Nele Leosk

With over 25 years of leadership at the intersection of technology, governance, and diplomacy, Nele has shaped digital transformation and collaboration globally. Currently, she leads Knowledge Hub Digital for the European Commission, supporting EU’s global digital partnerships and cooperation.

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As Ambassador for Digital Affairs for Estonia (2020–2024), she established and directed the country’s digital diplomacy. In this role, she co-led the GovStack Initiative, co-founded Women in GovTech Challenge, and managed a broad portfolio of high-level global multi-stakeholder relations, and resource mobilisation.

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Her career spans digital and state reforms in over 100 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, where she advised politicians and government leaders on digital transformation, digital governance and economy.

She has experienced the life of international organisations (United Nations, OECD) as well as private sector. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council and Member of the Board of the Global Tech Diplomacy Forum. She is a former Chair of the Digital Cooperation and Diplomacy Network and the Global Standards Symposium of the ITU.

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Academically, she holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute and was a Fulbright-Schuman Scholar. She continues to lecture on technology and foreign policy. She is an active promoter of female leadership in the digital sector.

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