at New America’s Open Technology Institute as Senior Policy Counsel and Government Affairs Lead, where she focused on policy and legislative proposals related to surveillance and cybersecurity. She also worked at the ACLU's Washington Legislative Office, developing similar policy analyses. Additionally, Robyn served as a subject matter expert on the Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee at the Department of Homeland Security, advising on facial recognition technology. Robyn has testified before Congress on cyber threat information sharing and published the largest publicly available study on US Intelligence Community Section 702 compliance violations. Her work has appeared in prominent media outlets, including the Washington Post, Politico, Lawfare, and Just Security.

Mr Mike Latza, Regional Security Officer EMEA, Mastercard

Mike Latza is the Regional Chief Security Officer for Mastercard in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, based in Dubai. He is responsible for safeguarding Mastercard's critical assets and fostering trust in the cyber domain to secure a cashless future in the region. Before this role, Mike served for eight years as a Special Agent in the U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service, working in various locations across the Middle East and Africa. He also served as a U.S. Army Engineer officer in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mike holds the Certified Protection Professional designation from the American Society for Industrial Security, the Certified Information Security Manager certification from ISACA, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Dayton, Ohio.