The NRI Team
Rafael Escalona Reynoso
Co-editor and Co-author. Director and CEO, Portulans Institute
Rafael Escalona Reynoso has been Senior Research Associate and Data Scientist for Portulans Institute since 2020. Before joining the Portulans Team he was the Lead Researcher at The Global Innovation Index (GII) from 2013 to 2020.
His previous professional experience was as a member of the Trade and Foreign Investment Advisory Board at the office of the President of Mexico and as Economic, Science and Technology Policy Advisor to the Senate of Mexico (LVIII Legislature). As part of the congressional advisory group he led research on the economic effects of international biosafety regulations on Mexico’s basic research, industry, and trade and directed comparative analyses on international food and drug safety policies and regulations.
His research experience at Cornell University includes comparative studies between Mexico and Spain’s National Systems of Innovation and regulatory aspects of modern biotechnology and the biosafety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and on the reach and scope of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the information technologies era. He holds a PhD in Regional Planning with concentrations on Science and Technology Studies and Risk Analysis, Communication, and Policy and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Science, Technology, and Infrastructure Policy from Cornell University. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Universidad Panamericana in Mexico.
Prof. Bruno Lanvin
Co-editor and Co-author
Bruno Lanvin is a co-founder and Senior Advisor of Portulans Institute. He is also co-editor of the Global Innovation Index (GII) published in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO.
Bruno is a Distinguished Fellow at INSEAD and the President of IMD’s Smart City Observatory. Initially a mathematician and a specialist of international trade, his research and publications have focused on information technology, innovation and talent strategies. He has over forty years of experience in advising governments and large corporations, including twenty years at the United Nations and ten at the World Bank.
Since 2001, Bruno Lanvin has been co-authoring The Global Information Technology Report (NRI), the Global Innovation Index Report (GII), and the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI), the Smart City Index Report, and of the award-winning book ‘Sixteen Shades of Smart’. His latest book ‘The Future is Young’ was published in July 2022.
A frequent speaker at high-level meetings, he has been a member of numerous boards for many years, including those of ICANN, IDA-Infocomm, GovTech, IP-Watch, AAID, Kazakhstan’s Presidential Board on ICT Strategy, and the Bin Rashid Foundation for Government Innovation.
William Dutton
Co-President, Portulans Institute
William H. Dutton is Co-President of the Portulans Institute. Bill was the first professor of Internet studies at the University of Oxford and founding director of the Oxford Internet Institute. He also supports Oxford’s Global Centre for Cyber Security Capacity (GCSCC) as a Fellow. He remains an Emeritus Professor at the University of Southern California and is a Visiting Professor at Leeds University. His most recent book is The Fifth Estate: The Power Shift of the Digital Age (OUP 2023). At Portulans Institute, he leads our research on policies and practices on freedom of information.
Gianna Sagazio
Co-President, Portulans Institute
Gianna Sagazio is Co-President of Portulans Institute and CEO of Sosa (Brazil). She is the former Director of Innovation of the National Confederation of Industry Brazil (CNI), responsible for the executive coordination of the Entrepreneurial Mobilization for Innovation (MEI). She is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT); member of Advisory Board of the Foundation of Innovation and Research (FINEP); member of the Board of Directors of the Management and Strategic Studies Center (CGEE); member of the Management Committee of the Innovation Office of the Ministry of Economy (ME) and member of the National Coordinating Commission of the Dialogues for Brazil Project of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC).
Before, she worked in the National Development Bank (BNDES), the United Nations and Fundação Dom Cabral. She holds a Masters in Economic Development from the Catholic University of Brasilia, certified by the Wharton School of Pennsylvania in Strategy and Innovation.
Karolina Mackiewicz
Lead Project Manager
Karolina Mackiewicz is a policy professional specializing in sustainability, trade, and technology governance. She has experience in government and international partnerships, where she has managed policy research, cross-agency coordination, and stakeholder engagement on digital transformation, consumer rights, and global trade.
At the U.S. Department of Commerce, Karolina served as an International Trade Specialist in the Office of Africa, where she supported digital and trade policy initiatives, developed research and analysis on emerging technologies, and coordinated with U.S. agencies and international partners to advance inclusive economic growth.
At PI, Karolina is in charge of monitoring relevant national and international policy developments and producing research relating to digital policy, innovation readiness, and digital transformation. She is also responsible for coordinating long-term research projects, communications, and administrative work across key focus areas for PI. She is the lead project manager for the Network Readiness Index (NRI).
She holds a Master of Arts in Political Economy and International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where she was awarded a Boren Fellowship for Arabic study in Morocco. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and French from Brooklyn College, City University of New York.
Sylvie Antal
Digital Strategy Manager
Sylvie is a Policy Research and Communications Associate with prior experience in digital privacy issues relating to minors and vulnerable populations, as well as in consumer education and technology for international development. She is an advocate for ethical, inclusive, and innovative solutions and policies that make digital experiences safer and more effective for all populations.
At PI, she is responsible for monitoring relevant policy developments, assisting with research, developing communication strategy and content, and coordinating the Fellowship program.
Sylvie holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Science from the University of Michigan’s School of Information, where she was a member of Tech for Social Good, and a masters degree in Human-Computer Interaction. Prior to joining Portulans, she interned at the US Federal Communications Commission, and the Family Online Safety Institute in Washington DC.
Shailja Bang
Head of Research
Shailja Bang Shah is a Thematic Research Analyst and has experience in leading and managing Composite Index projects. At Portulans Institute, she is responsible for project management, research, policy analysis, and communications support for an upcoming composite index in association with VinUniversity. She is also the Co-Author and Lead Researcher for the Emerging Markets Economic Growth and ESG (EMI D-ESG) Country Ranking, a composite index published and created by the Emerging Markets Institute (EMI) at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.
Previously, she has worked with J.P. Morgan in geopolitical and macroeconomic research, where she covered market-moving events like the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the consequences of unconventional monetary policy, outlook for the 2020 US elections, and the evolving U.S.-China trade tensions.
She is a qualified Chartered Accountant (India) with a Bachelors in Commerce from the Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics (University of Mumbai). She is a partner at Imperium Partners, a research firm which specializes in Thematic Research.
Daniel Weinstein
Fellow
Daniel Weinstein is a DC Fellow at the Portulans Institute, as well as a Research Fellow at the CCIA. He supports research on AI, innovation, and global competitiveness, and notably assists with the Portulans Institute’s Network Readiness Index (NRI).
A recent master’s graduate of international affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and lifelong language learner, Daniel carries out research on efforts to promote multilingualism among AI LLMs. Throughout his academic and professional career in international relations, Daniel has sought to understand potential links between country language policy and instruction and economic growth.
Having worked in quantitative-focused public health roles before pursuing a master’s degree at SAIS, Daniel also supports the Portulans Institute with data-focused tasks.
Kunjika Pathak
Fellow
Kunjika Pathak (she/her) is a strategic communicator and researcher working at the intersection of technology, policy and storytelling. She recently earned her Master’s in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University, where she explored questions of privacy, digital governance and AI ethics through an interdisciplinary lens. Bringing together her background in cultural studies and digital policy, Kunjika focuses on translating complex technological issues into clear, human-centered insights that inform accountability and design. Her research interests include AI ethics, platform governance and the cultural dimensions of technology regulation. Originally from India, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Literary and Cultural Studies and International Studies from FLAME University. Across her work, Kunjika is guided by a commitment to using communication as a tool for transparency, resilience and social change.
Elizabeth Redmond
GTCI Fellow
Elizabeth Redmond is a Project Manager and Research Assistant at Portulans Institute. She holds a Masters of Science in Regional Science and a Bachelors of Science in Urban and Regional Studies from Cornell University. Her work focuses on hybrid warfare, critical infrastructure security, foresight, and national security policy.
During her academic career, Elizabeth conducted research on semiconductor supply chain security, Arctic security dynamics, and military drone policy as a Fellow with the Tech Policy Institute. She contributed to policy reports for the U.S. government and NATO.
At Portulans Institute she manages day-to-day coordination between Portulans and INSEAD for the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI). She also supports research on societal resilience by conducting literature reviews and helping to develop models for the GTCI 2025 report.
Technical Advisory Board
Michaela Saisana
Technical Advisor
Michaela Saisana is Head of the Unit “Science for Modelling, Monitoring and Evaluation” at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Italy. She oversees the activities of 60 scientists working on country benchmarking and performance monitoring through composite indicators and scoreboards, survey methods and questionnaire design, quality assurance of models, multi-criteria decision analysis for EU impact assessments, and on EU policy evaluation through counterfactual methods. In her 25 years of work at the JRC, she has contributed to EU policy formulation and legislation in a wide range of areas from social rights and fairness to innovation and competitiveness, from enterprises and firms to state aid, from employment to culture and creativity, from cohesion to sustainable development. She has been working at the JRC since 1998, where she obtained a prize as ‘best young JRC scientist of the year’ in 2004, and together with her team she won the ‘JRC policy impact award’ for the Social Scoreboard of the European Pillar of Social Rights in 2018. Both prizes were awarded by EU Commissioners. She collaborates, by auditing performance indices, with over 150 international organisations and world-class universities, including the United Nations, the OECD, Transparency International, Oxfam, the World Economic Forum, INSEAD, the World Intellectual Property Organization, Yale University, Columbia University, and Harvard University.
Michaela has given hundreds of lectures around the world, including a TEDx-talk. She is a highly cited scientist with over 23,000 citations in Scholar Google, and co-author/co-editor of three books: 2021 Data science for economics and finance: Methodologies and applications (Springer Nature), 2008 OECD/JRC Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators, 2008 Global Sensitivity Analysis-The Primer (Wiley).
John Garrity
Technical Advisor
John Garrity is Chief of Party for USAID/Philippines’ Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) activity, a USD 33m USAID program to improve digital connectivity infrastructure, the ICT enabling environment, and cybersecurity capacity in the Philippines. His background is as an economist, policy advisor and project manager with twenty years of experience working on economic development issues in the public sector at the state, federal and international levels, and in the private sector. His focus is on digital inclusion programs, universal access policy and last-mile connectivity deployments to foster effective universal Internet adoption for inclusive growth and poverty alleviation.
Previously, he was an independent consultant to public sector and private sector organizations on digital infrastructure development, including the Asian Development Bank, UNDP Philippines, the UN Broadband Commission, the UN ITU, UNICEF, UNESCAP, among others. He was Senior Connectivity Advisor in the US Global Development Lab at USAID and before that spent ten years at Cisco, in emerging market strategy and global technology policy/government affairs based in Washington, D.C. He began his career at the World Bank and also worked at the US Federal Trade Commission. He serves as a technical advisor to the Network Readiness Index, on the advisory council of the Connect Humanity Fund, has co-authored several reports on technology and development and presented around the world on efforts to close the digital divide.
Chris Ferguson
Technical Advisor
Chris Ferguson is one of the original senior management team that built the UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS) from 2011 onwards. Chris was brought in to establish the Identity Assurance Programme and was involved in the development of GDS’s first wave of products and services, from GOV.UK to the Digital Service Standards and IT Spend Controls. In January 2015, Chris became the Director responsible for the formation and leadership of the GDS Digital Group comprising GOV.UK, GOV.UK Verify, the Government-as-a-Platform Programme and the Service Design Team.
In his time at GDS, Chris was the Chair of the cross-government Digital Leaders network and Head of the Digital Profession across HM Government. In March 2021, Chris was appointed to be the Chair of cross-government COVID-19 Digital Taskforce as the pandemic took hold, tasked with delivering targeted support to departments, coordinating cross-government efforts and liaising with industry.
Chris has previously worked for and alongside several other Government departments, including the Home Office, where his roles focused mainly on counter-terrorism and national security in the UK and overseas. In October 2021, Chris became the Managing Director of Scott Logic where he led the growth and development of the professional services business, particularly in the public sector, before moving into private consulting in 2024.
Chris is married to Gagan Sansoha, a Canadian biomedical scientist and they enjoy spending their free time walking their golden retriever Lockie on the beautiful hills and coastline of Edinburgh in Scotland where they live.
Irene Mia
Technical Advisor
Dr Mia is an experienced professional (economist by training) with a successful 20 year track-record in economic and policy research and on engaging with policy-makers and senior corporate leaders. Dr Mia has expertise in managing large teams with proven strategic, financial, planning and team building skills. Dr Mia holds a PHD in International Economic and Trade Law from L. Bocconi University and MA in Latin American studies from the Institute for Latin American Studies, London University. Before her recent appointment as Senior Fellow for Latin America at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Dr Mia was the Global Editorial Director for Thought Leadership at Economist Group, Economist Intelligence Unit.
Elena Kvochko
Technical Advisor
Elena Kvochko is Chief Trust Officer working in the field of cybersecurity and started with SAP in 2020. She is a former COO of cybersecurity technologies at Bank of America, CISSP, CEH. She also served as a technology, cybersecurity, and business operations executive. Kvochko is a Certified Information Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). She was named one of the Top 100 CIOs and is a member of the Wall Street Journal CIO Council. Kvochko was named one of Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women International, one of the “Leading CIOs Who Happen to Be Female” by CIO Magazine, and Business Role Model of the Year by Women in IT. She is also a published author and an inventor with patents pending in security, privacy, and digital payments technology.
Advisory Board
Dr. Tawfik Jelassi
Advisor
Dr. Tawfik Jelassi was appointed UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information on 1st July 2021. In this position, he is responsible for the Organization’s programmes on building inclusive knowledge societies, leading digital transformation, strategizing the role of ICT in education, and fostering freedom of expression.
Dr. Jelassi holds a Ph.D. doctorate in information systems from New York University (USA) and postgraduate diplomas from the University of Paris Dauphine (France). Dr. Jelassi has extensive experience in higher education, scientific research, and information & communication technologies. He held academic, corporate and government leadership positions in Europe, the USA, and Tunisia.
Among others, he was Programme Director and Professor of Strategy and Technology Management at IMD Business School in Lausanne (Switzerland, 2015 – June 2021). Prior to that, he served as Minister of Higher education, Scientific Research and Information & Communication Technologies in the democratic transition government of Tunisia (2014 – 2015). Prior appointments included being Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ooredoo Telecom in Tunisia, Dean at Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (Paris), and Professor & Chairman of the Technology Management Department at INSEAD (Fontainebleau).
Diego Molano
Advisor
Diego Molano is an international consultant on digital transformation of companies and governments. He was the minister of information and communication technologies (ICT) of Colombia from 2010 to 2015. He transformed his country with his policy plan “Vive Digital,” which aims to reduce poverty and create jobs using technology. Mr. Molano has a long career in the technology industry and has had responsibilities in more than 20 countries. He has been a board member of international organizations and corporations in the telecommunications, TV, radio, and postal services sectors. He is currently senior advisor to the Inter-American Development Bank, senior advisor to McKinsey & Co. in Washington DC. Mr. Molano is an electronics engineer and economist from Xavier University in Colombia and holds an MBA from IMD in Switzerland.
Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber
Advisor
Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber is the chairperson of Trio Investment, a technology investment company that invests in innovative technology that addresses some of the most pressing health problems in the MENA region. As an expert in technology, media, and telecom practice, her focus is the impact of a digital economy in productivity and competitiveness. Dr. Hessa was the former and the first-ever Minister of Information and Communication Technology in Qatar. Prior to becoming a minister, Dr. Hessa held the position of Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology since its inception in 2005. Dr. Al Jaber was a member of United Nations ITU Broadband Commission for Sustainable development and a member at the Network of Global Agenda Councils of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Dr. Al Jaber is currently the Chairperson of Qatar Satellite Company, and Malomatia, in addition to being a member of several boards including Volkswagen (AG) Supervisory Board in Germany, Qatar University’s Board of Regents, Qatar Museums Authority’s Board. Dr. Hessa holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Kuwait University, and a Master’s Degree and Ph.D in Computer Science from George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Hildegunn Kyvik Nordås
Advisor
Hildegunn Kyvik Nordås is a Senior Associate with the Council on Economic Policies. She also holds a position as visiting professor at Örebro University in Sweden and research professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) in Norway. Prior to that she was leading the OECD’s work on services trade policy analysis, developing the Services Trade Restrictiveness Indices and database and related analytical activities (2005-2019). She also spent two years at the research department at the WTO (2002-2004).
Before joining international organizations, Hildegunn conducted research, teaching, policy analysis, and policy advice at Norwegian and South African universities and research institutes. She spent one year as a visiting scholar at Stanford University, USA. She also led a long-term project providing technical assistance on macroeconomic modelling and policy analysis to the Tanzanian government.
Hildegunn holds a PhD in economics from the University of Bergen, Norway. Her research interest lies at the interface between digital technology, services trade, and jobs in the services sectors; areas where she has published extensively.
Karim Michel Sabbagh
Advisor
Karim Michel Sabbagh led global technology-centric businesses as CEO, investor and advisor covering space-based multi-orbit communication networks, terrestrial communication networks, ultra-secure communications, cyber security, digital transformation, AI and applied analytics. He is presently the Managing Director of E-Space & Lead for Europe and the Middle East.
Prior, he was the CEO of the DarkMatter Group where he led the restructuring of the company and oversaw its holistic transformation from a fluid start-up to a leading and highly influential firm with a focus on digital transformation and applied analytics, cyber security and ultra-secure communications.
This successful trajectory lead to multiple private equity buyouts in 2019.
Karim was also the President and CEO of SES (Société Européenne des Satellites), the world-leading satellite operator. He led the strategy-based transformation of SES, overseeing the evolution of the company’s strategy and execution and its elevation to become the leading provider of satellite-enabled communications solutions in the video, fixed data, mobility, and government markets. Over the course of the transformation, SES rose to the no.1 position globally.
He also served as a Senior Partner and global practice leader for communications, media & technology at Booz&Co (previously Booz Allen Hamilton). At Board and CEO levels, he has shaped and served the strategic agenda of global players in the communications, media and satellite sectors. He led end-to-end multinational teams in long-term, large-scale privatizations, international expansion, mergers and acquisitions, growth acceleration and strategy-based transformation programs.
He is a visiting professor in Technology and Innovation Management and member of the Academic Council for Écoles des Ponts Business School in France. He holds an MS in Technology Management from Columbia University (New York), a DBA in International Business Management from the International School of Management (Paris), and an MBA and BBA from the American University of Beirut.
Mona Abou Hana
Advisor
Mona is PwC Middle East Chief People Officer and a member of the leadership team, responsible for formulating and delivering the firm’s people strategy. She is also a partner in PWC’s consulting practice working with governments and the public sector. She specialises in strategy and policy formulation and focuses on national planning, innovation & entrepreneurship ecosystems as well as upskilling strategies to ready the workforce for the digital world. Mona also leads PwC Middle East Digital Upskilling Program. Mona holds a BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut and MBA from INSEAD. She is fluent in English, Arabic and French. Some of her publications include:
Jacques Bughin
Advisor
Jacques is currently teaching business strategy and an investor and board member in a variety of ventures. Dr. Jacques Bughin was a director in McKinsey’s Brussels office and supported clients in their Media & Entertainment, Corporate Finance, and Strategy Practices, in addition to co-leading the Digital Economy Initiative. He also acted as director of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), the firm’s business and economics research arm. He worked for McKinsey for 28 years. Prior to joining McKinsey, Jacques was a consultant with Arthur Andersen Consulting and received a PhD in economics, operations research, and strategy from Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium.
Jacques has led numerous research efforts on global economic trends such as globalization, productivity, and inclusive growth, as well as on the impact, opportunities, and challenges of technology including big data, the future of work and skills, and AI. He has authored 50+ articles published in titles including Harvard Business Review, and Sloan Management Review, as well as in academic journals and is quoted regularly in leading international media.
Lynn St. Amour
Advisor
Lynn St. Amour is President and CEO of Internet Matters, an Internet consulting company, and is active in matters of Internet development and governance. She served as the UN Internet Governance Forum – Multistakeholder Advisory Group (IGF-MAG) Chair (2016 – 2019). From 2001 to 2014, she was President and CEO of the Internet Society (ISOC), a global non-profit organization dedicated to the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet. She joined the Internet Society in 1998 as Executive Director of its Europe, Middle East, and Africa operations, after previously holding senior positions in Europe and the United States with AT&T and Digital Equipment Corporation. She is Co-Chair, World Economic Forum, Digital Economy and Society Systems Initiative.
She is a graduate of the University of Vermont and has extensive experience in the global IT sector, international business, and corporate restructuring, with a background in strategic planning, international sales and marketing, and finance. Ms. St. Amour has served on a number of international boards.
Osman Sultan
Advisor
Osman Sultan brings 35 years of leadership, rich with achievements in the telecom sector. His vast knowledge and expertise in the field as early as the pre-Internet period placed him as one of the pioneers in Europe, the US, Japan, and the entire MENA region. His distinguished achievements ranked him as one of the most powerful executives in the worldwide telecom industry twice on the “GTBPower100 List” in both 2010 and 2011.
Sultan has developed several strategies that helped produce the profound transformations that the telecom and information sectors have been creating in our lives. Sultan has been a board member for various institutions in the telecom industry, technology space, and academic world. incl. the advisory board of the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Communications (MBRSC), the Global Blockchain Advisory Council of the WEF, the Board of Endeavor UAE, and many others. His latest book ‘The Future is Young’ was published in July 2022.
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