Emerging Leaders of Tech Q&A: Nathan Stathis
Pictured: Nathan Stathis.
Nathan Stathis is the winner of the 2024 International Institute of Communications (IIC) Future Leaders Competition for his essay on ‘twin transition’. We spoke to Nathan about the future of technology, including sustainability and policy implications, as well as what advice he has for young professionals advancing in the tech industry.
Your winning essay in the IIC 2024 Future Leaders Competition highlighted the significance of the twin transition for society. Can you explain what the twin transition is and why you believe this approach is essential for the future?
The twin transition is an acknowledgement that society could go through a simultaneous digital and green transition. To understand the twin transition we first need to look at both digital and green transitions independently. A digital transition is transforming society and the economy through the adoption and diffusion of digital technologies, such as information and communication technologies (ICTs), artificial intelligence (AI), or blockchain. Similarly, a green transition is underway shift to a low-carbon, circular, and resilient economy and society that minimizes the environmental impacts and maximizes the climate benefits of human activities. At face value, it appears that both goals are in opposition, as often expansions in technology lead to a larger carbon footprint and it is important to explore avenues where both can be achieved for the betterment of society.
In your essay, you also explored the policy implications and mechanisms required to enable a successful twin transition. What key policy developments do you think are necessary to drive this transformation?
Regulation is a powerful driver when it comes to outcomes for society and for economics. It can help, hinder, hasten, or slow key outcomes. Strictly speaking, introduction of a carbon cost has shown to be the most effective method for driving towards a greener future, while it presents as a financial penalty it also opens an opportunity for industries to collaborate, innovations to emerge, and enhance sustainable market competition. The avenue to secure a twin transition is policy frameworks that use technology to leverage green transitions either directly or indirectly. For example, the communications sector has a 0.4 per cent contribution to overall greenhouse gas emissions, however, when the sector is leveraged by the energy, materials, and transport sectors, which are significantly larger contributors overall, it can help accelerate their green transitions by up to 20 per cent.
You spoke on a panel at the IIC Annual Conference on sustainability in tech. The conference unites stakeholders from the telecom, media and tech communities to discuss industry challenges. Can you tell us about that experience?
This was the first time the IIC had a panel on sustainability in their annual conference, no pressure! That said, I found it quite a humbling experience. I spoke on the commitments countries had made towards net-zero, the global progress towards those targets, and the role of the communications sector in enabling, accelerating, and participating in achieving those targets.
Following the panel discussion, the floor was opened for questions. I was most nervous about this segment as predicting what questions might come is like gazing into a crystal ball but it ended up being a fruitful discussion. We received feedback that not only was the session a highlight, but that sustainability should become a topic of focus for future conferences. High praise indeed.
What was your biggest takeaway from the Conference and why?
The biggest takeaway was seeing sustainability move from the sidelines to the mainstage of tech policy. Sharing the IIC panel with Andrea Millwood Hargrave, Nina Cummins, Xavier Merlin, and Yoonee Jeong (distinguished and experienced leaders from diverse fields) made it clear: the conversation isn’t just about greener kit, it’s about the systems that link innovation, competition, and consumer outcomes. That matters because the sector’s footprint is small, but our enablement is massive. With the right incentives and measurement, connectivity can help other industries avoid significant emissions. Leaving Bangkok, I felt optimistic: regulators are building the bridges, now industry needs to cross them with transparency and speed.
As a young leader in the technology space, what advice would you give to young professionals looking to get involved in the industry?
To start with, the technology space is very broad. There are opportunities in many areas such as technical, regulatory, customer focused, branding, research, and more. Adding to that, there are an endless list of companies, groups, and organisations playing in a wide variety of niches. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start. My advice is to start with you. What makes you tick? What inspires you? What brings you joy? What are you genuinely good at? Where are your curiosities? Answering these questions helps to make the choice of where to start, a lot simpler.
Read Nathan’s winning essay here. auDA Policy Advisor Zain Ul Abedin was also a finalist in the 2024 IIC Future Leaders Competition. You can find Zain’s essay and those other finalists here.
You can also learn more about auDA’s commitment to operating in an environmental and socially responsible way in our Sustainability Framework summary, which sets out auDA’s focus areas across environment, social sustainability and governance through to 2029-30.
auDA is a member of the IIC. Learn more about the IIC and ways to get involved on their website.