Over the past twenty-five years, Nele has been driving digital transformation and public sector modernisation around the globe, in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. She has been advising higher public sector leaders but has also hands-on experience in the design and implementation of large-scale digitalisation initiatives. In her current role as the Team Lead of Knowledge Hub Digital, for the European Commission she supports the EU in the planning and implementation of global digital cooperation and partnerships. 

Previously, in 2020-2024 she served as the Ambassador at Large for Digital Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, being responsible for the establishment and management of Estonia’s digital diplomacy. In that role, she co-lead the GovStack Initiative and co-founded Women in GovTech Challenge. Apart from public sector work, she has experienced the life of academia, private sector, and international organisations such as the UN and the OECD. She is a member of the Global Future Council on GovTech and DPI of the World Economic Forum and chairs the Digital Cooperation and Diplomacy Network. 

Nele holds a PhD in political and social sciences from the European University Institute (EUI), and lectures on technology policy and tech diplomacy.