Nick Ashton-Hart Email & Phone Number

New York, New York, United States

Geneva Area, Switzerland

The only dedicated representative of global industry to the Geneva international community on digital trade and economic policy, and the key adviser for senior international civil servants, Ambassadors and their ministers and visiting capital-based experts. Contributes to the drafting of WTO Members’ positions and attends the 86-country trade negotiations on the digital economy at the WTO. DTN focuses on digital trade policy and the role it has in fostering economic sustainable development.

London, England, United Kingdom

Represents global industry to the UN General Assembly’s cyber policy negotiations and the negotiation of a global convention on cybercrime as the only New York based representative of the International Chamber of Commerce network. Lead negotiator for the UK and the European region’s 46 member-states on key economic policy issues at the International Telecommunications Union’s major intergovernmental meetings with more than 10 years on the United Kingdom delegation to the ITU with increasingly significant negotiating mandates.

New York City Metropolitan Area

Providing tailored representation, strategy development, and advisory services to multinational corporate and governmental clients in world trade law, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and international telecommunications policy. For example, as Adviser for Digital Trade Policy at the UN Conference on Trade and Development in 2016 and 2017, responsible for organising the world’s first trade ministerial of developing countries on the digital economy.

Geneva Area, Switzerland And Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Supported the activities of UNCTAD in leveraging digital trade for development in various ways from supporting UNCTAD's major conferences on the subject to political support more generally to member-state delegations in their policy formulation processes

Geneva, Switzerland

Responsible for representing CCIA’s member companies to the United Nations, its specialised agencies, and UN member-states in Geneva. Duties included intellectual property discussions at the World Intellectual Property Organisation, representing the ICT sector’s views on electronic commerce at the World Trade Organisation and UNCTAD, and the work of the Human Rights Council on Internet issues. Worked with the US and Australian WTO Ambassadors to recruit WTO Member states to join what became the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) negotiations.

Geneva, Switzerland

Advisor to Google, Inc. for strategic relationship development with the world’s foremost musical artists for YouTube and Google Play. Acted as a cross-departmental resource helping the company develop its approaches to international copyright licensing policy and relationships with IP leaders in governments around the world. Served as liaison between Google and the World Intellectual Property Organisation and negotiated a strategic partnership between the two to work on the International Music Registry (IMR).

Geneva Area, Switzerland

ICANN views increasing participation across all stakeholder communities as a strategic priority. This means recruiting new participants, and new communities of interests who are not presently involved, but also to empower existing volunteer communities so that all feel their time spent with ICANN is increasingly valuable and effective. This position is responsible for all ICANN’s participation mechanisms, from public comment processes to meetings to publications.

London, United Kingdom & Geneva Area, Switzerland

Responsible for the delivery of supporting services and management of staff associated with the At-Large (individual Internet users) constituency of ICANN, the international not-for-profit organisation which is responsible for the top-level management of the Internet domain name and number system. A complex role involving the employment of diplomatic, organisational development, and consensus-facilitation for stakeholders throughout the world and from all different socio-economic backgrounds, as well as providing strategic advice to the senior staff of the organisation. The position entails responsibility for a seven-figure budget and associated staff. My tenure began as a consultant, with my appointment to Director being made in January 2007.

London, United Kingdom

Responsible for all aspects of operation and service provision for this boutique consulting firm providing policy representation services to consumer representatives, online civil rights NGOs, intellectual property rights holders, think tanks and Fortune 50 enterprises, as well as international industry trade associations.

London, United Kingdom

Responsible senior executive of the worldwide umbrella non-governmental organisation representing the interests of popular musicians/composers and their managers, reporting directly to the Secretary General and the Council. Main representative for the organisation with the United Nations and its specialised agencies, UN member state delegations at all levels, the European Commission and Parliament, and other international NGOs. Successfully organised opposition to a treaty that would have given broadcasters overlapping copyright in their transmissions to the detriment of other rights-holders.

London, United Kingdom

Responsible for all aspects of the professional careers of some of the music world’s most successful and influential featured artists, from James Brown (“The Godfather of Soul”) to Heaven 17. This included: directing global business operations that produced more than $60 million in annual revenues with over a million album sales yearly; negotiating with, and managing relationships with, major recording companies, concert promoters, music publishers, broadcasters, and others; and ‘repositioning’ artists using global PR campaigns.

Successfully managed this IT consultancy business, including relocating the business from the USA to the UK whilst growing revenues and customer relationships. Proven results as a senior consultant, helping companies of all sizes successfully develop and implement IT strategies to maximise strategic business advantage. Periodically served in a consulting capacity to selected clients, primarily when the engagement required acting as an interim IT Director/CTO/CIO. These engagements routinely involved decisions on large capital equipment and services purchasing, as well as management of dozens of IT staff in high-pressure environments undergoing rapid change. Often involved in the selection process of permanent staff to replace me in these interim posts. Proven track record in finding and implementing innovative, cost-effective solutions to a wide range of business issues. During my tenure as MD, the company never lost a client to a competitor or due to client dissatisfaction.

Greater San Diego Area

Successful management of the IT infrastructure for this successful US travel services business. Restructured antiquated IT systems and brought the benefits of the internet – email, group calendaring and wide area networking – at the dawn of the Internet age, providing a great advantage over competitors. Promoted on merit from Systems Administrator during my tenure.