Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)
Sami S. Al-Basheer

Mr Sami S. Al-Basheer was elected Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau by the Plenipotentiary Conference on 14 November 2006 in Antalya, Turkey. He took office on 1 January 2007.

Mr Al-Basheer has more than twenty-three years experience in telecommunications in Saudi Arabia and abroad, including two years at the ITU Regional Office in Cairo.

Throughout the major part of his career he was responsible in the Saudi Arabian Government for the development of economic and financial policy and regulatory aspects of telecommunications as well as international coordination and cooperation.

As head of the department responsible for telecommunication policy and investment matters at the national, regional and international levels, he has extensive experience in telecommunications management and development as well as in negotiating and formulating international agreements on commercial, operational, maintenance and investment issues.

As Adviser to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information, Saudi Arabia he was responsible for international relations and regulatory issues. He was also a Board Member of the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC).

As Director, Middle East & North Africa Affairs, at ICO Teledesic GL, Seattle, USA, he coordinated the introduction of the interests of ICO in Middle Eastern and North African countries.

During his tenure as Chief of the Regional Office for the Arab States of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Cairo, Egypt, he was responsible for planning, organizing and directing the work of the Regional Office and contributed to the development of telecommunications in the countries of the region in both public and private sectors.

In addition to his role at the national level Mr Al-Basheer played a leading role within regional organizations, acting as Chairman and participating in many conferences in ITU and at other regional and international organizations in the telecommunications sector.