Shahid AKHTAR
Shahid is the Chief Technical Advisor and Programme Co-ordinator at APDIP. He is responsible overall for management of APDIP's three primary areas of focus, namely, Policy Development and Dialogue, Equal Access, and Content Development and Knowledge Creation.

Prior to joining APDIP, Shahid worked in various capacities in Information Science at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. This included stints in IDRC's offices in Beirut and Singapore, and in its Head Office in Ottawa. While working for IDRC between 1971 and 1995, he initiated and managed scores of projects on new information and communication technologies, networking, database management, and systems development in over 60 developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. More recently, Shahid managed the information and communication programmes and the regional electronic network of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Shahid graduated from Carleton University, Ottawa and undertook postgraduate work at the London School of Economics in international relations and economics. He can be reached at shahid@apdip.net.

Sunil ABRAHAM
Sunil is the FOSS Consultant for the International Open Source Network. He is responsible for building a network of FOSS, government, research, and development communities across the Asia-Pacific through awareness raising activities. He will manage ongoing IOSN R&D, capacity building projects. He is also responsible for the IOSN portal and the FOSSAP mailing list.

Sunil is currently on a six-month sabbatical with IOSN. He remains founder and executive director of Mahiti Info-tech, Bangalore - mahiti.org. Mahiti aims to reduce the cost and complexity of ICTs for the development sector by promoting the use of Free / Open Source Software. Mahiti specialises in multi-platform, multi-lingual and multi-media enabled Internet / Intranet and kiosks applications.

Sunil holds a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial and Production Engineering, Bangalore University in India. He is also an Ashoka.org fellow and a Sarai.net FLOSS fellow. He can be reached at sunil@apdip.net.

Christine APIKUL 
Christine is the Programme Specialist for Content Development and Knowledge Management at APDIP. She is responsible for researching, producing and disseminating resources on the use of information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D). Resources include online, print and audio-visual materials. Christine manages the APDIP websites and develops APDIP's outreach strategies. She also promotes knowledge sharing in the areas of ICT4D.

Prior to APDIP, Christine worked at UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education's ICTs in Education Programme as the Online and Offline Publishing Editor and Assistant Clearinghouse Project Officer. Christine also worked at the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre as the Information and Networking Manager.

Christine holds a Masters of Science in Urban Development Planning and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, both from University College London, United Kingdom. She can be reached at christine@apdip.net

Lars BESTLE
Lars is the Programme Specialist for Policy Development and Dialogue. Apart from being responsible for ICT policy and strategy development, he is focusing on e-governance for UNDP's Regional Centre in Bangkok. He is also involved in programming and advocacy on ICT for poverty alleviation.

Previously, as an ICT for Development Specialist, Lars worked for UN ESCAP's division on Information, Communication and Space Technology in Bangkok, the Asian Development Bank in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and, before joining APDIP, he was part of a team of UNDP consultants to develop a national framework for bridging the digital divide in Malaysia for UNDP and the Government of Malaysia.

Lars worked as the ICT for Development Programme Officer for UNDP Viet Nam and was responsible for projects on developing Viet Nam’s national ICT strategy and ICT for rural development. For UNDP's Nordic Office he pioneered the development of e-learning materials for high school students based on UNDP's Human Development Report.

Lars holds a Msc. in International Development Studies and Communication as well as a Bsc. in Geography from Roskilde University, Denmark. He can be reached at lars@apdip.net

James George CHACKO
James is the Programme Specialist for Access and Partnership Development at APDIP. His work includes developing strategies for APDIP's equal access program and he focuses on ICT and Millennium Development Goals, e-government and e-governance, learning and literacy, regional ICT policies and e-strategies, ICTs and gender, rural area connectivity and sustainability, new methods of access, open source, and ICT and SMEs. He is also engaged in research and documentation of best practices from the region in specific thematic areas related to access, governance, and sustainability.

Prior to APDIP, James was involved in broad areas of initiatives encompassing development and promotion of ICT via strategic partnerships with ministries, regional corporations and international civil society organizations. James graduated with a Master in International Studies (Politics) from University of Sheffield (United Kingdom) as a British Chevening scholar. James pursued his honours degree from University Sains Malaysia. He can be reached at james@apdip.net.

Phet SAYO
Phet is the Programme Specialist for Building Capacities and Partnerships at APDIP. In the area of Building Capacities, Phet is responsible for researching and developing innovative projects and programmes focused on institutional and human resource development through partnerships with educational institutions, the private sector, and development agencies involved in ICT. Phet is also the APDIP focal point for the UNDP APDIP-Cisco Networking Academy Programme, and the UNDP-Cisco Least Developed Countries initiative. Phet has experience with conducting e-Readiness assessments, IT training and support, and is interested in the areas of Open Source/Content Localization and e-Learning as enablers for development.

Phet holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has been involved in ICT for development in the South-East Asia region for the last four years. Phet worked two years in Hanoi, Vietnam, as a project manager of an ICT network project for VACVINA, a local NGO affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam.

Prior to APDIP, Phet was based in Vientiane, Lao PDR, working as a consultant for UNDP Laos on assisting the government with the development of ICT initiatives and pilot projects. He can be reached at phet@apdip.net.

Chanuka WATTEGAMA
Chanuka is the Programme Specialist for ICT4D, based in Sri Lanka at the UNDP Regional Centre Colombo.  His role is to run ICT4D projects, while assisting the different clusters at the Regional Centre Colombo in the areas of  Poverty Reduction, MDGs, Trade Relationships, HIV/AIDS, Gender Empowerment, etc.

Prior to APDIP, Chanuka has worked in both public sector and private sector organisations including the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka, the apex govt body in Sri Lanka for ICT activities. He has also worked as a senior researcher at LIRNEasia.

Chanuka Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics engineering from University of Mangalore and a Masters of Business Administration degree from University of Colombo. He can be reached at chanuka@apdip.net

Khairil YUSOF
Khairil is an IT Consultant at APDIP. He is responsible for the IT infrastructure at APDIP. He is also responsible for development of APDIP's websites.

Khairil's primary interests are in the areas of IT capacity building through use of Open Source software. Prior to joining APDIP, he was a Senior Systems Consultant at an IT company in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was responsible for the design and implementation of various software development projects using Open Source software.

Khairil holds a Bachelor in Economics from the Australian National University. He can be reached at khairil@apdip.net.