Denmark names first ever tech ambassador

NordenBladet — Earlier this year, the Danish Foreign Minister announced that Denmark would appoint an ambassador for technology and digitization (‘tech ambassador’), the very first of its kind. The tech ambassador is going to lead a new Danish foreign policy initiative, ‘tech diplomacy’ (or #TechPlomacy). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now names Denmark’s current ambassador to Indonesia, Mr. Casper Klynge, as tech ambassador.

Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen says: “I am happy that we have today named a tech ambassador with the right profile. It is crucial that Denmark positions itself ambitiously in the exponential tech development taking place these years. Technology and digitization is global in its essence, and it has profound impact on all aspects of our society. The tech ambassador will spearhead our efforts to establish a more comprehensive dialogue with a broad spectrum of tech actors – companies, research institutions, countries, cities and organizations. Both in order to plug-in and get a better understanding of the development internationally, and to promote Danish interests and values on this important agenda. We have experienced great interest in this new Danish initiative, also from the tech environment. The perspectives are very promising.”The tech ambassador will be based in Silicon Valley, California, but will have a global mandate to promote the tech agenda internationally and is therefore expected to frequently visit global tech hubs as well as engage actively with stakeholders in Denmark.

Background: Mr. Casper Klynge has broad international experience from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international organizations. He has worked with both foreign and security policy, development cooperation, export promotion as well as a range of sector policies in cooperation with a broad range of ministries, authorities and the private sector. He has been actively engaged on the tech and digitization agenda and has also been writing on the subject. Casper Klynge officially takes up the tech ambassador task after the summer. He will be supported by a staffed setup in Silicon Valley and a secretariat in the Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen.

Source: um.dk
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