WEBINAR:COVID-19 and global e-commerce dynamics

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards a more digital world. Changes in behaviour observed now are likely to have lasting effects when the world economy starts to pick up. This webinar will present the main results from a survey of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behavior with regard to e-commerce and the use of digital solutions.

The survey covered 9 emerging and developed economies. The webinar will highlight common and diverging trends, distinguish between consumer behaviour by age, education and gender. For policy makers and business leaders this webinar will offer valuable insights that can inform strategic and policy responses for the recovery phase of the pandemic.

Ms. Shamika N. Sirimanne - Director of the Division on Technology and Logistics of UNCTAD.

She leads UNCTAD's work in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), including the work on e-commerce and digital economy. She is the Head of the Secretariat of the UN Commission of Science and Technology for Development which is the focal point of the United Nations on STI policy dialogue.

Prior to UNCTAD, she served as Director of the ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and she also led the economic policy team and the Economic Report on Africa, the flagship publication of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). She has also worked for the Canadian Department of Finance and the World Bank. Ms. Sirimanne holds a PhD in Economics.

Carlo Terreni - co-founder and President of Netcomm Suisse

The Swiss e-Commerce and Digital Association

The goals of Netcomm Suisse are to support the interests of e-Commerce companies, contribute to the knowledge and diffusion of e-Commerce, including related services and technologies, and to bring down the barriers that limit the development of the sector. Through activities as diverse as lobbying, legal & fiscal support, training and research, the organization aims to build a stronger e-Commerce environment in Switzerland and beyond to enable sustainable growth across the industry.

Torbjörn Fredriksson, Chief, ICT Policy Section, UNCTAD

Globalization, including a phenomenal expansion of trade, has helped lift millions out of poverty. But not nearly enough people have benefited. And tremendous challenges remain.

We support developing countries to access the benefits of a globalized economy more fairly and effectively. And we help equip them to deal with the potential drawbacks of greater economic integration. To do this, we provide analysis, facilitate consensus-building, and offer technical assistance. This helps them to use trade, investment, finance, and technology as vehicles for inclusive and sustainable development.

Yomi Kastro, Founder & Managing Partner, Inveon

Yomi Kastro is the Founder & Managing Partner of Inveon which develops e-commerce software solutions and infrastructures for enterprises. Inveon was granted the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Award in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Kastro also founded Inventures, an early-stage accelerator that invests in promising Internet ventures in 2009. He is contributing as an investor and/or board member of more than 20 successful Internet ventures. He is also the Founding Board Member of the Turkish Entrepreneurship Foundation and the Board Member of the TUBISAD Informatics Industry Association.

Alexandre Barbosa, Head of the Center of Studies for Information and Communications Technologies (CETIC.br), Brazil

Head of the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) at the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br). Responsible for survey projects to produce ICT statistics for the monitoring of national policies and international goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Coordinates capacity building programs in survey methodologies in Latin America and Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa. Mr. Barbosa was the Chair of the Expert Group on ICT Households indicators (EGH) at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) from 2012 to 2017, expert at the OECD working party on Measurement and Analysis of the Digital Economy, member of the International Advisory Group of Experts on the Global Kids Online project at UNICEF and LSE, member of the Council Board of The Innovation Center for Brazilian Education (CIEB) and member of the master’s program council at Fundação Dom Cabral.

Mr Barbosa holds a PhD degree in Business Administration from Getulio Vargas Foundation (Brazil), a Master Degree in Business Administration from Bradford University (UK), a MSc Degree in Computer Science from Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil) and a BSc Degree in Electrical Engineering from Catholic University (Brazil). He has also conducted postdoctoral research at HEC Montreal (Canada).