The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has appointed Diego Molano Vega to serve as the Chair and Ambassador for its Business Action to Support the Information Society (BASIS) initiative.

Formerly Minister of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) of Colombia from 2010 to 2015, Mr Molano Vega implemented his policy plan “Vive Digital” seeking to reduce poverty and create jobs through the use of technology.

Mr Molano Vega has had a long career in the technology industry, including high level executive positions in multinational companies including BellSouth (now AT&T) in the US and Telefonica in Spain. He has had responsibilities in more than 26 countries and has been a board member of international organizations and corporations in the telecommunications, TV, radio and postal services sectors. Mr Molano Vega is currently Senior Advisor to the Inter-American Development Bank, Senior Advisor to McKinsey &Co. in Washington DC, and member of the Advisory Committee of the New Economy to the OECD in Paris.

“We are delighted to have Diego chair this critically important advocacy initiative,” said ICC Secretary General John Danilovich. “With digital transformation underway at different rates across the globe, private and public sector cooperation to ensure well-conceived adapted policies are needed. His experience and understanding will help members convey ICC policy recommendations through effective advocacy and private sector action.”

In his role as BASIS Chair Mr Molano Vega will work with the existing team of Officers and the ICC BASIS Secretariat to focus on the most impactful opportunities to contribute the expertise of business on Internet governance and advance ICC goals regarding ICT for development. The ICC BASIS team of Officers includes:

  • Flavia Alves, Head of International Institutions, Facebook
  • Ellen Blackler, Vice President, Global Public Policy, The Walt Disney Company
  • Gonzalo Lopez-Barajas Huder, Manager, Public Policy and Internet, Telefonica
  • Carolyn Nguyen, Director of Technology Policy, Microsoft
  • Thomas Whitehead, Director, Government Affairs, BT Group

ICC BASIS serves as the convener and voice of business expertise in international Internet governance dialogues. ICC BASIS also works with stakeholders and policymakers to advance understanding on how to leverage ICT for sustainable development. While a special project of ICC, BASIS advocates global policy positions developed by the ICC Commission on Digital Economy.

The ICC Commission on the Digital Economy develops policy positions on topics spanning the Internet and telecoms, privacy and data protection, cybersecurity and digital trade. It undertakes this work on behalf of users, providers and operators of information technology.