ITAA president: Treat industry as 'full partner'

Phil Bond, president and chief executive officer of the Information Technology Association of America, called on leaders of developing countries to treat the private sector “as a full partner, not as a junior partner.” And he urged them to create business conditions that promote the growth of the Internet.

Bond made his remarks during an address to the first Internet Governance Forum in Athens, Greece, Oct. 30.

The forum “should be a venue to discuss creating the world environment for connecting the next billion users by the end of the decade,” Bond said.

He said ingredients for fostering innovation in any country are the development of communications infrastructure, support for the free flow of information and robust private-sector participation. He also emphasized the importance of exchanging information, engaging in public/private partnerships and sharing best practices among a diverse group of interested parties.

Bond said the world will spend more than $3 trillion this year on information and communications technology goods and services.

Bond is also president of the World IT and Services Alliance, a consortium of 67 IT associations worldwide. ITAA is its secretariat.