Ilda Simao

Ilda joined the Internet Society in 2008 as Office Manager, though her increased involvement with the Chapters and members’ activities led her to take over the responsibility of the Community Grants Programme in 2012. In 2015 that programme evolved to a Chapter funding programme, Beyond the Net.

Ilda manages the Beyond the Net programme from idea generation to project completion, she works with the applicants to identify the most innovative and impactful projects and follows up with them till the projects are completed.

Prior to joining ISOC, Ilda worked for seven years at Interwise, an e-learning and e-conferencing solutions company (today part of AT&T), as an Online Training Consultant, giving virtual trainings at companies such as Nestlé, Renault, and IMD.

Ilda started her career with Swisscom, the Swiss Telecoms company where she worked in the telephone enquiries, and where she had the privilege of being one of the first users of the world’s most successful pre-Internet online services, French Minitel. She has also a large experience in customer support services and sales at companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Motorola and Lloyds TSB Private Banking.

Passionate about people and cultures, Ilda has travelled in several continents. She speaks Portuguese, French, English, Spanish and some German. When she is not at work or travelling, she likes to spend time with her family hiking or going to the theater, where she also occasionally performs.

Ilda is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Image credit: © Jordi Ruiz Cirera/Panos