Author: Christopher Wilson, Executive Director at MyData Global.
I am very happy to welcome the new members of the board of MyData Global. Their appointment marks a new era for MyData Global, coinciding with our 2024-2026 Strategy, governance reforms, and upgraded ambitions for global engagement and impact.
The new board was appointed by election in last week’s extraordinary general meeting of the Association’s membership, and the result of an extensive recruitment process that began in January of this year.
Below is a quick introduction to each of the new board members. Together, they bring a powerful balance of expertise and perspectives from business, government, and advocacy around the world.
I am very excited about the concrete work we are going to do together to build a better, fairer, and more empowering data future.
- Teki Akuetteh is the former data protection officer for the government of Ghana. She is also the founder and director of the Africa Digital Rights Hub and a senior partner with specialisation in information law, and expertise in community development and organisational development.
- David Alexander (UK) is a longstanding member of the MyData Community and founder and CEO of the community interest company and MyData operator MyDex. he will represent not-for-profit members on the Board’s Membership Committee.
- Paula Bello (MX/ES) is a service designer and long-time community member that leads MyData’s thematic groups on children and design. She has previously served as the vice-chair of the MyData Board and will represent individual members on the Board’s Membership Committee.
- Alexander Galt (NL) is the head of data ethics at IKEA, where he is coordinating pilots that leverage the solid protocol. He is a long-standing member of the MyData community and is interested in supporting the Board’s Governance Committee.
- Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (FI) is a Finnish politician and exiting Member of the European Parliament, where she has served on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and as the Parliament’s rapporteur on the European strategy for data.
- Michael Lee (KO) is the CEO of SNPLab, a MyData operator that offers a mobile app through which users can monetise data on their media use. He will represent for-profit members on the Board’s Membership Committee.
- Eduardo Mercovich (AR) is a designer and lecturer with long experience supporting civil society and social movements in Latin America. He brings deep expertise in governance design and is interested in supporting the Board’s Governance Committee.
- Eric Pol (BE) is an investor with expertise in the health sector. He is the chair of A New Governance and has served as the Chair of MyData Global’s Transitional Board since January 2024.
- Robert Schuschnig-Fowler is a retiring support engineer at SAP, with expertise in governance and financial issues. As a long-standing member of the MyData community, he is interested in supporting the work of the Board’s Finance Committee and/or Treasurer.
You can find details about the recruitment process, as well as each board memeber’s background and motivation in this presentation to the general meeting. As always, you can also follow the work of the board on our dedicated #board slack channel, and any MyData member can observe the board meetings that are announced there. We’re all excited to start this work. Thanks so much to the Transitional Board for leading the recruitment process and making this happen.
Further questions or press enquiries, please reach out to Julia H. Liao: Julia@mydata.org. If you are interested in becoming a member, please visit our member page.