Philip Thigo, MBS is a Technology and Public policy expert. He is the Executive Director for Africa for the Thunderbird School for Global Management, Special Envoy on Technology for Kenya and technical lead for Open Government for the Government of Kenya. He was recognized by Apolitical as one of the World's 100 most influential people in digital government in 2018 and by Africa Com as Africa's Top #100 Most #Influential African Leaders in #Technology and #Telecommunications in 2023. Mr. Thigo was in 2023 by the United Nations Secretary-General into his High Level Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence (HLAB). On 12th December, 2023 at Kenya’s 60th Independence day Anniversary, he was awarded a Presidential Commendation - Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S), for his distinguished service to the Country.
Mr. Thigo has been curating with the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Women Economic Empowerment and Financial Inclusion (WEE-FI) for Africa with the African Union. He Serves in multiple boards and roles - he is a founding steering committee member of the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES) - a global alliance on digital transformation for sustainability and climate action; national focal point for the Global Partnership on Sustainable Development Data, and Digital Earth Africa, in its Technical Advisory Committee; Sub-Regional Ambassador for the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), MercyCorps Agrifin Initiative, NASA's Earth Observations for SDGs (EO4SDGs), and the Chair of the Board of Mama Organization and Mtoto News.
Mr. Thigo has co-authored insight reports at the World Economic Forum Global Councils on Food Systems Innovation and the Global Councils on the 4th Industrial Revolution for Global Public Goods, He has also published with Social Watch, Foundation El Taller, Fetzer - Woodrow Wilson Institute of International Development, EISA, Limerick University amongst others.
Mr. Thigo has previously held executive positions in International Organizations, Non-Profit Organizations, and social ventures in Africa, MENA & Latin America where he has co-created initiatives such as Elections- Uchaguzi, Budget Tracking Tool for citizen engagement, and Sauti Yetu (Huduma) on public service delivery monitoring, #GOKInteracts for engaging high-level Government Officials.
Philip was honoured as a delegate at the 50th Anniversary of the Academy of Achievement.