Skip to main content

DAF Dialogue 2026
Wednesday, September 23, 2026  |  9 a.m. – 2 p.m. EDT
Mastercard NYC Tech Hub, 150 5th Ave, New York, 10011

The DAF Global Dialogue is the Forum's annual flagship convening, bringing together senior government officials, ministers, ambassadors, CEOs, policymakers and digital leaders from around the world.

Held alongside the United Nations General Assembly, the Dialogue serves as a leading platform for discussing emerging digital policy priorities and identifying opportunities for international cooperation.

Participants engage through:

  • Ministerial roundtables
  • Executive-level fireside conversations
  • High-level policy panels
  • Strategic networking sessions

Together, they help shape the agenda for global digital cooperation in the years ahead.

Security and Trust

Supporting stronger cybersecurity cooperation and cyber resilience through coordinated action among governments, industry and international stakeholders

Resilience & Interoperability

Promoting trusted data flows, interoperable systems and resilient digital infrastructure that enable inclusive growth and cross-border digital cooperation

Responsible AI

Advancing practical and interoperable approaches to AI governance that foster innovation, build public trust and avoid unnecessary regulatory fragmentation

Who Participates
DAF convenes leaders from across the digital policy ecosystem, including:

  • Heads of government and former heads of state
  • Ministers responsible for digital economy, technology and innovation
  • Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives
  • CEOs and C-suite executives
  • International organizations and development institutions
  • Trade associations and industry groups
  • Leading think tanks and academic institutions
  • Cybersecurity, AI and digital policy experts

Advancing Digital Cooperation for a Connected Future
The challenges shaping the digital era cannot be solved by any one government, company or institution alone. DAF exists to bring the right leaders together, build trusted relationships and drive the cooperation needed to create a secure, inclusive and prosperous digital future for all.

View last year's inaguaral event


DAF Dialogue 2026 Speakers and Participants

Ambassador Rich Verma

Chief Administrative Officer
Mastercard

Rich Verma, Chief Administrative Officer, Mastercard

Tucker Foote

Chief Government Affairs and Policy Officer
Mastercard

• Tucker Foote, Chief Government Affairs and Policy Officer

H.E. Paula Ingabire

Minister of ICT and Innovation
Rwanda

H.E. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda

Ravi Agrawal

Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Policy

Ravi Agrawal, Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Policy

H..E. Amandeep Singh Gill

Under-Secretary-General & Special Envoy on Technology
United Nations

Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General & Special Envoy on Technology, United Nations

Jesse McWaters

Head of Global Policy
Mastercard

Jesse McWaters, Head of Global Policy, Mastercard

John Giusti

Chief Regulatory Officer
GSMA

John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA

Sara Rendtorff-Smith

Head of Division for AI and Emerging Digital Technologies
OECD

Sara Rendtorff-Smith, Head of Division for AI and Emerging Digital Technologies, OECD

Sangbu Kim

Vice President for Digital and AI
World Bank

Sangbu Kim, Vice President for Digital and AI, World Bank

Ahmet Halit Hatip

Director-General for EU and Foreign Relations
Ministry of Industry and Technology
Republic of Türkiye

Ahmet Halit Hatip, Director-General for EU and Foreign Relations, Ministry of Industry and Technology, Republic of Türkiye

James Stewart

Partner and Chief Technology Officer
Public Digital

James Stewart, Partner and Chief Technology Officer, Public Digital

Joakim Reiter

Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Group

Joakim Reiter, Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Group

Robert Opp

Chief Digital Officer and Director of the Digital, AI and Innovation Hub
UNDP 

Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer and Director of the Digital, AI and Innovation Hub, UNDP

John Hallmark

US Political and Legislative Leader
EY

John Hallmark, US Political and Legislative Leader, EY

Steve Clemons

Editor at Large
The National Interest

DAF

Amb. Dan Negrea

U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

Amb. Dan Negrea, U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

Rishi Iyengar

Tech Reporter, Foreign Policy

Rishi Iyengar, Tech Reporter, Foreign Policy

Sir Jeremy Fleming

Former Director of GCHQ

Sir Jeremy Fleming, Former Director of GCHQ

Kiersten Todt

Senior Vice President for Cybersecurity Partnerships & Engagement
Mastercard 

Kiersten Todt, Senior Vice President for Cybersecurity Partnerships & Engagement, Mastercard

Ambassador Helen Popp

Amb. at Large for Cyber Diplomacy
Estonia

Ambassador Helen Popp, Amb. at Large for Cyber Diplomacy, Estonia

Alissa Starzak

Chief Legal Officer
Cloudflare 

Alissa Starzak, Chief Legal Officer, Cloudflare

Narun Popattanachai

Deputy CIO, Office of the Council of State
Thailand

Narun Popattanachai, Deputy CIO, Office of the Council of State, Thailand

Simon de Montfort Walker

Executive Vice President of Oracle Industry Applications

Simon de Montfort Walker, Executive Vice President of Oracle Industry Applications

Amb. Philip Thigo

Republic of Kenya's Special Envoy on Technology

Amb. Philip Thigo, Republic of Kenya's Special Envoy on Technology

Pres. Iván Duque

Former President of Colombia

Pres. Iván Duque, former President of Colombia John W.H. Denton, Secretary-General of International Chamber of Commerce

John W.H. Denton AO

Secretary-General, International Chamber of Commerce

John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary-General, International Chamber of Commerce

H.E. Egriselda López

Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations and Chair of the UN's new Global Mechanism on ICT Security

H.E. Egriselda López, Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations and Chair of the UN's new Global Mechanism on ICT Security

Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union

Doreen Bogdan-Martin Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union

Lisa Monaco

President, Global Affairs, Microsoft and former U.S. Deputy Attorney General and Homeland Security Advisor to President Obama

 

Lisa Monaco President, Global Affairs, Microsoft and former U.S. Deputy Attorney General and Homeland Security Advisor to President Obama

Merit Janow

Chair, Board of Directors Mastercard

Merit Janow, Chair, Board of Directors, Mastercard

T.H. Adam Cassady

Ambassador-at-Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, U.S. Department of State

T.H. Adam Cassady, Ambassador-at-Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, U.S. Department of State

H.E. Josephine Teo

Minister of Digital Development and Information, Singapore

H.E. Josephine Teo, Minister of Digital Development and Information, Singapore

H.E. Esther Dweck

Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Brazil

H.E. Esther Dweck, Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Brazil

Rehan Asif Asad

Advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh 

Rehan Asif Asad, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Karan Bhatia

Global Head of Government Affairs and Policy
Google

 

Karan Bhatia, Global Head of Government Affairs and Policy, Google

Bernadette Meehan

CEO
Wikimedia Foundation

 

Bernadette Meehan, CEO, Wikimedia Foundation

Ziad Ojakli

Head of Public Policy
TikTok

Ziad Ojakli, Head of Public Policy, TikTok

Whitney Baird

President, United States Council for International Business

Whitney Baird, President, United States Council for International Business

Graham Brookie

Vice President, Technology Programs and Strategy
Atlantic Council

Graham Brookie, Vice President, Technology Programs and Strategy, Atlantic Council

Laurel Rapp

Director, U.S. and North America Programme
Chatham House

Laurel Rapp, Director, U.S. and North America Programme, Chatham House

Bhaskar Chakravorti

Dean of Global Business, The Fletcher School at Tufts University

Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business, The Fletcher School at Tufts University

Mike Bracken

Founding Partner
Public Digital

Mike Bracken, Founding Partner, Public Digital