John Higgins CBE - Chairman
John is a digital leader with a strong technical background and awareness of current technology issues. He is chair of Sardina Systems, a global cloud software provider and became Chair of the Global Digital Foundation in 2017. He is a Past President of the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. He holds advisory roles with BCW, a global communications company; the EU’s Intelligent Cities Challenge and the University of Warwick’s European university collaboration, Eutopia. He was Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, the association for the digital technology industry in Europe until 2017, following nine years leading its UK member association, TechUK. He was appointed CBE for his services to the IT industry.
Dr Rob Wortham — Director, AI
Rob is a Director of the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour (AISB), the largest and longest established AI academic society in the UK. Until Sept 2022, Rob was Director of Studies and Senior Lecturer in Robotics and Autonomous Systems at the University of Bath, UK. With overall responsibility for the MSc Robotics and Autonomous Systems programme his teaching responsibilities included robotics software, hardware and AI; his work is frequently cited in academic literature. In 2020 the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) published an extended version of his PhD thesis, Transparency for Robots and Autonomous Systems: Fundamentals, Technologies and Applications. Rob was instrumental in the creation of IEEE 7001-2021 — the IEEE Standard for Transparency for Autonomous Systems which cites his work. A chartered engineer, chartered information technology professional, and a Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS) he holds BSc and MEng degrees in Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Following research into ways to improve the transparency of AI and robotic systems, he was awarded a PhD in Intelligent Systems in 2018.
Catriona Gray — Head of Research, AI
Catriona Gray is a Fellow of Global Digital Foundation and a PhD candidate at the University of Bath’s Centre for Doctoral Training in Accountable, Responsible and Transparent Artificial Intelligence (ART-AI). A social scientist by training, she holds degrees in law (University of Manchester), sociology (University of Glasgow), and migration studies (University of Oxford). Her research is broadly concerned with the adoption, use and regulation of AI in the public sector. Her doctoral thesis examines decision-making about the adoption of AI technologies within an international humanitarian organisation.
Patrice Chazerand — Senior Advisor
A director at DIGITALEUROPE in 2010-2023, Patrice Chazerand was Secretary-General of the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE), the trade body of PC and videogames publishers in Europe in 2002-2009, establishing PEGI, the pan-European system of harmonised rating of digital content, and dealing with a wide range of topics, from internet content to protection of minors, privacy, freedom of expression, intellectual property, competition law, and net neutrality. In 1999, Patrice set up the Brussels office of Viacom as Vice President, European Affairs until 2002. In 1989-1995, he was Director, Public Affairs, at AT&T France, and subsequently Managing Director from 1995 to 1999. Patrice spent the first fifteen years of his career with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seven of which posted at the Embassy of France in Washington DC. He holds an MBA from HEC, France’s top business school, and a degree from Sciences Po Paris.
Emanuela Girardi — Senior Advisor
Emanuela Girardi is the founder and president of Pop AI, a non-profit organization dedicated to making artificial intelligence accessible to everyone. She also serves as the President of Adra, the European association for AI, Data, and Robotics, which is the partner of the European Commission in the AI, Data, and Robotics Public-Private Partnership. Additionally, Emanuela is a member of the industrial board of AIxIA and the Advisory Board of CLAIRE. She is part of the expert group on artificial intelligence at the Ministry of Economic Development, which developed Italy's first AI strategy. In 2021, she was recognized as one of the 50 most influential women in tech in Italy.
Ollie Buckley — Senior Advisor
Ollie is a strategic consultant and former UK senior civil servant with a focus on AI, digital and data. He was the founding Executive Director of the world’s first government advisory body on AI governance, the Centre for Data Ethics & Innovation (CDEI). Before the CDEI, Ollie held a number of senior policy roles in the UK government focused on technology, digital and data, including in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Government Digital Service. He began his civil service career in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, serving under Prime Ministers David Cameron and Gordon Brown. After government, Ollie joined Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm, as a Managing Director in the London office advising Fortune 500 companies on technology and regulatory policy issues. He now works as an independent consultant and adviser to businesses, international organisations, and non-profits.
Xin Chen - Senior Advisor
Xin is currently with Huawei, where he is Executive Director AI Governance within the Strategic Research Institution. He leads European standards and policy related activities around AI governance, including standards, compliance, policy and regulation. Xin has previously held various leadership roles within Huawei’s Carrier Business Group and Enterprise Business Group. Xin is a member of ART/1 - Artificial Intelligence committee of BSI, and actively participates various working groups within CEN-CENELEC/JTC 21. He is also a member of the TechUK AI & Big Data leadership committee. Prior to joining Huawei, Xin held roles at Lucent Bell Labs in the UK and Fujitsu Laboratories of Europe (FLE), particularly focussing on telecommunications standards.