Biography
With over 25 years of leadership at the intersection of technology, governance, and diplomacy, Nele has shaped digital transformation and collaboration globally. Currently, she leads Knowledge Hub Digital for the European Commission, driving digital partnerships to strengthen the EU’s position in international digital cooperation.
As Ambassador for Digital Affairs for Estonia (2020–2024), she established and directed the country’s digital diplomacy, embedding digital innovation, economy, democracy, security, and development cooperation. In this role, she co-led the GovStack Initiative, co-founded Women in GovTech Challenge, advancing international standards for digital public infrastructure, and managed a broad portfolio of high-level global multi-stakeholder relations.
Her career spans digital and state reforms in over 40 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, where she advised politicians and government leaders on digital governance, e-services, education, skills, and data governance.
She has advised United Nations and the OECD; she is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council as well as Business Excellence Institute and Member of the Board of the Global Tech Diplomacy Forum. She is a former Chair of the Digital Cooperation and Diplomacy Network and the Global Standards Symposium.
Academically, she holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences and was a Fulbright-Schuman Scholar. She continues to lecture on technology and foreign policy. She mentors emerging female digital leaders, and serves as a Women in Tech Ambassador, promoting female leadership in the digital sector.
As a Policy Leader Fellow, she specialises on technology and geopolitics, focusing on the strengthening of the EU’s global position in digital affairs.