Moderator
Mr. Ilyas Ahmed
Chief Executive
Communications Authority of Maldives
Ilyas Ahmed is the Chief Executive of the Communications Authority of Maldives. In 2001, he joined the Telecommunications Department of the Ministry of Communication, Science & Technology in 2002. Since then, he has been heavily involved in the activities to restructure and develop the country’s telecommunication sector. He was a key member of the team that introduced GSM mobile services to the country in 1999. Mr. Ahmed holds an MSc in Operational Telecommunications from Coventry University UK, and a BEng in Information and Electronics from Curtin University of Australia.
Mr. Ahmed has over 25 years of experience in the field of communications. With his extensive knowledge of ICT, he has worked in many development initiatives of the country, including the formulation of the “National Broadband Policy 2014-2018”. More recently in 2021, he played a pivotal role in the initiative by the government to lower the prices and increase quality of broadband services.
Mr. Ahmed has also attended and actively participated in a number of regional and international events and conferences on ICT. He has delivered keynote addresses and chaired meeting sessions at many international conferences. Mr. Ahmed was the Chairman of the South Asian Telecommunications Regulators’ Council (SATRC) in 2013. He has also held the positions of Vice Chairman of the Management Committee, and the Chairman of Management Committee of the Asia Pacific Tele-community (APT) at different times during the period 2011 to 2018. From 2022 onwards, he serves as the Chair of the Policy and Regulatory Forum of the APT. Currently Ilyas Ahmed is the President of the APT.
Meet the Speakers
Ms. Nicola Bennett
Acting Assistant Director, International Engagement – ITU & APT
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, Australian Government
Ms. Bennett is part of the International Engagement – ITU and APT section of DITRDCA, and leads Australia’s engagement on telecommunications development issues in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT), as well as the delivery of Australian Government ICT development projects in the Asia-Pacific.
Ms. Bennett has worked in international cooperation within the Australian Government since 2018, covering topics related to repatriation, radiocommunications, standardization, and development
Mr. Muhammad Nadzmi Abd Aziz
Director II, Policy Research and Advocacy Department
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
Nadzmi Aziz is a regulatory and stakeholder engagement specialist with a decade of experience in the communications, satellite, and e-commerce industries. As Director II of the Policy Research and Advocacy Department at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (“MCMC”), he focuses on policy research, regulatory development, and online safety advocacy efforts to shape Malaysia’s communications and multimedia landscape.
In this role, Nadzmi works on developing national policies, analysing emerging technological and digital challenges, and fostering collaborations with key government agencies, industry stakeholders, and international organizations. Prior to MCMC, he held various roles at TM Technology Services Sdn. Bhd., Sea Limited, and MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd., contributing to key national and international initiatives.
Nadzmi holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Sogang University, Republic of Korea, and a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Sunderland, UK.
Mr. Peng Zhao
Vice-President, Policy & Regulatory, GSOA
Peng is the Vice President of Policy & Regulatory at GSOA, where he leads advocacy efforts around satellite spectrum management, licensing, and national policy initiatives. With experience in telecoms, mobile, and satellites, he has advised governments and industry players globally.
Previously at Eutelsat OneWeb, Peng shaped licensing frameworks for Low Earth Orbit constellations and satellite regulatory procedures for WRC-23. At GSMA, he led a global campaign optimizing spectrum licensing for mobile operators, engaging policymakers and advocating best practices across developing markets.
Peng holds a Master’s in Telecommunication from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and an Executive MBA from London Business School. He speaks English, Mandarin, and French fluently.
Ms. Natasha Nayak
Senior Policy Manager, APAC for the GSMA
Ms. Natasha Nayak is the Senior Policy Manager, APAC for the GSMA.
Prior to joining the GSMA, she was a senior manager with the consulting firm, Ernst & Young’s Policy group. Natasha is a competition lawyer who has worked globally on technology regulation and innovation policies. She has consulted for the UN Development Program, World Trade Organization, the Economist Intelligence Unit as well as different governments. She was appointed as a fellow at Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA and is the recipient of the Thomas Edison Innovation Fellowship at George Mason University, USA. Her writings on innovation policy and regulation issues have been published widely.
Natasha has a LL.M from George Washington University, USA and has studied Economics for Competition Law at King’s College, UK.
