Registration Ongoing For 12th Annual LatAm & Caribbean Forum, Panama City 7-8 May

By Clifford Agugoesi, Editor-in-Chief

The 12th annual LatAm & Caribbean Digital Communications & Media Forum is returning to Panama this year, and it will hosted once again by an International Institute of Communications( IIC) member, Millicom Tigo, Cyber Era NG learns via a heads-up over email from the Director-General at IIC, Ms. Lynn Robinson.

“It continues to be a much anticipated and highly valued annual meeting place for our members and wider community across the LatAm & Caribbean region to share best practice and compare approaches to digital evolution, “ stated Ms. Robinson.  

In addition to welcoming many familiar friends and supporters the IIC is also delighted to confirm the participation of several new faces in the speaker lineup so far, including:

• Adjunct Instructor, New York University, José Felipe Otero Muñoz

He teaches courses on how digital technologies impact society, policymaking, and business.

His work experience includes research on public policy issues of information and communication technologies (ICT) for institutions such as the White House, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, the World Bank, and IDB Invest. In addition, he is often invited to present his perspective before legislative bodies of the Americas, including those of Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, and other government entities.

Mr Otero is part of the Advisory Board that reviewed the methodology for the ICT section of the Global Knowledge Index published by the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation. He participated at the ITU Expert Forum on Telecom / ICT Indicators to help define ways in which the use of radio-electric spectrum can be measured more efficiently by government entities.

His academic background includes degrees in politics from Boston University, law from Cornell University and the University of Edinburgh, technology from Georgetown University, and social innovation from the University of Cambridge.

• Member of the Board, Autoridade Nacional de Comunicacoes (ANACOM), Portugal, Patricia Silva Gonçalves

Ms Gonçalves has previously held the position of Consultant to the Technical Budget Support Unit (2013-2021) at the Assembleia da República (Assembly of the Republic).   She has also held the positions of Unit Coordinator – National Financial Accounts Statistics (2012-2013), Unit Coordinator – Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Statistics (2009-2012) and Economist – Department of Economic Studies in the Portuguese Economy Area and in the Monetary Policy Area (2001-2009) at the Banco de Portugal

Ms Gonçalves has held the following academic positions: Assistant at the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics (CLSBE-UCP) (2009-2013) at Universidade Católica Portuguesa.  She has also held the following position of Visiting Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economics (FE-UNL) (2005-2009) and Assistant at the Faculty of Economics (FE-UNL) (1998-2005) at Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

Ms Gonçalves has a Master’s Degree in Economics from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, with a classification of 17 points (2001), Academic part of PhD in Economics from Universidade Nova de Lisboa (2000) and a Degree in Economics from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, with an average classification of 17 points (1998). Best undergraduate student prizes awarded by Banco de Portugal and Funda-ção Amélia de Mello.

• Executive Director, Alianza por una Internet Abierta, Mercedes Aramendía

Ms. Mercedes has over 15 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, having worked in the private and public sectors, academia, and with civil society. Among her notable experience, she served as president of the Communications Services Regulatory Unit (URSEC) from April 2020 to January 2025, leading key transformations in the telecommunications sector in Uruguay. During her tenure, she implemented number portability, led the 5G spectrum auction, and opened up competition for fixed-line internet services to the home.

From July 2021 to January 2025, she also served as president of the National Council for Innovation, Science, and Technology (CONICYT), where she participated in various studies and analyses related to the evaluation of Uruguay’s National Strategic Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation (PENCTI).

​She previously held senior positions in the telecommunications sector and at the Uruguayan Chamber of Telecommunications, where she contributed to various regulatory initiatives and bills. She is currently Academic Director and Professor of the Postgraduate Program in Digital Transformation and Law at the University of Montevideo and actively works at the intersection of law, technology, and innovation.

​She holds a PhD in Legal Sciences from the University of Granada, an LLM in Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship from Cornell University (Cornell Tech), an MBA from EAE Business School, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Management and Organization from Camilo José Cela University, a Law Degree and a Master’s Degree in Access to the Legal Profession from Antonio de Nebrija University, and is a lawyer and holds a Master’s Degree in Economic Administrative Law from the University of Montevideo.

• Presidential Advisor for the Digital Transformation of Colombia, Saúl Kattan

Mr.  Kattan is a strategist and corporate turnaround specialist, board member and an expert in growth and transformation for a wide range of industries gained over more than 25 years’ experience. He is currently responsible for the digital transformation and cybersecurity of Colombia. He was Chairman of the board of directors of one of the 10 largest companies in Latin America, Ecopetrol, and he led the expansion in the USA of Colombia´s flagship brand, Café Juan Valdez. Mr Kattan also led the transformation of the capital´s telephone company in the deployment of fiber optics, becoming a triple play company (mobile, television ,Internet). He recently orchestrated the acquisition of DirectTV South America, one of the most important media companies in the region.

Robinson adds: “As always we will have simultaneous translation Spanish / English throughout the Forum which will start with a breakfast roundtable for regulators to benchmark and get feedback from their peers on approaches to digital transformation and in particular, the advancement of digital literacy in the LatAm & Caribbean region.

The Forum itself will offer a rich and varied agenda covering telecom, content, internet and tech themes – all with a tight focus on how policy making and regulation are keeping pace with the rapidly evolving digital communications needs of countries small and large across the LatAm & Caribbean region.”