Meet the Speakers for the Conference
Mr. Jigme Tenzing is the Acting Secretary of GovTech Bhutan. He has been working in IT since 2002 and has focussed on the adoption of IT in government, helping to define and shape the path of IT development in the country. He has worked as a system analyst transforming government systems and also managed technical teams in e-Government Innovation & transformation. He is a firm believer in collective innovation and teamwork. His skills and experience enables him to guide and motivate the ICT fraternity to digitally transform public services in Bhutan, while also strengthening the domestic ICT, Telecom &Space Industry. He served in the board of Bhutan’s state-owned telecom company, Bhutan Telecom since 2016 till March 2022. He is currently serving on the board of Thimphu TechPark Ltd. He graduated from the University of Oregon in the USA, with a MSc. in Information and Computer Science and BSc. In Information Technology from Thammasat University in Thailand.
Mr. Swapneel Patnekar is the CEO of Shreshta, a threat intelligence company. He has 15 years of experience in information security. Swapneel is a Liaison Member of FIRST [1] and the co-chair of the DNS Abuse SIG at FIRST.He is an APNIC Community Trainer and has delivered workshops in Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He has also delivered technical workshops to Law Enforcement on countering cybercrime. He is a prolific speaker and has recently presented at numerous international security and privacy conferences.
Mr. Warren Finch currently works for APNIC as a Senior Network Analyst / Technical Trainer. Previous to joining APNIC he worked for a managed service provider (MSP) and Cisco reseller as a Senior consultant, deploying and maintaining client networks and systems.
Mr. Yeshi Dorji works as the Chief ICT Officer for the Cybersecurity Division under the Government Technology Agency of Bhutan. He has a masters in IT from Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia.
Dechen Chhoeden is a Deputy Chief ICT Officer with the Government Technology Agency of Bhutan. Currently she is working in the Cybersecurity Division under the Government Technology Agency, helping the division carry out various cybersecurity plans and programs. She has a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity from La Trobe University. She is eager to apply the concepts learned during her Master’s to improve the cybersecurity ecosystem in Bhutan.
Pratima Pradhan is a Deputy Chief ICT officer with BtCIRT, Cybersecurity Division under the Government Technology Agency, Bhutan. She received her bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering from the PSNA College of Engineering and Technology, Anna University. She is Australia Awards Scholarship recipient of 2018-2019 cohort, where she pursued Masters of Cybersecurity from Edith Cowan University.
Bal Kumar Subba holds a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security from Edith Cowan University. He has a proven track record of implementing robust security policies and procedures. With a strong background in risk assessment, incident management, and network security, he is well-versed in a range of security tools and technologies. Notably, he has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Australia Awards Scholarship.
Dr. Tshering Cigay Dorji is the ICT Domain Lead and a member of the Steering Committee for the De-suung Skilling Programme. He led Thimphu TechPark, Bhutan’s first Technology Park from January 2012 to January 2022. He worked at Bhutan Telecom prior to that. A curious observer with interests in both engineering and social sciences, he received his bachelors of engineering from Australia and later did his Masters and PhD from Japan.
Mr. Anand Acharya is a project manager in the National Digital Identity (NDI) project in Bhutan under Druk Holding and Investments (DHI). As a Project manager, he leads the team in developing decentralized Identity wallet and services along with stakeholder engagements. He has more than 15 years of experience in the IT industry with expertise ranging from software development and Networking to Project Management. Before joining DHI, he worked in Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC) as Senior IT Officer. He has a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security from Monash University, Australia.
Mr. Suprit Pradhan has been the Project Manager of the NDI Project of Bhutan under Druk Holdings and Investments (DHI) since 2020. He is responsible for leading the project through the development and implementation of a cutting-edge digital identity system based on the Self-Sovereign Identity philosophy. His expertise in project management and digital identity systems is committed to delivering a secure, convenient, and reliable digital identity platform that will benefit the people of Bhutan and transform how citizens interact with online services.
Mr. Sonam Tobgay works for the InfoComm and Infrastructure Division, Bhutan Information Communication and Media Authority (BICMA). Previously he worked in the Spectrum Management Division, BICMA. He has a Bachelors of Engineering in Electronics and Communication from the College of Science and Technology, Royal university of Bhutan. He was a member of the working group for drafting National cybersecurity strategy, Draft CII framework.
Mr. Kinley Tshering is currently the Chief Project Officer at Thimphu TechPark Ltd (TTPL) handling the electronic patient information system (ePIS) project. Prior to joining TTPL, he worked at Druk Holding & Investments Ltd (DHI) and Bhutan Telecom Ltd (BTL), where he led development of in-house Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects for SMCL, CDCL and NRDCL. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Application Development from Rochester Institute of Technology, NY and is a Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), Professional Scrum Master (PSM) and RedHat Certified Specialist in Containers.
Mr. Chimi Rinzin works as an Information Security Officer for the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA). He has been working with the RMA for the past 5 years.
Mr. Tshewang Nidup works as an Assistant ICT Officer for the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Bhutan.