After a one-year incubation within the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, on September 22, 2022 the Datasphere Initiative was founded as a not-for-profit foundation in Switzerland appointing a Board of Trustees.
The Datasphere Initiative is led by an Executive Director Lorrayne Porciuncula, who is joined by Martin Hullin as the Deputy Executive Director and will be supported by Bertrand de La Chapelle, Chief Vision Officer, Carolina Rossini, Director of Research and Partnerships, and Sophie Tomlinson, Director of Communications.
To support its activities and organizational development, the Datasphere Initiative has announced the appointment of three inaugural members to its Board of Trustees. Anne Carblanc, Stéphane Duguin, and Michael Kende will help guide the new organization in its mission to responsibly unlock the value of data for all.
“We are honored to count on the inaugural Board of Trustees as we chart an ambitious path to encourage a paradigm shift in how data governance models are conceived and implemented. We value the trust and support of our expanding network and look forward to the work ahead.” said Lorrayne Porciuncula, Executive Director, Datasphere Initiative.
As the appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees Michael Kende is a Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank Group and a Senior Advisor at Analysys Mason and has advised the ITU, UNCTAD, Broadband Commission, and other organizations on Internet policy issues. His former positions include Chief Economist at the Internet Society, Visiting Lecturer at the Geneva Graduate Institute, a partner in Analysys Mason and head of US office, Assistant Professor of Economics at INSEAD, and Senior Economist at the Federal Communications Commission.
“We need to find new ways to govern data, and that is why I am so pleased and honored to be on the Board of the Datasphere Initiative as it leads the way in how to responsibly unlock the value of data for all.” said Mr Kende.
Anne Carblanc is the former Head of the Digital Economy Policy Division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Prior to joining the OECD, she was Secretary General of the French data protection authority (Commission Nationale de l’informatique et des libertés – CNIL) and has served ten years in the French judicial system. During her career in national and international government, Anne has drafted many laws, regulations, and soft law instruments on topics ranging from criminal procedure to digital security, privacy, and artificial intelligence.
Stéphane Duguin is the Chief Executive Officer of the CyberPeace Institute and has spent two decades analyzing how technology is weaponized against vulnerable communities. Stéphane Duguin sits on the Board of the Datasphere Initiative and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Global Forum on Cybercrime Expertise (GFCE). Prior to this position, Stéphane Duguin was a Senior Manager at Europol.
“After a period of incubation within the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, it is wonderful to see the Datasphere Initiative’s incorporation in Switzerland. This global network has an important mission and role to play in shaping the future of our digital society.” said Bertrand de La Chapelle, Executive Director, Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network.
The Datasphere Initiative is a global network of stakeholders fostering a holistic and innovative approach to data governance to build agile frameworks to responsibly unlock the value of data for all. Read more about the Datasphere Initiative and its activities here.
