Mario Maniewicz began his second term as Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau (BR) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023.
He first took office in January 2019, following his election at the at ITU's 2018 Plenipotentiary Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and was re-elected at the 2022 Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest, Romania.
Mr Maniewicz is an electronics engineer specialized in telecommunications. He has been with ITU for over 30 years, holding various management positions in the Radiocommunication and Development Bureaux as well as in ITU Regional Offices.
From 2014 to 2018, he was the Deputy Director of ITU's Radiocommunication Bureau (BR), where he assisted the Director of the BR, Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academia in the vital function of global management of the radiofrequency spectrum and satellite orbits. He also headed the Informatics, Administration and Publication Department, was the overall organizer of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) and played a key role in WRC-15 serving as the Secretary of the Conference.
From 2011 to 2014, he was the Chief of the Infrastructure, Enabling Environment and E-Applications Department in ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), where he directed the assistance to developing countries in bridging the digital divide by promoting the use of ICT-based networks, services and applications, while ensuring the use of appropriate technologies to build or extend their information and communication infrastructure, as well as adapt to the rapidly changing telecommunication/ICT environment. He also led activities aimed at providing guidelines and tools for the development of policy and regulatory frameworks, financing policies and development strategies. This included promotion of pervasive broadband deployment, transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, spectrum management and monitoring, as well as well as other areas of ICT development such as deployment of telecommunication and IP-based networks and use of reliable and cost-effective ICT applications while enhancing cyber-security. In addition, he promoted access and use of telecommunications and ICTs for groups that have been marginalized in their access to current mainstream ICT services, including women, youth, indigenous people, persons with disabilities and people living in remote communities.
From 2007 to 2011, he was the Chief of BDT's Policies and Strategies Department, where he led the development of telecommunications and ICT policies and regulations to assist developing countries in promoting investment and enhancing their networks and services. He was also responsible for the organization of the Global Symposium for Regulators, and he enhanced the event by incorporating the Chief Regulatory Officers and the Regional Regulatory Associations meetings. He directed other activities in the policy and regulatory domain, as well as in the areas of ICT statistical data collection and analysis, Internet and IP networks development, and human capacity building.
From 2000 to 2007, he was the Head of the BDT's Human Capacity Building Division, where he designed strategies and implemented projects on training, human resources management and development, organizational development, and managerial development for telecommunications. He also assisted governments, regulators, and operators of developing countries in the definition of their organizational and managerial strategies and policies, the identification of their Human Resource and Organizational Development needs, including training of top-level managers in modern management and competitive transformation related aspects.
From 1993 to 2000, he was Regional Administrator at ITU's Brazil Regional Office, where he managed projects in various fields such as rural telecommunication development, frequency management and monitoring, transformation of the telecommunication sector, strengthening of regulatory agencies and transformation of telecommunication operators, among others. He also played a key role in the definition of policies and regulatory frameworks for the opening of the telecommunication sector to competition in the Americas Region.
From 1990 to 1993, he was Regional Administrator at ITU's Chile Area Office, where he managed projects for the modernization and reorganization of incumbent telecommunication operators in the Americas Region. He also attended to the sectorial development needs of the countries in the region.
From 1988 to 1990, he was Regional Expert at ITU's Field Office in Peru, where he was responsible for the assistance to operators and regulators in developing and implementing methodologies for production and delivery of modular training in telecommunications. He also assisted countries in the region to prepare their top managers to face the changes in the sector, such as convergence and competition.
From 1987 to 1988, he was the Director of ANTEL (Telecommunications Operator of Uruguay) Training Centre
From 1985 to 1987, he was Telecommunication Engineer at ANTEL
From 1979 to 1985, he was Engineering Assistant at ANTEL
From 1984 to 1986, he was Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering of Uruguay's Universidad de la República, for the chair of Electronics & Circuits, as well as for the chair of Circuits & Electric Measurements
