Organization: International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Business Action to Support the Information Society (BASIS)
Title: Leveraging business expertise to foster an enabling environment for the digital economy
Description:
Private sector activity and investment in information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, content and services is critically important to spreading meaningful access to ICT and leveraging technology for societal benefit and developing solutions to address the many areas of development articulated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other needs raised by local communities.
Businesses in developed and developing countries contribute expertise and experience to support the digital economy in multiple ways through capacity building, education initiatives, promoting innovation, public-private research and development partnerships, or improving understanding about how ICT works in practice. However, in order to reap the benefits ICT and private sector activity have to offer, policy-makers must create legal and regulatory frameworks encourage investment and support innovation.
This event will convene business leaders and government representatives familiar and new to the IGF for an interactive discussion on the efforts needed to ensure and an enabling policy environment for the digital economy.
Businesses large and small will be invited to participate and share their expertise and experience on the social, technical, economic and governance factors that contribute to leveraging ICT for societal benefit in developed and developing countries. Robust exchanges between diverse business and governmental experts with case examples will provide, participants with a greater understanding of the mutually reinforcing role businesses and governments can play in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, to ensure the benefits of ICT are widespread and empowering for citizens.
Thus, panelists and participants are invited to share their experience, lessons learnt and challenges (to be) addressed when leading / collaborating on projects aimed to leverage ICT for sustainable development.Chair:
Ms Ellen Blackler (The Walt Disney Company, USA)
Panelists
Mr Omar Mansoor Ansari (TechNation, Afghanistan)
Mr Bobby Bedi (Kaleidoscope Entertainment, India)
Ms Ankhi Das (Facebook, India)
Mr Hossam Elgamal (Information and Decision Support Centre, Egypt)
Mr Jivan Gjorgjinski (Macedonia)
Ms Dominique Lazanski (GSMA, UK)
Mr Juuso Moisander (Ministry of External Affairs, Finland)
Mr Robert L. Strayer (USA)
Discussants:
Ms Jennifer Chung (DotAsia, Hong Kong)
Mr Charles Bradley (GPD, UK)
Moderator:
Ms Carolyn Nguyen (Microsoft, USA)
