The Computer & Communications Industry Association is pleased to welcome James Waterworth, who will begin leading CCIA’s Brussels office this week. CCIA is a global technology trade association that started 40 years ago to promote policies that would foster the growth of the tech industry.
Waterworth brings with him more than a decade of experience in technology policy having held government affairs posts for Nokia, Cable and Wireless and Telefonica in Brussels and London. He has considerable experience in many key areas, including policies and regulation relating to the Internet, telecommunications, intellectual property and international trade. Between 2009 and 2012 he was President of the European Digital Media Association.
Our industry’s issues are global, and for the past decade the European Commission has often taken the lead on issues impacting the tech industry from antitrust enforcement to online privacy. Waterworth will arrive as Europe is developing policy on important areas ranging from e-commerce to intellectual property enforcement.
“I look forward to promoting openness and competition in the issues being debated in Brussels. Examples of these areas include net neutrality, preparations for the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) and the review of data protection legislation to name but a few of the issues CCIA will be engaged with,” Waterworth said.
“For four decades we have promoted policies that encourage open markets, open systems and open networks,” said CCIA President & CEO Ed Black. “This has meant being a voice for competition ahead of regulation, for balanced intellectual property policies that support interoperability and innovation as well as rightholders, and for an open Internet that prevents Internet filtering and censorship for political, social, or economic reasons.”
“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, CCIA is committed to continuing and expanding our mission globally by increasing our staff and capacity to better promote good tech policy, especially focusing on Washington, Geneva, and Brussels. James has a strong telecom and technology background and years of experience advocating on public policy in Europe. He will be a great addition to our international team advocating for enlightened policy in the EU, the UN and other international governing bodies,” Black said.
Waterworth will be working closely with Nick Ashton-Hart, CCIA’s Geneva Representative, where CCIA is active advocating for global services and ICT hardware trade liberalization, Internet freedom and balanced intellectual property policy. Proposals to expand UN control over the Internet pose a serious threat.
“James’ joining CCIA is a major benefit to CCIA’s members’ interests and will reinforce CCIA’s unique ability to work globally across all three office on major international policy initiatives which affect every user of the Internet every day. From ensuring that what you say, find, and buy on the Internet is not limited by unwise legal policy development to accelerating global trade in ICT services and hardware, CCIA’s three offices give it an ability to effect positive change unique amongst technology associations worldwide,” Ashton-Hart said.