Speakers

Philip Smith
Speaker/Instructor

Philip Smith
Speaker/Instructor
Philip Smith has been working in the Internet industry since the early
1990s after catching the Internet bug in the mid 1980s while at
University. He runs his own consulting company, PFS Internet
Development.
Philip spends some of his time working for the Network Startup
Resource Centre as a Senior Network Engineer and Training Coordinator,
assisting with Network Operations Groups coordination, and providing
network design assistance and training around the Pacific, South and
South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa. In 2023 he started
supporting the RouteViews Project for NSRC as Peering Coordinator.
He also consults for several organisations around the world. He is
Executive Director at APNOG, the parent organisation for the annual
APRICOT Summit. Philip also serves on committees of several NOGs.
Prior to NSRC, Philip spent a couple of years at APNIC; before then he
was a member of the Internet Infrastructure Group in CTO Consulting
Engineering of Cisco Systems for 13 years. Prior to joining Cisco in
1998, he worked at PIPEX (which became part of UUNET's global ISP
business), the UK's first commercial Internet Service Provider. He
was one of the first engineers working in the commercial Internet in
the UK, and played a key role in building the modern Internet around
the world. Philip has extensive technical and operational experience
with the ISPs, Service Providers and IXPs around the world. His areas
of experience include IPv6, BGP, OSPF/ISIS, network design,
configuration, scaling operations, peering, and training.
Philip was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in December 2021.
Philip has a PhD in Physics, is a native of Scotland, and lives in
Brisbane, Australia.

Tashi Phuntsho
Speaker/Instructor

Tashi Phuntsho
Speaker/Instructor
Tashi currently works as an Evangelist Optician for FLEXOPTIX (APAC Lead).
He comes with hands-on experience across Telecommunications and IP networks, having worked as a Transmission Engineer, IP Network Engineer and Lead IP Engineer for Bhutan Telecom.
Outside of his day job with FLEXOPTIX, Tashi also assists with NSRC workshops as Network Engineer/Trainer, especially at NOGs and other Direct Engineering Assistance engagements in the APAC region.
Tashi volunteers as a program committee for APRICOT, SANOG, Mongolia NOG (founding member), and Bhutan NOG (founding member).

Rupesh Shrestha
Speaker

Rupesh Shrestha
Speaker
Mr. Rupesh Shrestha brings over 27years of experience across various technical leadership roles. An Engineering graduate with an MBA, he has experience in the Internet, Software and BPO sector in Nepal and the Philippines. He now heads Kalash Services Pvt. Ltd, a leading BPO and IPTV platform provider in Nepal. He is the Chair of SANOG (South Asian Network Operators Group) and the CEO of Internet Exchange Nepal, NPIX. He has been actively engaging in regional Internet development through SANOG, APRICOT, APNIC, DotAsia etc.

Ulsbold Enkhtaivana
Speaker

Ulsbold Enkhtaivana
Speaker
Ulsbold is IP Network Manager at Mobicom Corporation in Mongolia, with over 15 years of expertise in designing, implementing, and maintaining IP networks. He has played an instrumental role in various projects, including the development of Mobicom's IP core transit network, IP/MPLS backbone, and the establishment of POP nodes in Hong Kong, Frankfurt, and Tokyo.
Ulsbold successfully enabled IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack infrastructure and implemented RPKI/ROV to enhance the company's network security. Lately deploying some automation in their network.
He is also a founding member and Program Committee member of mnNOG, actively contributing to APRICOT events.
As an APNIC Community Trainer, Ulsbold conducts training both locally and across the APNIC region, sharing his knowledge and expertise.

Namkha Zangpo
Speaker

Namkha Zangpo
Speaker
Namkha Zangpo is a network engineer at Tashi Infocomm Private Limited, Bhutan’s first private cellular company, with over five years of professional experience. Alongside his technical work in network operations and cybersecurity, he actively engages with Internet governance communities. Namkha has participated in numerous Internet Governance Forums (IGFs) to deepen his understanding of both the technical and policy dimensions of the internet.

Philip Paeps
Speaker

Philip Paeps
Speaker
Philip Paeps ("Trouble") is an independent consultant. He provides research and development on low-level software, network operations and infrastructure security. Philip has worked on operating system and application software running on HSMs, payment terminals, consumer electronics, industrial control systems and scientific instruments. He supports clients running critical internet infrastructure and widely deployed unconventional computing devices such as agricultural robots and signage for public transport. He has considerable operational experience with routing, security, DNS, DNSSEC and email.
Philip works with the RouteViews project and the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) to assist with network routing research, security and training. He is a regular presenter at numerous internet development and operations conferences around the world.
In his so-called free time, Philip contributes to the FreeBSD project. He is a cluster administrator and the project's postmaster as well as a member of the security-officer team.

Yoshinobu Matsuzaki
Speaker

Yoshinobu Matsuzaki
Speaker
Yoshinobu Matsuzaki, also known as ‘maz’, began his career working for a commercial ISP in Japan in 1998. He has two decades of network operation experience with the backbone network team. He has spoken and presented at btNOG, SANOG, APRICOT, JANOG and APNIC meetings, as well as other workshops.

Dave Phelan
Speaker

Dave Phelan
Speaker
Dave comes to APNIC having worked in the Australian ISP and MSP community for 20 years in roles as diverse as carrier transmission networks, to System Administration, to core, edge and customer networks. Having built a corporate ISP network from the ground up, he comes with an understanding of traps and pitfalls that most networks have, and do experience.

Manoj Adhikari
Speaker

Manoj Adhikari
Speaker
Manoj Adhikari aka MJ, is a seasoned ICT professional and the Founder of Consult With MJ, a consultancy dedicated to delivering end-to-end ICT infrastructure consulting, robust cybersecurity implementation, and digital transformation strategies tailored for the Bhutanese business environment. With over 15 years of diverse experience across the telecommunications, banking, and reinsurance sectors, MJ brings a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic management insights.
His career highlights include serving as Director - Projects at ABIT Private Limited, where he managed infrastructure and networking projects, and as Deputy General Manager and Chief Risk Officer at GIC-Bhutan Reinsurance Co. Ltd., where he established a complete IT infrastructure and successfully implemented enterprise risk management policies. MJ also held key technical and management roles at Huawei International Pte. Ltd., where he managed projects between Bhutan Telecom and TashiCell, and at TBANK LTD, focusing on Core Banking and system administration.
A firm believer in empowering local capacity, MJ promotes Starlink and remote connectivity optimization and actively mentors in-house teams on tech operations. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from RIM (University of Canberra) and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Sherubtse College (Delhi University).
Beyond his professional endeavors, MJ is a multi-talented individual, having represented Bhutan in national cricket and football teams, and is a former member of the Bhutan Network Operators' Group (btNOG). He is known for his problem-solving skills, project management acumen, and client-centric ethical service delivery, encapsulated by his slogan: "When MJ there, Do Not Fear".

Shamim Reza
Speaker

Shamim Reza
Speaker
Shamim Reza is a cybersecurity expert and technology evangelist with nearly two decades of experience in solution architecture, network security, DevSecOps, cloud security management, network management and automation, threat hunting, digital forensics and incident response (DFIR), and SOC/CSIRT deployment and operations, and GRC management. His focus is on solving problems and ensuring resilience in the cybersecurity domain.
As the Founder & Chief of Research of TheTeamPhoenix and an APNIC trainer, he focuses on hands-on, real-world capacity building through workshops, ML-driven threat detection research, and community-driven cybersecurity education across the APAC region. Shamim volunteers as a community trainer, sharing his knowledge.

Sebastian Büttrich
Speaker

Sebastian Büttrich
Speaker
Sebastian is a Research Lab Manager and Lecturer at the IT University of Copenhagen, and works with IoT, embedded/pervasive systems, wireless technology, open source / free software and sustainable energy, satellite connectivity, to build networks, systems, skills and capacity. He is also active as Trainer and Developer at Network Startup Research Center (NSRC), helping develop networks for research and education, especially in Asia and Africa, with emphasis on global integration and sustainability. Institutional Member of the LoRa-Alliance, he is active in the Alliance's Regulatory and Satellite LoRa workgroups. Sebastian holds a Ph.D. in quantum physics from the Technical University of Berlin in Germany, with a focus on optics, radio spectroscopy, photovoltaic systems and scientific programming.

Paresh Khatri
Speaker

Paresh Khatri
Speaker
Paresh Khatri is the CTO and Chief Architect for the IP Networks Division for Nokia Corporation in APAC. In this role, Paresh is responsible for formulating platform and architecture strategies to meet the varied demands of operators in the Asia-Pacific region. He has been responsible for architectural design for the largest IP transformation projects in the region, and is now working closely with service providers as they address the growing demand for scale and new services that will be enabled by the evolution to 5G/6G, AI workloads and the metaverse.
Paresh’s areas of expertise include the entire range of IP routing technologies and applications, from the network core to the access network. His current areas of interest include quantum-safe networking, 5G transport, coherent routing, network slicing, segment routing and other SDN technologies.
Paresh has more than 28 years of experience with both service providers and vendors in building carrier-grade IP/MPLS networks.
Paresh is a regular speaker at industry conferences in the APAC region and also actively participates in a number of telecommunications industry standards bodies.
Paresh holds a Bachelors of Electronic Systems Engineering (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Information Technology from the Queensland University of Technology.

Rabin Gautam
Speaker

Rabin Gautam
Speaker
Rabin Gautam is engaged in law enforcement with a strong focus on cybersecurity and network forensics. He actively contributes to national and international efforts to enhance cybersecurity, with particular emphasis on DNS-level security. Rabin has hands-on experience in analyzing cyber threats and managing network infrastructure. He actively engages in NOG communities across the APAC region and is passionate about building secure and resilient internet ecosystems through collaboration, training, and knowledge sharing.

Pratima Pradhan
Speaker

Pratima Pradhan
Speaker
Pratima Pradhan is the Deputy Chief ICT Officer with the BtCIRT, GovTech Agency, known for leading the development of the country’s National Cybersecurity Strategy, a foundational step in strengthening national cyber resilience. With a core role as a Cybersecurity Incident Handler, she brings hands-on expertise in responding to complex threats affecting critical infrastructure. Her experience also extends to supporting the formulation of ICT and cybersecurity legislation and policy frameworks, development of Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Roadmap and GovSOC strategy . She has led impactful initiatives such as the National Cyberdrill, Capture the Flag Challenge, and various technical training programs and cybersecurity advocacies. A strong advocate for operational collaboration, she also volunteers with the Bhutan Network Operators Group, contributing to community-led ICT capacity building and also being part of WomenInSTEM Bhutan.

Aftab Siddiqui
Speaker

Aftab Siddiqui
Speaker
Aftab Siddiqui is the Head of Stakeholder Relations at APNIC Foundation. He is based in Sydney, Australia. He has vast experience in the service provider sector, he spent almost a decade at one of the largest ISP in Pakistan in the network operations. His core area of expertise is Internet Routing and Routing Security.

Deki Wangmo
Speaker

Deki Wangmo
Speaker
Deki Wangmo is an ICT Officer at BtCIRT (Bhutan Computer Incident Response Team) under Government Technology Agency, with nearly three years of experience in the cybersecurity field. She focuses on strengthening national cybersecurity defenses, managing incident response, and implementing best practices to protect critical digital infrastructure. Deki holds SOC Analyst and Cybersecurity Analyst certifications from LetsDefend, enhancing her capability to detect, analyze, and respond effectively to cybersecurity threats. She also volunteers with BtNOG as part of the coordinating team, contributing to the growth of the local network operations community.

Brian Candler
Speaker/Instructor

Brian Candler
Speaker/Instructor
Brian Candler has 35+ years experience in product design, programming,
networking and systems architecture, and has worked with several large UK
ISPs. He is based just outside London in the UK.
Brian is now a systems architect and trainer with the Network Startup
Resource Center (NSRC), where he has been instrumental in developing the
NSRC Virtual Training Platform to provide students with hand-on practical
labs. He has delivered training courses, primarily in Africa and South East
Asia, across a range of topics including Campus Network Design, Network
Monitoring and Management, and Virtualization. He has also led, or been
involved in, a number of Direct Engineering Assistance activities.

Thomas Weible
Speaker

Thomas Weible
Speaker
Thomas Weible is the creative brain of FLEXOPTIX. A real rebel who dreams up innovations such as the FLEXBOX. He dives deep into the inner life of optics and loves experimenting on real-life problems with our customers. For more than 15 years he has been part of the internet community and has specialized in optical networking.

Dale Smith
Instructor

Dale Smith
Instructor
Dale Smith is the International Networking Coordinator at the Network Startup Resource Center at the University of Oregon. The Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) is a non-profit activity that has worked since the late 1980s to help develop and deploy networking technology in various projects throughout Asia/Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Partially funded by the National Science Foundation, the NSRC focuses on education and outreach capacity development in emerging regions. The NSRC provides technical and engineering assistance to international networking initiatives building access to the Internet, especially for academic/research institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Prior to joining the NSRC, Dale was the Director of Networking and Telecommunications at the University of Oregon. Over the course of his 40-plus year career at the University of Oregon, Dale worked to develop networking facilities for the University of Oregon and the surrounding region. He participated on the team that installed the first Internet connection in Oregon and led the group that designed, installed, and maintained the University of Oregon campus network.
Since 2006, Dale has been involved in the NSRC and has given numerous talks at International meetings and has taught in many workshops throughout the world. He has helped people build networks throughout Africa and South Asia and is widely recognized international expert as a campus network and national research and education network engineer.
From 2017 to 2024, Dale has also worked for the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), providing technical assistance, advice and guidance to the United States Tribal Colleges and Universities.
Dale received both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Oregon.

Damche Dorji
Asst.Instructor

Damche Dorji
Asst.Instructor
Damche Dorji is a Network Analyst at GDL with a Master’s degree in Computer Science. He has worked under Royal University of Bhutan prior to joining GDL in 2023. With over a decade of hands-on experience in switching, routing, and system management, he has been dedicated to designing and implementing reliable campus network infrastructures. He remains committed to continuous learning and welcomes emerging technologies that can help enhance connectivity and serve the broader community.

Hervey Allen
Instructor

Hervey Allen
Instructor
Assistant Director, Network Startup Resource Center
Hervey Allen works for the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC). The NSRC provides technical
information, engineering assistance, training, equipment, and educational materials to network
operators at research and education institutions and Internet Service Providers in emerging regions.
Over the past few years Hervey has done extensive organizing, coordinating and teaching in network
workshops and tutorials covering topics such as network monitoring and management, Unix system
administration, security best practices, DNSSEC, scalable network services, virtualization and campus network design.
These workshops have been held in over 40 countries around the world and have been part of events
such as APRICOT, APNIC, SANOG, AfNOG, PacNOG, WALC and multiple ccTLD trainings.
Before joining the NSRC Hervey graduated from the University of Oregon in Computer Science, and Pomona
College in Los Angeles, California in History of Science. He has run and built help desks at Pomona College
and the University of Oregon, was a Systems Engineer with Turbolinux, Inc. and worked with several
non-profit organizations building their technical infrastructure. Hervey is a member of several
coordinating and planning committees for larger Network Operator Group events, such as AfNOG, APRICOT
PAcNOG and SANOG and is a Team Chair for the Supercomputing Help Desk group

Jiwan Gurung
Asst. Instructor

Jiwan Gurung
Asst. Instructor
Jiwan, a Lecturer at the College of Science and Technology, Royal University of Bhutan, is a passionate advocate for technology's power. Drawing on a decade of practical experience in system and network management, he actively supports NOGs and other community-focused initiatives, aiming to share knowledge and develop critical ICT skills essential for thriving in today's rapidly changing digital environment.

Karma Jamyang
Speaker/Asst. Instructor/btNOG Co-Chair

Karma Jamyang
Speaker/Asst. Instructor/btNOG Co-Chair

Naveed Haq
Speaker

Naveed Haq
Speaker
I'm the Senior Director, Infrastructure and Connectivity, primarily working in the Asia-Pacific region. I have a professional passion for working with people and building internet infrastructure and networks to connect the unconnected. I have been fortunate to fulfill this appetite over the years, working with various communities in diverse capacities and through numerous projects.
I aspire to live in a world with an open Internet, music that comes bundled with a strong coffee, and a force that drives inclusion and collaboration.
I spend my free time at the gym, reading books, with friends, and watching cricket.

Jichen Thinley
Keynote/btNOG Chair

Jichen Thinley
Keynote/btNOG Chair
Jichen has been with Bhutan Telecom since 1989, serving in diverse roles. He contributed to establishing the telecom training unit, developing courses and instructing. He played a key role in launching Internet services in Bhutan and managed operations and maintenance for GSM mobile and Internet services. Jichen also served in the Corporate Planning and Strategy division and currently leads the Strategy Team in the Corporate Strategy Office. Additionally, he volunteered in forming btIX (Bhutan Internet Exchange) and btNOG (Bhutan Network Operators Group).