​​Ms. Lisa J. Setlakwe, Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety & Security, Transport Canada

Lisa Setlakwe joins us from the Privy Council Office (PCO), where she served as the Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet Operations – Social Development Policy. Prior to joining PCO, Lisa served as the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada from 2016 through 2020.

Lisa has gained a wealth of experience throughout her career in the public service, having joined the former Industry Canada in 2008 as the Deputy Regional Executive Director with the Atlantic Regional Office. She later became the Director of the National Access Programs Directorate, Director General for Policy in the Science and Innovation Sector, and Executive Director of the Industrial Technologies Office, based in Ottawa.

Lisa began her career with Revenue Canada Customs and Excise and went on to work with the Royal Bank of Canada, where she spent five years in the commercial finance sector in Atlantic Canada, subsequently joining the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency where she spent eight years in the field of regional economic development.

​His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity, United Arab Emirates

Dr. Al Kuwaiti was appointed by the Cabinet as the Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government since 2020. As the Head of Cyber Security, his mandate includes responsibilities as the Chairman of the UAE Cyber Security Council as well as Managing Director of the National Data Centre under the Supreme Council for National Security. As the Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government by investiture, Dr. Al Kuwaiti has legal authority over all aspects pertaining to securing the cyberspace for the entire Nation. 

In his current role, Dr. Al Kuwaiti is tasked with the responsibility of charting the cyber security strategy for the Nation that not only equips the UAE to enter the digital era with capabilities to deal with the new threat landscape exacerbated by the pandemic, but also ensures UAE’s leadership in cyber security globally; towards establishing the UAE as the world’s leading trusted digital hub and supporting the Nation’s digital transformation agenda and the digital future of all residents who made UAE their home.

Towards that end, he leads the Council to outline an implementation plan to protect the UAE cyberspace through emerging technologies such as Cloud, Big Data and AI in a whole-of-government approach coordinating and orchestrating efforts between Emirates and government entities via a unified platform built and managed by the Council.

Under Dr. Al Kuwaiti’s leadership, the UAE has advanced 42 positions in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index, rising to the 5th place globally from 47th in the previous assessment. Dr. Al Kuwaiti has also led UAE to many firsts, including Guinness World Records for having the most users in a cyber capture the flag (CTF) competition, the largest bug bounty competition and the largest cyber drill; all initiatives that aim at capacity building in cyber security and improving the technical competencies of cyber security professionals and enthusiasts. More importantly, he has been instrumental in advocating for realizing the value of cyber security by demonstrating cyber security as a critical business enabler. Since 2021, Dr. Al Kuwaiti plays the role of an ambassador for collaboration between the government and cyber agencies, helping to bridge the discussion between the two major stakeholders in the digital economy.

Under his chaperone, key public-private partnerships were established between the UAE Cyber Security Council and leading local and international cyber security organizations with the goal of making a positive contribution to the UAE cyber agenda and be a major force that will benefit the global cyber security industry. Additionally, bilateral agreements established with countries both within the region and across the world contributed towards mutual information sharing, capacity development and legal assistance aid treaties, all key outcomes as a result of the National Cyber Security Strategy that he has put in place to realize the vision of the UAE for the next 50 years.

Underscoring the UAE’s leadership in cyber security on a global stage under Dr. Kuwaiti’s tutelage, UAE plays a pivotal role in the Arab Regional Cybersecurity Centre with UAE being elected as the Vice Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Computer Emergency Response Team to respond to cyber emergencies during the 10th Regional Cybersecurity Week for Arab Countries and OIC Member States in 2022. UAE also co-chairs the Information Sharing Committee in the White House Counter Ransomware Initiative, a coalition of 37 international partners. His contributions to accelerate the cyber security maturity of the Nation and fostering a vibrant cyber security ecosystem in the UAE have been recognized in multiple forums, including the (ISC)² Government Professional Award for EMEA. Dr. Al Kuwaiti also sits on the Boards of the UAE Council for Digital Wellbeing, Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), Federal Geographic Information Center and is on the Advisory Committees of the College of Information Technology under United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) and Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC) under Khalifa University. Additionally, he is an Adjunct Professor under the Homeland Security Program at Rabdan Academy and a visiting lecturer on Cyber Security at universities such as Khalifa University and National Defense College in Abu Dhabi.

Prior to his current appointments, Dr. Al Kuwaiti was with the National Electronic Security Authority in various appointments and capacity since 2013 where he was most recently the Executive Director of Government Operations managing National and International government relations. He had served as the Chief Technical Analyst at the Ministry of Interior where he had held other positions, such as Operations Director and CTO of the Counter Terrorism Center. Dr. Al Kuwaiti started his 20 year-long career as a Defense, Air, and Naval Military Attaché with the Embassy of The United Arab Emirates based in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Al Kuwaiti has published numerous papers and keynoted at many conferences such as IEEE, RSA, Cyber Warfare Europe, Tele Strategies, ISS World MEA, IDEX, International Anti-Cyber Crimes

Conference and Future War Summit. He is a highly sought after speaker internationally and has provided the main keynote address for more than 50 international, regional, and national cybersecurity events such as GITEX, GISEC and the World Government Summit, and has presented the UAE Cyber Security Framework at INTERPOL Global Cyberspace and Cybercrime Complex located in Singapore.

Dr. Al Kuwaiti holds a Doctorate in Computer Engineering and Network Security from George Washington University in the U.S. and a master’s degree in Telecommunications and Computer Networks. He also holds a M.A. degree in International and Civil Security. Dr. Al Kuwaiti is an honorable member of the Society of Engineers, IEEE Society, Golden Key National Honor Society and Computer Society. His research interests are detecting, monitoring and responding to cyber warfare, network forensics, corporate governance & processes, and national cyber policy.

Mr. Weixiong Chen is presently Deputy Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) of the United Nations Security Council. CTED was created in 2004 and is mandated to assist the Counter-Terrorism Committee in working with Member States in their implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005), 2178 (2014), 2395 (2017), 2396 (2017), 2462 (2019), 2482 (2019) and 2617 (2021).

Mr. Chen has served as Deputy Executive Director of CTED since 2011 and head of the UN counter-terrorism delegations on many complex country assessment visits and has negotiated with Member States on outcome documents on their compliance efforts and facilitation of delivery of their technical assistance needs. He has also led CTED undertakings in supporting the Counter-Terrorism Committee in producing guidelines and policy papers to assist Member States’ implementation endeavours.

Mr. Chen is a Chinese national. He obtained a post-graduate diploma in international law from the Beijing Foreign Affairs University in 1983 and a BA from the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in 1982. Prior to his service with the United Nations before 2005, Mr. Chen served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, working as Deputy Director-General on United Nations security and reforms matters. From 1993-1998, he served as advisor in the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, dealing with issues seized by the Security Council. He is also author of two books on the work of the UN Security Council and China’s multilateral diplomacy.

Mr. Chen was appointed by the UN Secretary-General as Commissioner of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification & Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) on Iraq’s WMD programs from 2003-2005. In 2004, he also served as senior advisor to Mr. Qian Qichen, late Vice Prime Minister and member of the UN Secretary-General High-Level Panel on Threat, challenges and Change, which led to the formulation and adoption of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006.

David Pekoske was first confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Transportation Security Administration's seventh administrator in August 2017 and was reconfirmed for a second term in September 2022. Pekoske leads a workforce of over 60,000 employees and is responsible for security operations at nearly 440 airports throughout the United States. TSA is also the lead federal agency for security of highways, railroads, mass transit systems and pipelines. Under his leadership, TSA improved transportation security through close partnerships and alliances, a culture of innovation, and development of a dedicated workforce.

During his tenure as TSA Administrator, Pekoske also served at the Department of Homeland Security as Acting Secretary from January 20 to February 2, 2021, and as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary from April to November 2019, and again from February to June 2021. At the Department, Pekoske helped lead a unified national effort to ensure the continued security of the United States, coordinating components with missions ranging from prevention and protection to recovery and response. He was also a commissioner on the Cyberspace Solarium Commission that developed a consensus on a strategic approach to defending the United States in cyberspace against attacks of significant consequence.

Before joining TSA, Pekoske was an executive in the government services industry, where he led teams that provided counterterrorism, security and intelligence support services to government agencies. Pekoske served as the 26th Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, culminating a Coast Guard career that included extensive operational and command experience. As the Vice Commandant, Pekoske was second in command, also serving as Chief Operating Officer and Component Acquisition Executive of the Coast Guard. He is a recognized expert in crisis management, strategic planning, innovation, and aviation, surface transportation and maritime security. In addition, he has been twice awarded the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal.

Pekoske holds a Master of Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

​Keynote remarks

Mr. Andrew P. Opolot, Legal Officer, Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

Mr Andrew Opolot joined the Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau in 2011 as its as its first legal professional ever from Africa. He handles various portfolios on ICAO’s work in the legal field, among others, aviation security including cybersecurity; air transport policy; conflicts of interest in civil aviation; environmental protection; and global air law training. His contributions in the AVSEC field include promoting the ratification of the Beijing 2010 Instruments leading to their entry into force in 2018, work on the adoption of the Montréal Protocol 2014 and ICAO Doc 10117 on legal aspects of unruly and disruptive passengers. Prior to joining ICAO, worked for over 10 years as chief legal adviser for the national civil aviation administrations of Botswana and Uganda. He is a certified instructor for the International Air Law Course under ICAO’s TRAINAIR PLUS Programme.

Mr Opolot graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B.) from Makerere University Kampala, Uganda and admitted to the Ugandan bar. He studied aviation law and management at the Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, USA and obtained a Master of Laws degree (LL.M) in Air and Space Law from the University of Leiden, Netherlands.

​Mr. Oliver Homewood, Head of Strategy, Innovation and International Policy, Department for Transport, United Kingdom

Oliver Homewood leads the UKs global engagement on aviation security policy and coordinates the development of UK ambition for the future of security standards and operations through the innovation programme. He is the UK ICAO Annex 17 Panel Member.

Prior to his current role, Oliver was the Head of Aviation Safety in the Department for Transport. Oliver had particular focus on the UKs response to international safety risks to UK and global aviation interests and the UKs implementation of domestic regulatory measures. Oliver started his career as a domestic aviation security compliance inspector in 2011, before taking on the lead for the UKs International Aviation Security Operations Asia region in 2016.

Oliver subsequently took on the role of Head of Counter Terrorism and Counter Extremism Programmes in Pakistan from 2018 as part posting to Islamabad with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. More widely he has led teams responding to the global heath and transport effects of the Covid19 Pandemic as well as wider UK domestic policy areas.

Ms. Anne-Maria Seesmaa, Legal Officer, UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)

Ms. Anne-Maria Seesmaa of Finland was appointed Associate Legal Officer in the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) of the Security Council in July 2016, becoming a Legal Officer in April 2018. Her role is to provide expert support on law enforcement and border-security issues within the framework of CTED’s efforts to monitor, promote and facilitate Member States’ implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions on counterterrorism.

Ms. Seesmaa served from 2011 to 2015 as Senior Adviser on counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism issues in the Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior of Finland, representing Finland on the European Union Terrorism Working Group and coordinating Finland’s position on counter-terrorism, including its implementation of the relevant UN resolutions. Ms. Seesmaa also worked on issues relating to reducing the supply of illegal drugs, representing Finland (police) on the EU Horizontal Working Party on Drugs and at numerous international forums, including the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. She has also worked in the areas of foreign relations from the police perspective and EU and UN policing, including police participation in civil crisis-management operations. Ms. Seesmaa has also actively engaged in work to advance transnational law enforcement cooperation and the sharing of related best practices, including by preparing and participating in meetings of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) and the Law Enforcement Working Party. In 2016, Ms. Seesmaa acted as Project Expert for the Police University College of Finland within the framework of an EU-China peer-to-peer study on police-to-police cooperation.

From 2010 to 2011, Ms. Seesmaa served as Senior Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, responsible for issues relating to international counter-terrorism cooperation, representing Finland on the EU External Working Group on Terrorism and on the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Terrorism. Ms. Seesmaa also drafted instructions in matters relating to EU sanctions and participated in the implementation of sanctions and the provision of related information. In 2009, Ms. Seesmaa served in the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations, in New York, working on legal issues, including in the context of the work of the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly.

Ms. Seesmaa earned a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Helsinki in 2008 and studied European Law and International Relations at the University of René Descartes, Paris. A native Finnish speaker, she is also fluent in English and French.