Jaroslaw K. Ponder is the Head of the Office for Europe at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), representing ITU in Europe and directing actions, projects, initiatives, and expert groups targeting 46 countries of the Europe Region.
His portfolio includes a set of Regional Initiatives for Europe, designed by the European Member States and focusing on the ICT Infrastructure, Digitization, Digital Inclusion, Accessibility, Innovation, and Cybersecurity. It also includes strengthening cooperation with all European institutions relevant to digital, incl. EC, BEREC, EaPeReg, EBRD, EIB, etc.
Throughout his professional career, Mr. Ponder has held official positions in the public sector and has been a contributor to legislative projects having an impact on public policy. Since 2004 he has been working for ITU holding diverse positions in the General Secretariat, Telecommunication Development Bureau, and Regional Presence, addressing the complexity of information society development and digital transformation at the national, regional, and international levels, including the UN level.
For several years he has managed ITU’s work at the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process.