WITSA Elects New Leadership for the 2020-22 Term: Selects Mr. Yannis Sirros as its First Chairman from Europe
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2020
Contact: Anders Halvorsen ahalvorsen@witsa.org +1 571 265-5964
Fairfax, Virginia: At its November 17, 2020 General Assembly meeting, the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) elected a diverse slate of leaders for the 2020-22 term, including 22 Directors from four continents.
WITSA elected Federation of Hellenic Information Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE) Executive Director Mr. Yannis Sirros as Chairman for the 2020-2022 term. Mr. Sirros is well-known throughout the WITSA community, having served in various capacities in support of WITSA for 20 years, including most recently as WITSA’s Deputy Chairman. Mr. Sirros also successfully hosted WITSA’s flagship event, the World Congress on IT, in Athens, Greece in 2004. Mr. Sirros is a member of the Task Force of the European IT Observatory (EITO) and an Executive Board member of DIGITALEUROPE, the European digital industry technology organization.
During the General Assembly meeting, Mr. Yannis Sirros presented his vision for the global industry alliance to become the leading industry voice and a global digital ambassador for a new digital future. Mr. Sirros laid out a four-pillar strategy to achieve these goals, including: (1) building the WITSA brand, (2) enhancing WITSA’s public policy leadership, (3) increasing value for WITSA’s members, and (4) ensuring long-term financial stability by developing new revenue streams. Going forward, Mr. Sirros will work to strengthen WITSA’s ties with globally recognized institutions, develop a strong common industry digital agenda, and enhance WITSA’s public policy role by driving awareness and promoting greater international economic cooperation. Mr. Sirros’ top public policy priorities include improving the quality of digital skills and leadership in the workforce, driving innovation throughout the industry, such as in AI, robotics, privacy, security, and smart cities, and promoting and enhancing women’s role in the digital technology industry and digital economy.
“We all must work closely together to increase WITSA’s reach and capabilities”, stated Mr. Sirros. “Everyone’s ideas and proposals are crucial and vital if we are to succeed and strengthen our role. I am committed to dedicating my time, experience, efforts, business and personal relations to realize WITSA’s true potential, bringing added value to each and everyone’s local organization and market”, continued Mr. Sirros. “Our industry’s dream is not something we will never achieve. Our Dream is what we have not achieved yet! Let us “build a new digital world” all together.”
Mr. Sirros noted that, during these unpreceded times that we are all experiencing, the pandemic of COVID-19 has affected global and local economies, and societies all over the world. It has challenged and changed drastically the way we work, move, socialize, think, and live. “There is no doubt that the current crisis of the pandemic has brought in the global forefront the necessity of digitization in every sector of the economy, in every aspect of our life, stated Mr. Sirros. “I believe we can do so much more. For our future, for our homelands, for the technology’s role in the global economy, for each and every one of us. This can only be achieved if we join our forces and synthesize our views and strategies.”
“On behalf of the entire global WITSA community, I am delighted to welcome Yannis Sirros as our new Chairman”, expressed WITSA’s Secretary General Dr. Jim Poisant. “With so many challenges facing our industry in these troubled times, I am confident that with Mr. Sirros’ trusted leadership and support, as well as friendship, we will continue to build on WITSA’s many accomplishments to ensure that WITSA will continue to grow and reach new levels of success”, continued Dr. Poisant.
A complete list of the newly elected WITSA leadership is provided below:
WITSA Chairman
Mr. Yannis Sirros, Director General of the Federation of Hellenic Information Technology & Communications Enterprises (SEPE) Email: ysirros@sepe.gr
Board of Directors (2020-2022)
| # | Name & Title | Association & Country |
| 1 | Mr. Yannis Sirros | Federation of Hellenic Information Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE)
Greece |
| 2 | Mr. Sean Seah | The National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM)
Malaysia |
| 3 | Mr. Francis Fong | Hong Kong Information Technology Federation (HKITF)
Hong Kong |
| 4 | Mr. Brian Shen | Information Service Industry Association of Taiwan (CISA)
Taiwan |
| 5 | Mr. John Kyle | Business Technology Division of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce
Bermuda |
| 6 | Dr. Boris Komrakov | Belarus Association of Software Development Companies (InfoPark)
Belarus |
| 7 | Mr. Robert Franz Janssen | Association of ICT Companies in Brazil (ASSESPRO)
Brazil |
| 8. | Dr. Vasile Baltac | Association for Information Technology and Communications of Romania (ATIC)
Romania |
| 9. | Mr. Antonio Cimorra | The Association of Electronics, IT, Communications and Digital Contents (AMETIC)
Spain |
| 10. | Mr. Zoran Lazarevski | ICT Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of North Macedonia(MASIT) |
| 11 | Mr. Toshio Iwamoto | Japan Information Technology Services Industry Association (JISA)
Japan |
| 12 | Mr. Julian David | techUK
United Kingdom |
| 13 | Mr. Hemant Kumar Chaursaia | CAN Federation
Nepal |
| 14 | Ms. Choi Min Hee | Federation of Korean Information Industries (FKII)
Republic of Korea |
| 15 | Mr. Md. Shahid-Ul-Munir | Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS)
Bangladesh |
| 16 | Mr. Alexandr Yesayan | Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises of Armenia (UATE)
Armenia |
| 17 | Mr. Alberto Patron | Cámara de Empresas de Software y Servicios Informáticos de la República Argentina (CESSI)
Argentina |
| 18 | Mr. Matthias Ifesieh | Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN)
Nigeria |
| 19 | Eng. Tarek Abd-elmonem Taha | Egyptian Information Telecommunications, Electronics and Software Alliance (EITESAL)
Egypt |
| 20 | Mr. Santiago Gutierrez | CANIETI
Mexico |
| 21 | Ms. Angela Mondou | TECHNATION
Canada |
| 22 | Mr. Alexander Mora-Delgado | Costa Rican Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (CAMTIC) |
About WITSA
The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is the leading recognized international voice of the global ICT industry, whose members from over 80 countries and economies represent more than 90 percent of the world ICT market. WITSA is dedicated to advocating policies that advance industry growth and development; facilitating international trade and investment in ICT products and services; strengthening WITSA’s national industry associations; and providing members with a broad network of professional contacts.
WITSA hosts the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), the premier global industry sponsored ICT conference.
WITSA members are leaders in a globally interconnected marketplace. Because the challenges facing the ICT industry are undisputedly global in nature, WITSA members work together to achieve a shared vision on important issues of common interest. WITSA makes it possible for its members — ranging from Mongolia and Argentina to Kenya and the United States — to identify common issues and priorities, exchange valuable information, and present a united position on industry issues.
For more information on WITSA, please visit www.witsa.org