“My vision is to establish ITU-D
as the premier platform for ICT4D.”

Alexander NTOKO

Candidate for

Director BDT, ITU

Overview

''Highly accomplished and proactive leader contributing all efforts towards achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by using telecoms/ICTs for global good.''
Candidate with a track record of more than 30 years in the promotion of digitization and trail blazing, advocating for the availability of access for all in relevant and affordable ICTs whilst building solutions for the digital world. Technology enthusiast: with a passion to address challenges aimed at bringing the benefits of ICTs to all by promoting gender equality and the active participation of youth and vulnerable groups. Several years of service in senior management positions and demonstrated capacity to foster international co-operation in the use of telecoms/ICTs for development. Actively involved in striving to accelerate digital transformation for harnessing the power of ICTs to bring benefits to all in various domains.Skilled in multiple aspects, including digital transformation, international cooperation, enabling environment, digital inclusion, diversity and Inclusion, and Security and Confidence in the use of ICTs.
About
Vision
Career Highlights
Career Experience

About

A native of Cameroon, born in Buea, educated in the United States and with a vast international experience, Alexander Ntoko has always been a champion of digitization and pushing the boundaries to provide meaningful and affordable connectivity for all. Alexander graduated with a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Computer Sciences from the State University of New York in 1985 and 1987, respectively. From a young age he was passionate about technology and the power of creating solutions today to solve tomorrow’s problems.With more than 30 years of experience, Alexander has worked in the United States as a Software Engineer focusing his research in the areas of Real Time Operating Systems and Computer Networks. As he always believed that knowledge is power and in supporting youth as a key enabler to society, he decided to return to Cameroon as a Lecturer of Computer Science at the National Advanced School of Engineering, Yaounde. Later he was responsible for the United States Department of State Automation Systems in Cameroon till 1990. As Alexander understood the local challenges, he decided to bring his solutions at the international level, by joining the ITU Computer Department as a programmer analyst in 1990. This was the first step towards building solutions for a digital world for all.
Education
Master of Science (M.Sc.) - Computer and Information Sciences | State University of New York (SUNY), Utica, New York
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Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - ComputerScience| State University of New York (SUNY), Plattsburgh, New York
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Languages
Fluent in English and French
CV link Here

Vision

Establishing ITU-D as the premier platform for ICT4D

My vision is to firmly establish ITU-D as the premier platform within the UN system for ICT4D matters, engaging partners from governments, the private sector, academia and other stakeholders into action-oriented global initiatives with significant impact towards achieving the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Well-developed and designed initiatives already exist but where emphasis is required on actions to transform them into concrete implementable solutions with tangible outcomes and measurable improvements in the use of ICTs to contribute towards meeting the UN SDGs.

Alexander’s vision is based on the three pillars below:
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Pillar 1: Accessibility, inclusion and diversity
ITU commitment to connect the world should go hand in hand with protection, up-skill, empowering and fostering innovation, I look forward to continuing and expanding existing efforts in Child online Protection and addressing the needs of vulnerable communities including persons with disabilities; launching a Youth and Women Empowerment fund with the support of membership to ensure that Youth and Women are up-skilled and empowered and fully engage in technology development and innovation to address the most pressing issues.

Pillar 2: Connecting the unconnected and bridging the wider digital divide
If elected, I intend to bring together my experiences in ICTs (technologies, policies, and strategies), management, forging global partnerships, and my very broad knowledge of ITU’s development mandate to enable active collaboration between developed and developing countries in designing innovative and tailored solutions towards achieving the SDGs. With a continuous focus on connecting the unconnected and bridging the wider digital divide, my strategy is to build on-existing initiatives by embedding new and emerging technologies with the active involvement of all relevant players including youth, persons with disability Women, SMEs/startups, to ensure that no one is left behind.
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Pillar 3 : Empower entrepreneurial youth globally
Together we can push the boundaries of digitization by positioning inclusive implementation, and meaningful impact at the heart of all programs and initiatives. The ITU Smart Incubator is a concrete step I took to empower entrepreneurial youth from the most remote areas to build their startups and solutions based on global standards by ITU-T using frontier technologies to contribute towards meeting the SDGs.
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Career Highlights

•Even before formally moving to BDT, he assisted developing countries in the acquisition and management of their country code top level domains, led the initiative to introduce Internet in his home country and later wrote published (in 1997) a technology policy paper explaining how and why Africa (like other regions) needs to have its own Internet Registry. 
•Possesses remarkable expertise in multiple arenas, including information technology, policies and strategies in ICTs, human resources, telecommunication, ICT’s policies, standards, strategies, and procedures.
•As Chief of e-Strategies, excelled at coordinating the work of BDT on cybersecurity, digital innovation and services, digital inclusion, telecommunications, as well as network and digital infrastructure as part of the e-strategies/e-applications Program.
•Instrumental in performing activities to assist over 150 countries with a wide range of topics, such as e-security, e-health, e-agriculture, e-administration, ICT policies, and strategies. 
•Published author of studies on e-commerce technology strategies in key e-business reviews, and active speaker in international panels while being citied in international e-commerce press pieces and scientific and research publications. 
•In the early years of e-commerce, led the design, development, and implementation of an e-commerce platform which included the automated processing of credit card payments for the purchase and online delivery of digital goods over the Internet. Received award for innovation at the Global Bangemann Challenge in Sweden.
•Acknowledged for delivering remarkable services in ICTs by citations in numerous press areas, including Time Magazine, International Herald Tribune, Middle East Communications, International Security Review,Tribune de Genève, AGEFI, and Suddeutsch Zeitung with articles in several languages, such as Chinese, Japanese, Polish, French, Swiss, Spanish,Bulgarian, and Arabic languages.  
•In the BDT, pioneered efforts in the introduction of advanced security technologies (such as public key infrastructure and encryption and biometrics authentication) in developing  

Career Experince

Career Experience Head,Corporate Strategy Division
(ITU/General Secretariat), Geneva, Switzerland
March 2007 – June 2012

Played a vital role as Secretary of PP10 Working Group of Plenary (WG-PL) to coordinate the secretariat work on the review and adoption of several significant PP Resolutions. Contributed to identifying broad principles relevant to the WCIT-12’s review of the ITRs. Led transformation of ITU Secretary-General’s vision for cybersecurity into tangible global initiative (GCA) through close collaboration with several partners across 150 countries. Maintained integrity, transparency, effective competition by chairing ITU Contracts Committee and directing revision and implementation of the new ITU procurement policy, replacing the 1993 version in 2011.
Achievements
• Appointed head of ITU Secretariat Group for re-designing the ITU Strategic Plan as well as developing methodology for monitoring to ensure effectiveness.
• In ITU Council sessions from 2007 to 2010, played key roles in presenting, and clarifying several of the Secretary-Generals’ reports on key activities. Headed the Secretariat Group for coordinating the work on the ITRs’ content.
Chief, Operations and Planning Department, TSB, ITU, Geneva,Switzerland
June 2012- Present

Manage and collaborate with highly capable international cross-functional teams of high-impact individuals in a variety of areas,including information technology, event planning, logistics, and publications,whilst leading activities to improve the Standardization Sector’s services and operational efficiencies and innovation. Provide great leadership, technical,and logistical coordination for a range of events, including World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) and AI for Good Global Summit,whilst ensuring all hybrid and online-only events are run well. Develop the ITU Smart Incubator programme to integrate innovation with standardization to help entrepreneurs and SMEs bridge the standards gap by directing the development of proof-of-concept apps using cutting-edge technologies like AI, IoT, and Blockchains for a digital world for all.
Achievements
• Received an award for innovation at the 6th Geneva Engage Awards in February 2021 in showcasing innovating applications. 
• Evaluated strategic concerns, opportunities, as well as hazards, and implemented appropriate strategies for Sector’s utilization of applicable technologies to ensure timely delivery of high-quality services. 
• Led coordination and planning to support activities of International Telecommunication Union’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), whilst maintaining seamless overall operations.
• As strategic leader, oversee development and deployment of a range of new apps, based on AI, IoT, and block chain technologies, to introduce innovation and digital transformation to the standardization sector’s working methods and procedures.

Career Experience
Chief, E-Strategies Division (ITU/BDT)

1) Participated actively in the formulation of WSIS outcomes, specifically in stimulating membership understanding of relevance of ICT applications for social and economic development. Spearheaded e-Strategies/programme to provide benefits to over 120 countries including 45 Least Developed Countries. Delivered direct support to numerous countries in the development of national and regional ICT policies and plans based on ICTs for social and economic development.
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3) Encouraged adoption by Membership of a new Programme to expand ITU-D’s mandate to include a wide range of e-applications, the Internet,and cybersecurity.
2) Played very active role in WSIS (Summit) by presenting innovative applications on the use of ICTs in domains like trade, agriculture,health, etc. which attracted senior officials including heads of States to visit the stand at Palexpo.
4) Delivered assistance in implementation of a wide range of ICT projects in nations around the globe (e-government, e-health, e-agriculture, e-education, e-legislation,e-commerce, MCTs, Internet, and Cybersecurity).

Career Experience

•Project Manager and Head of EC-DC Unit (ITU/BDT)
•Systems Analyst/Programmer (ITU/General Secretariat)
•Chaired ITU Contracts Committee (for many years)
•Served as Member of Appointment and Promotion Board
• Member of the Crisis Management Team (CMT) Chaired by ITU Secretary-General
•Member of Appeal Board (for several years)
•Member New Building Management Board – Chaired by Deputy Secretary-General
• Coordinated several ITU-wide Inter-Sectoral Activities
•Managed Secretariat support to a number Council Working Groups
•Adviser to ITU Secretary-General on Strategy and Policy matters
•Represents ITU in ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC)
Brochure Link Here

Contact

Alexander believes in transparency and openness. He has an open door policy and has always involved his team when it comes to making decisions that are best for the ITU.
Still have questions and want to get to know him better? Arrange a short call with him today to learn more about his plans and ask any questions.

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