Paul Budde

Paul Budde

Paul Budde Consulting, Australia

Paul Budde is the CEO of Paul Budde Consulting, an independent consultancy company. He specialises in the strategic planning of government and business innovation and transformation around the digital, sharing and interconnected economy, resulting in the building of smart cities and smart communities (including e-health, e-education, smart grids, smart transport and digital media).

Since his arrival in Australia in 1983 he has provided management consultancy services in the Asia Pacific region.

He was the adviser to the Minister for Broadband in Australia in relation to strategy and policy developments of the original National Broadband Network. He has been involved as an adviser in discussions on the national interest concept of smart infrastructure during meetings in the White House and with the FCC, the United Nations and the governments of the Netherlands, Australia, Britain, Qatar, Ireland and New Zealand.

He was the co-initiator of the UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development, and subsequently became special adviser to that organisation. He was also the lead author of a report, Broadband – A Platform for Progress, which was presented to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

He is a director of the Global Smart City and Community Coalition (GSC3), was the founder of Smart Grid Australia, is an advisor to the Australian Smart Communities Association and a founding board member of the Global Smart Grid Federation.

In 2017 he was awarded the prestigious Charles Todd Medal for services to the telecommunications industry.