2019
Dr. Anita Abbott, Director, Global Partnership and Development Ltd
Dr. Anita Abbott is the Director of Global Partnership and Development Ltd. She was a research fellow at NATO Defence College. She regularly contributes to publications and is invited nationally and internationally for research projects and speaking engagements. Her research areas include strategic partnership and negotiation, political alliance, alliance behaviour, strategic diplomatic deterrence, and geopolitics and alliance identity. Her first book develops education sovereignty model in international negotiation. In her second book, published by Palgrave MacMillan, she uses Indonesia and several countries as examples of how negotiation works for maintaining sovereignty in education.
Lieutenant General Chris Whitecross, CMM, MSM, CD
Lieutenant General Whitecross enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1982, joining the Canadian Military Engineers. Successive postings have taken her from Germany to almost every province in Canada, notably to undertake a range of staff duties such as those of A4 Airfield Engineering Operations at 1 Canadian Air Division, Winnipeg; Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Air Staff at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa; Director of Infrastructure and Environment Corporate Services for the Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment); Joint Engineer, Canada Command; and Chief of Staff for Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment).
Lieutenant General Whitecross has also performed the duties of G1/G4 for the Force Engineers at United Nations Protection Force (Yugoslavia); Wing Construction Engineering Officer, Greenwood; Commanding Officer, 1 Construction Engineering Unit, Moncton; Commander, Joint Task Force (North), Yellowknife; Deputy Commander, Canadian Operational Support Command, Ottawa; Deputy Chief Of Staff Communications, ISAF HQ, Kabul, Afghanistan; and Canadian Armed Forces Chief Military Engineer at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa.
Lieutenant General Whitecross has a Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from Queen's University and a Masters in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. She is also a graduate of the Advanced Military Studies Course and the Command and Staff Course, both conducted at the Canadian Forces College. A Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM), she was awarded the United States Defense Meritorious Service Medal for her service at ISAF HQ, and the Canadian Meritorious Service Medal for her service as the International Military Sports Council (CISM) Secretary General.
Lieutenant General Whitecross was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful
Women of 2011, and then again in 2016. Lieutenant General Whitecross was promoted to her current rank on 26 May 2015. In February of that year, she was appointed Commander of the Canadian Forces Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct. In June 2015, she was appointed Commander, Military Personnel Command.
Lieutenant General Whitecross assumed her current duties, as Commandant of the NATO DefenseCollege in Rome, Italy, in November 2016.
Luke Bencie, Managing Director, Security Management International
Luke Bencie is the Managing Director of Security Management International, LLC. In this capacity, he has been a consultant to the US Department of State, US Department of Defense, Fortune 500 companies, as well as foreign governments. He specializes in conducting strategic and security management assessments, performing counterintelligence and due-diligence investigations, and also provides specialized intelligence advisory services. He is the author of Among Enemies: Counter-Espionage for the Business Traveler, Global Security Consulting: How to Build a Thriving International Practice and The Clandestine Consultant: Kings, Sheiks, Warlords and Dictators.
Mr Bencie has worked in more than 100 countries and has trained thousands of domestic and international students from police, military, and intelligence services on such topics as economic and industrial espionage, border security, intellectual property protection, counterfeiting-and-piracy, and recognizing and discouraging terrorist travel movement. Prior to establishing SMI, Mr Bencie was a senior security consultant for Raytheon Company’s Intelligence and Information Systems Division, assigned to the emerging markets of Brazil, India, and Lebanon.
Mr. Bencie previously served on the US Department of State’s Foreign Emergency Support Team. In this capacity, he was responsible for responding to terrorist attacks carried out against US targets overseas. As a result, he performed numerous trips to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hot spots throughout the world.
Mr. Bencie holds graduate degrees in National Security Studies from The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and The American Military University, as well as an MBA from the University of Sarasota. He received his BA from Michigan State University and completed further course work from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Training Academy, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
Anthony Grasso, Chief Technical Officer for Cyber Toa
Anthony joined Cyber Toa from a New Zealand Government Agency where he was Head of Cyber Engineering and R&D, a position he has held since 2012. He was the Cyber Technical Lead at the Department for Internal Affairs from 2009 and prior to this has worked in software productization and leadership roles in the UK at GCHQ, Oracle and Hewlett-Packard.
Academically, Anthony has studied in Bristol and Dublin in Computing for Real Time Systems(BSc) and Forensic Computing(MSc) gaining a first class with honours in both degrees.
Brig General Insub Shin, Korean Army (Retired), Associate Professor, George Mason University Korea
Brigadier General Insub Shin (Korea Army, retired) is the director of cybersecurity architectures research at the C4I & Cyber Center at George Mason University. General Shin joined GMU in 2016 as a research scholar at the Department of Electric and Computer Engineering after a 30-year military career with significant experience in C4I and Cyber.
Immediately before his retirement, General Shin served as secretary for cyber security to the President of Korea. He also served as secretary for military science and technology to Korea’s minister of national defence and as director of the R&D Centre at the Korea Cyber Command.
Dr. Shin received his BS degree in mechanical engineering from the Korea Military Academy (1985), his MS in telecommunications system management from the US Naval Postgraduate School (1990), and his PhD in information technology, with an area of specialization in system architecting, from George Mason University (2001).
For the past 15 years he has worked in the full spectrum of the cyber security domain, from practice to strategy. His current research interest is a cyber security architecture framework for a conceptual legacy firm, especially applicable for human engaged cyber-physical systems. It may include modelling cyber threats, formalising cyber IPB and BDA processes, organisational strategy, and systemic implementation in order to secure an organisation’s cyberspace with a system of systems.
GPCAPT Verachon Pensri, Professional Instructor Pilot, Flying Training School, Royal Thai Air Force
GPCAPT Verachon Pensri is a scholar and military professional in the fields of air power, strategy and international security, and direct command. His specific area is currently strategy analysis for Thailand's security issues and social development. He has taught in many military educational institutions, including the RTAF Air Command and Staff College, the Royal Thai Air Force Academy, and the Sumaa Language and Culture Institute, focusing on such topics as air power in theory and practice, fundamentals of strategy and international security, strategic culture and strategic analysis of military ethics, revolution in military affairs, military operations other than war, war history, military planning and analysis, the arts of war, international diplomacy and politics, and leadership.
Major General Gert-Johannes Hagemann, HQ NATO Force Structure
Major General Gert-Johannes Hagemann is the Deputy Commander of Headquarters Rapid Reaction Corps (HQ RRC-FR) in Lille, France. Created in 2005, HQ RRC-FR is a French NATO certified headquarters able to command a national or multinational force of between 15,000 and 60,000 personnel.
With around 450 military coming from fifteen different nations, HQ RRC-FR is stationed within a 17th-century citadel also known as the Queen of the Citadels, designed by the famous French Field Marshal Vauban. Reactive, flexible and ‘open to the world’, HQ RRC-FR is a purpose-built organization, designed to handle the complexity of military operations of the early twenty-first century.
Prior to his appointment as Deputy Commander of NATO’s HQ RRC-FR, Major General Gert-Johannes Hagemann was Commander of the Infantry School and the Infantry Training Center in Hammelburg, Germany and the General of the German Infantry. From 2011 to 2013 he was the twelfth Commander of the German-French Brigade in Müllheim, after having served as Regional Commander of NATO’s Training Mission Afghanistan.
Chief Master Sergeant Ian D. Eishen
Chief Master Sergeant Ian D. Eishen is the Senior Enlisted Leader for the CSAF Strategic Studies Group at The Pentagon, Washington D.C. In this capacity, he advises the Air Staff on innovations and technologies in a diverse portfolio including artificial intelligence, machine language, disruptive technologies, and talent management. Chief Eishen is a core member of the Trilateral Strategic Steering Group, and manages many initiatives including the USAF Computer Language Initiative and Digital University. He is also responsible for curating business relationships with coalition and joint partners, academia, the Silicon Valley tech industry, and the intelligence community.
Tantowi Yahya, Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, Ambassador- Designate to the Kingdom of Tonga
The President of Indonesia has assigned Tantowi Yahya to be the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador for New Zealand, Republic of Samoa and Kingdom of Tonga. He presented his credentials to the Governor-General of New Zealand on April 19, 2017 and to the King of Tonga the following week, on April 26, 2017. He is the first Indonesia Ambassador from the creative industry in President Joko Widodo’s administration.
Ambassador Yahya is a two-term member of parliament, popular artist and NGO activist in the field of culture and literacy. In 2009, Ambassador Yahya was elected to the Indonesia House of Representative with 4th national biggest vote number representing his hometown –South Sumatera. During his tenure in the Parliament, Ambassador Yahya was selected to oversee foreign affairs, defence, military, intelligence, media and informatics. As an elected official, he focused on conflict resolution, human rights violation, foreign diplomacy and media empowerment. He also manages to chair several NGOs in creative sector, mainly in music, and television. Graduated from hospitality school, Ambassador Yahya is passionate with tourism and culture as a way to strengthen friendship and diplomacy.
Ambassador Yahya is a member of Golkar party, the oldest and biggest political party in Indonesia. He was the national spokesperson and chairman of art and culture department in the party. He was the chairman of Indonesia Singer, Composer and Musician Association, Indonesia Music Awards Foundation, and president of Country Music Club of Indonesia. He served as Reading Ambassador assigned by The National Library of Indonesia for 4 years. Ambassador Yahya is a fellow of Eisenhower Fellowship and alumni of IDEA-MIT Sloan Program.
Ambassador Yahya is married to Dewi Yahya. They have two boys: Adjani –a soccer player and music enthusiast and Alano – an aspired astronaut.
Hon Todd McClay
Hon Todd McClay is the Member of Parliament for Rotorua. He was first elected to Parliament in 2008 after winning the Rotorua seat from the Labour Government. Since then he has been re-elected in 2011, 2014 and 2017, where he increased his vote and majority each time.
Mr McClay has held the portfolios of Minister of Trade, of State Owned Enterprises, and of Revenue. He has also been the Associate Minister of Health, of Tourism, of Trade, and of Foreign Affairs.
Mr McClay is currently the Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Tourism in the National Opposition.
Barnaby Pace
Barnaby Pace is a trained human factors psychologist and cognitive scientist who holds Masters degrees from the University of Waikato and Massey University. He has 15 years experience in risk management and behavioural analysis, having worked in both the public and private sectors. He is an experienced researcher with more than 40 publications and has been an invited speaker at many international conferences. Most recently Mr Pace presented a workshop at the Australian Enterprise Risk Management of Government Conference on the use of design thinking for risk management framework development.
Prof. Dwi Andreas Santosa
Professor Santosa is the Head of M.Sc. Program on Soil and Environmental Biotechnology at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). He is also the Chairman Governing Board Indonesian Center for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, National Chairman Indonesian Farmer Technology and Seed Bank Association, and Associated Scholar Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia and Thamrin School. He holds a PhD in Life Sciences from Braunschweig University of Technology. He was awarded fellowships and postdoctoral fellowships from Yonsei University in South Korea, German Research Center for Biotechnology, German Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Food, and School of Pharmacy at Oregon State University. He has written numerous articles in food security, system and policy, bio politics, and the politics of global food security. He is also the holder of international patent (US Patent 9, 977, and 375; European Patent EP 1 791 823 AO) and national patent.
Daniel Retief
Daniel Retief is a Design Engineer at Aero Design Limited. His main role is research and development in the field of aircraft design, specifically electronics, avionics, and composites. Daniel has attained a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering at the University of Waikato. Daniel has been involved as one of the main design engineers for large projects such as a new glass cockpit for a top dressing aircraft and the development of a carbon composite hopper outlet valve for a top dressing aircraft. Daniel has been recently researching in the field of low cost decentralised inter aircraft traffic avoidance systems.
Dr Andrew Dowse
Dr Dowse joined Edith Cowan University after a 37 year career with the Royal Australian Air Force. He joined the RAAF as an engineer cadet in 1981 and, after completing a degree in Communications and Electronics Engineering at RMIT, graduated as an electronics officer.
His career included working in air defence and communications, as well as managing command and control systems and information technology. He has also had key leadership roles in electronic and information warfare, and broader capability planning.
Between 2008 and 2012, Andrew worked to develop future capabilities for the Australian Defence Force, the efforts of which were recognised with his appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia. Subsequently he was in charge of Air Force strategy and planning, then was the Head of Defence’s Information and Communications Technology operations, and in recognition of his performance in these roles he was promoted to an Officer in the Order of Australia.
In addition to his bachelor degree, he has a Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies, Masters of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Fellow Chartered Professional Engineer.
Dr Ashok Sharma
Dr. Ashok Sharma is an Adjunct Faculty/Visiting Fellow at the UNSW Canberra at Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis at UC. Ashok is also the Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA), Auckland.
Prior to joining the UNSW Canberra at ADFA in November 2016, Dr. Sharma was a Fellow of Australia-India Institute at the University of Melbourne, a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University Auckland, a Fellow at the New Zealand-India Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, a Visiting Academic at the University of Waikato, and an Endeavour Post-Doctoral Fellow at Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS), The Australian National University in 2008.
Dr. Sharma, extensively published, is one of the leading experts on India’s global positioning and India-US geopolitics. He is the author of the book Indian Lobbying and its Influence in US Decision Making: Post-Cold War (Sage Publications 2017). His forthcoming book is India’s Pursuit of Energy Security: Domestic Measures, Foreign policy and Geopolitics (Sage Publication, June 2019). He is currently working on his book tentatively titled India-US relations in the 21st century.
Professor Welby Ings, Auckland University of Technology
Welby Ings is a Professor in Design at Auckland University of Technology. He is an elected Fellow of the British Royal Society of Arts and has been a consultant to many organizations on issues of creativity, leadership and learning.
He is also an internationally acclaimed author, designer and film maker. Since the launch of Welby's widely acclaimed book Disobedient Teaching he has been heavily involved in education reform initiatives internationally and he is currently part of the Government's 'Guardians Group' overseeing the reconceptualizing of learning and teaching in New Zealand. In 2001 Welby was awarded the Prime Minister’s inaugural, Supreme Award for Tertiary Teaching Excellence and in 2014 he was awarded the AUT University medal for his contributions to research, pedagogy and creativity.
Don Lord
Don previously worked for World Vision in New Zealand and Mongolia. Don has been involved in research on Trafficking in Cambodia and has worked in Mongolia on the formulation of an anti-trafficking project to be spearheaded by local project staff. He has also had extensive involvement in developing tools to work with trafficked women and children in Cambodia, National Child Protection standards and systems in Mongolia, and global Children in Crisis initiatives. Don established Hagar NZ in 2009.
Francis Pauwels
Francis Pauwels is an experienced leader with the demonstrated ability to build teams, think strategically and focus on pragmatically achieving results. He is a senior executive and company director with experience in manufacturing, exporting, tourism, horticulture and local government sectors. Formal qualifications include a BSc in Biochemistry and MBA from Canterbury University. Francis has broad networks at global levels as well as being connected with the Maori Economy, Government Agencies and Investment entities.
Dr Itzhak Gerberg
Ambassador Dr. Itzhak Gerberg completed his Masters Degree in Political Science from the Haifa University and obtained his PhD in International Politics from the University of South Africa.
He started his diplomatic career for the Israeli Foreign Ministry in 1985 as Second Secretary in Manila, followed by a posting at the Israeli Consulate in Bombay – India as the Consul General.
In 1996 he became the Consul General for the Israeli Consulate in Shanghai and between 1999 and 2012 he held Ambassadorial positions to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and later on in Georgia.
Ambassador Dr. Gerberg was appointed Israeli Ambassador to New Zealand in July 2016 and is joined by his wife Shifra Gerberg.
Nick Tuitasi
Nick left the New Zealand Police in 2007, after 25 years service, where in the last 15 years of his policing career, he specialized in Crime Prevention and working with at-risk families.
During his years of service to the community, he received a numerous number of acknowledgements, some of which are; in 1998 he was awarded the Queen Service Medal. In 2000, the North & South Magazine named him one of the top 100 Kiwis of the year. In 2007 he was one of 6 recipients of the Living Legends Award presented by the Mayor of Auckland.
After leaving the Police, Nick worked for the Ministry of Social Development for 2 years as the Manager of the Pacific Youth Development Strategy.
The following 4 years, Nick was the Pacific Engagement Advisor, to Te Wananga O Aotearoa, the second biggest Tertiary Provider in the country, finishing there as their Acting Regional Projects Manager, from Auckland up to the far North.
Nick is a popular speaker, in Education, Community and Church forums, spending any spare time balancing life between serving his wife and three daughters, being a Pasifika presenter for the Parenting Place, a Pasifika Liaison for Family First and a director on two private companies.
Hon Steve Chadwick JP
Steve has been Mayor of Rotorua since October 2013. Formerly Steve’s career in Central Government spanned twelve years (1999-2011), including three years as a List MP. During this time, she held the portfolios of Associate Minister of Health, Minister of Conservation and Minister of Women’s Affairs. Her proudest achievements include sponsoring the Smoke free Environments Act and securing funding ($72 million) for the clean-up of Rotorua lakes.
Since becoming Mayor of Rotorua, Steve has been a strong influence on Rotorua Lakes Council’s new way of doing business through the Rotorua 2030 Vision. Under her leadership Council has established a meaningful and ground breaking partnership with Te Arawa, significant partnership investment in the inner city and Rotorua becoming New Zealand’s first bi-lingual city with the adoption of the Reorua Rotorua programme.
Daniel Paul
Daniel has over 30 years’ experience in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, advocacy/lobbying and Public Relations roles.
He has worked in senior positions in both the public and private sectors. His experience includes projects with some of New Zealand’s higher profile companies.
He also co-ordinated and led the government’s communications response to the 2001 hydro crisis, achieving the then Minister’s goal of 10% energy savings within six weeks. This entailed a comprehensive programme of publicity and marketing that encouraged Kiwis to cut their power use by 10%. He also managed all the publicity and marketing for the launch of one of the first inter-Island fast ferry services.
Before working with government he co-owned one of the few public relations consultancies to have offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. On leaving the public sector, he established another consultancy which morphed into The PR Company (www.theprcompany.co.nz).
He has chaired the central region committee of the Public Relations Institute of NZ (PRINZ) for several years and sat on the Institute’s National Council. He is asked regularly to speak at industry events, to address new entrants to the industry and to mentor junior practitioners.
He is a Fellow of the Institute and has served as a judge for PRINZ’s annual industry awards and as an assessor for PRINZ’s APR accreditation qualification.
Daniel can be contacted at:
(021) 400-993
Jesus S. Domingo, Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa & Tonga
Jesus “Gary” S. Domingo is a career Philippine Foreign Service Officer. His diplomatic assignments have included postings at the Philippine Missions to the United Nations in New York and Geneva, and the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia. He has also served as Philippine Focal Point for Multilateral Humanitarian Affairs and Disarmament, and coordinated international assistance for Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013 – one of the biggest civilian and military humanitarian operations to date.
Ambassador Gary is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, National Defense College of the Philippines, and the Philippine College of Criminology. He is an advocate of Human Security, and has developed “Universal Diplomacy” – a framework for multi-stakeholder and grass-roots Public Diplomacy. He also holds commissions in the Philippine Marine Corps Reserve and Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary. He is married to Maria Remedios, they have a daughter, Julianne Marie.
Brigadier Mark Brewer
Brigadier Mark Brewer was born 30 Oct 1965 in Brisbane. He entered the Royal Military College in 1984, graduating in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts to the RAAC. He was a troop leader in both 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry), and a squadron commander in 2nd Cavalry Regiment. He commanded 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) in 2003 – 2004, leading the transition of the Regiment from M113 to ASLAV and from the armoured personnel carrier role to cavalry. Brigadier Brewer attended Command and Staff College in Queenscliff in 1999, gaining a Masters in Defence Studies. He has held a wide range of staff appointments. He was Brigade Major 1st Brigade in 2000, Senior Instructor Tactics at School of Armour in 2001 and Training Systems Manager, Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Project in 2002. He was the lead planner for Iraq and Afghanistan at Strategic Operations Division in 2005 and then a Directing Staff at Australian Command and Staff College in 2007. As a Colonel, he was Chief of Staff, Headquarters 1st Division 2008 – 2009 before attending the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies in 2010. He was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Director General South East Asia, International Policy Division in 2011.
Brigadier Brewer’s operational experience includes a deployment to UNTSO in 1994 and he was the Joint Task Force Plans Chief in Regional Command (South) Afghanistan in 2006. In late 2009, he commanded Joint Task Force 629 on Operation Padang Assist. He returned to Regional Command (South) Afghanistan as a Deputy Commanding General in Combined Joint Task Force 3 (US 3rd Infantry Division) from August 2012 –2013.
Brigadier Brewer was Director General Training at Headquarters Forces Command 2014 – 2015 and Commandant Royal Military College of Australia 2016 - 2017.
He took up his current appointment as Program Manager United States Force Posture Initiative and Australia –Singapore Military Training Initiative in January 2018.
Minh Tran
Minh Tran is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He finished his master’s degree (International Relations) at the Australian National University. He has been working as a research officer at Vietnam National Academy of Politics for 6 years and later as a lecturer for 4 years. His research interests include the rise of China, China-Vietnam relations, and the South China Sea disputes. Minh has his research papers published at several journals in Vietnam.
Cristiano Da Costa, Ambassador of Timor-Leste to New Zealand
Mr. Cristiano da Costa is the first resident Ambassador of Timor-Leste to New Zealand. He presented his letter of credentials to Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Gerry Mateparae, Governor General of New Zealand, on 1 May 2014 at the Government House in Wellington.
Born in 1960 at Baucau, East Timor, da Costa attended primary and secondary school at the Salesian Missionary School between 1967 and 1974. The following year his secondary schooling was interrupted by 1975 invasion of East Timor by Indonesia.
During the mid-1970s, da Costa was active in the Youth and Students’ Organisation of the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN). He joined the resistance movement and was imprisoned by the Indonesian army three times, in 1980, 1982 and from 1983 to 1985. Exiled to Macau in 1987 and then Portugal from 1988 to 1992, he would migrate to Australia as a refugee in 1992 until Timor-Leste achieved independence in 1999.
In 1993 he attended the University of New South Wales where he undertook a double degree in Arts and Law. Majoring in political science, he completed his arts degree in 1997 and an MA in International Relations at the same university in 1998.
His professional career has included work for United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He has also taught at the University of Dili (Universidade de Dili), the Catholic Institute for Teachers Training (Instituto Católico para Formacão de Professores) and the University of Peace (Universidade de Paz).
During the transition period, from 1999 to 2005, da Costa was Spokesperson of East Timor’s Restoration of Independence Movement (FRETLIN-CPD-RDTL) and Later Spokesperson of the National Democratic Resistance Unit Timorese (Unidade Nacional Democratica da Resistencia Timorese). As Spokesperson, da Costa conceptualised and championed the idea of the restoration of independence.
Prior to his appointment as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, da Costa served as Vice Minister of Economy and Development in the Fourth Constitutional Government led by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.
He is fluent in Portuguese, English, Malay/Indonesian and Tetum and is married with four children.
Wallace Brabyn
Wallace Brabyn is the General Manager of Vicom New Zealand Ltd, based in Auckland. His educational achievements includes a Radio Technicians Certificate, a New Zealand Certificate of Engineering(Telecommunications) and a Bachelors Degree in Engineering (Electronics) from Canterbury University.
Wallace has over 40 years experience in the telecommunications industry with the last 25 years at Vicom. He enjoys quantifying problems and delivering solutions at the leading edge of current technologies, by partnering with world leading manufacturers of Test, Measurement, Monitoring and Visibility Solutions for Telecommunications Networks and Cyber Security.
Wallace can be reached at +64-21-611-661 or by email at wallace.brabyn@vicom.co.nz
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