Cezanne Maherali is the Head of Policy for Uber East Africa. In this role, Cezanne leads government relations and supporting cities to move towards smart mobility in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Until recently, she was also leading policy engagement for Nigeria and Ghana.
Cezanne has been with Uber since April 2016 and previously worked as an Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Company based out of Kenya and South Africa.
She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University in Canada and an MBA from INSEAD in France and Singapore. Cezanne is passionate about economic development and the ability of technology to deliver impact.
Alex Gakuru is a Technology Rights Defender committed to human rights baked onto information and communications technologies. The Executive Director, Content Development & Intellectual Property (CODE-IP) Trust focussed on technology justice on policy, law and regulation. The nonprofit believes that whereas, “content is king, really, context rules,” thus promotes local expression content development, promotion and its protection.
He has been a member of interdisciplinary Network of Centres of Internet & Society since 2012 and leads CopyrightX:CODE-IP Trust Affiliate Faculty teaching Harvard Law School copyright law to Kenyans students. He was a wireless worker as Regional Coordinator, Africa - Creative Commons from 2012 to 2016. Among his interests include investigating relationship between evolutionary intellectual property regimes and culture intermediated by artificial intelligence impact on society.
Gakuru served as Chairman, Broadcasting Content Advisory Council at Communications Authority of Kenya from 2010 to March 2013 and served on several government Task Forces, such as, Digital Television Migration Committee, Information & Communications Act Amendment, ICT Standards; Documents Standards, IPv6; and Creative Content, among others.
Served as Council Member, FOSSFA; Involved in global Internet Policy formulation; Elected Africa Representative at ICANN’s Non-Commercial Users Constituency Executive Committee from 2009 to 2012.
Alex holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics from the University of Nairobi and has undertaken several courses on ICT, media and communications, content, law and regulation. He is regularly featured online and in the mass media contributing on technology, consumer rights and related regulatory subjects.