Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Privacy Officer, Internet Governance Researcher
Joined on March 10, 2017
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Niel Harper has spent the last 20 years serving as a trusted advisor to global organizations in the areas of digital transformation, enterprise risk management, cybersecurity governance & strategy, privacy & data protection, and digital policy.
Leadership and advisory experience in over 15 countries with organizations such as AT&T, Bemol, Canonical, CIBC, Deloitte, Doodle, European Union, Internet Society, and the United Nations, among others. Recipient of the ISJ Caribbean Security & Resilience Award and the ISACA Technology for Humanity Award. Recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader and the Internet Society as a Next Generation Leader. Holds/has held fellowships to the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), British Computer Society, CIFAL, OECD Technology Foresight Forum, and the Royal Society of Arts.
Diploma in Business - Information Systems, Algonquin College; Postgraduate Diploma (PgD) in Telecoms Regulation & Policy, University of the West Indies; Master of Laws (LLM) in Internet Law & Policy, University of Strathclyde; Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Leicester; and has completed executive education programs at Florida International University, Stanford University, Nanyang Technological University, University of Oxford and Boston University. Possesses several industry certifications in engineering, IT auditing, cybersecurity, privacy & data protection, and business continuity management.
Frequently sought after speaker and regular contributor to technical journals, industry publications and expert blogs addressing the complex issues at the intersection of technology, policy and business. Serves on a number of non-profit and advisory boards, including with ISACA, Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship, TEN Habitat, and Vouch Digital.
Except where otherwise noted, all postings by Niel Harper on CircleID are licensed under a Creative Commons License.
On Friday, 23rd June, Caribbean telecommunications operators (telcos) held a meeting in Miami to fine tune their strategy to force Big Tech companies to contribute financially to regional telecoms network infrastructure. Hosted by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), and taking a similar perspective to the "fair share" proposal currently being debated in the European Union, regional network operators are arguing that over-the-top (OTT) service providers are responsible for 67 percent of the total Internet traffic in the Caribbean, but make no contributions or investments toward local delivery networks. more
The UK government is proposing new regulations to strengthen cyber resilience in the private sector. Their intention is to expand cybersecurity rules for critical infrastructure (CI) operators to include managed service providers (MSPs), more stringent breach notification requirements, and legislation to establish the UK Cyber Security Council as the standards development organization for the cybersecurity profession. This is a welcomed development, but more details about implementation and enforcement are needed. more
The UK government launched its 2022 Cyber Security Strategy on 15 December 2021, outlining its ambitious plans to improve the resilience of UK institutions and businesses while protecting the country's interests in cyberspace. The strategy signals a more involved approach by the government, which previously relied heavily on the private sector for leadership. The government's stated commitment to a 'whole of society' approach sounds really good on paper, but what exactly does it really mean? more
In recent times, I've been struggling to determine where blockchain has demonstrated its immensely promised value, delivered true market or stakeholder value, or disrupted an existing ecosystem. And thus far, what I keep coming up with is that "blockchain is truly a solution searching for a problem." Most of all, many of its enthusiasts and proponents are generally conceptual thinkers and/or snake oil salespersons who have little to no experience delivering secure, integrated, complex systems. more
The legal status of domain names is one of the most hotly debated topics with regards to evolving property rights and how they should be applied to technological and intellectual property 'innovations' in cyberspace. At present, there are two opposing factions on this topic: On one hand, there are those who maintain that domain names should be considered as contracts for services, which originate from the contractual agreement between the registrant and the registrar. more
There's a deluge of hype around Bitcoin and blockchain technologies right now, and policymakers and regulators in the Caribbean are doing their best to wrap their heads around the advantages and disadvantages of this virtual currency. Similar questions are being contemplated in the ICTs for development (ICT4D) community, taking into account that electronic money (e-money) platforms such as Safaricom's M-PESA have essentially solved the financial inclusion quandary for millions of people in Kenya. more
The phenomenal growth of the Internet has resulted in a proliferation of domain names. The explosion of '.com' registrations coincided with an increase in domain name disputes, and with it the legal branch of intellectual property devolved into virtual mayhem. ICANN's Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) was created... The UDRP was brought into force in October 1999, and it can be said that it has contributed handily to the resolution of domain name disputes. However, deeper investigation into the UDRP paints a different picture. more
In modern society, there is one fact that is unquestionable: The hyper-connectivity of the digital economy is inescapable. A financial institution without an online presence or omni-channel strategy will cease to be competitive. Universities (for-profit or non-profit) must develop and continuously evolve their online learning capabilities if they are to stay relevant. Online retailers are quickly outpacing and rendering their 'brick-and-mortar' counterparts irrelevant. more
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