Rene Adrian Bustillo
Associate — MS, BS, Attorney
Mr. Bustillo is an expert in telecommunications law and regulation with broad experience in the fields of Project Management, Strategic Planning of Public Sector Reform, Telecom Operations, ICT, and Internet & Network Services. He has spent most of his career working on Telecom and ICT issues in Bolivia and in other Latin American countries.
During his 22-year professional career, Mr. Bustillo worked at several posts at SITTEL (Bolivia's top Telecom Regulatory Authority). In January 2003, he was appointed Superintendent of Telecommunications of SITTEL (rank equivalent to Minister) by the President of Bolivia to carry forward the telecom sector reforms implanted since 1995. While he was Superintendent he reordered and rearranged Electromagnetic Frequency Assignments, devised Public Tender Regulation for Licensing, implemented multi-carrier selection scheme for long-distance, established ITU Fundamental Technical Plans, restructured the institution with a focus on consumer and market protection, settled disputes between operators, obtained recognition at regional level, certified main regulatory processes for ISO 9001:2000, carried out successful auction processes for new services and mobile, launched ENTEL's Internet Services nationwide, participated in ENTEL's privatization process and was instrumental in restructuring the largest Bolivian fixed-line operator (COTEL) from bankruptcy through intervention.
As Superintendent of Telecommunications, he was a key player in setting up Bolivia's National Strategy for ICTs, presented at the 2005 Information Society Summit in Tunisia. Many of the activities performed by the regulatory agency in Bolivia aimed at developing the ICT sector in rural areas, and Mr. Bustillo fostered the development of programs such as telecenters, computers for schools, and roundtable discussions with civil society, government, and industry for preparation of the so-called "digital agenda" in the country. He has also worked for the largest telecom operator in Bolivia, Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (ENTEL) and held several positions, including Data Networks Division Chief.
Mr. Bustillo also worked as Spectrum Management Consultant in Colombia where he was responsible for providing a diagnostic of the current regulatory regime and evaluating existing policies and proposing options and alternatives for the Ministry of Communications and the telecom regulator (CRT) to establish a new policy and regulatory framework. He also prepared a study about Broadband technologies, convergence, and regulatory situation for REGULATEL, performing a country-by-country diagnostic of the broadband regulatory regime and recommending regulatory and normative measures.
He is both an Engineer and a registered Attorney, having graduated as Electrical Engineer Cum Laude from Utah State University (U.S.), with a Master's Degree in Computer Systems Design from the University of Houston-Clear Lake (U.S.), and holds a Degree in Civil Law from "Franz Tamayo" University (Bolivia). Mr. Bustillo is also a university professor for ninth and tenth semester courses for Data Communication and Project Assessment/Counseling, at the Electrical Engineering School of the Universidad Mayor de San Andres (UMSA) in Bolivia. He is frequently invited to speak in forums and workshops in fields related to sector regulation and infrastructure, telecommunications, and ICT development. Mr. Bustillo is a dual citizen (U.S. and Bolivian), and speaks Spanish (Native Proficiency), English (Advanced Professional Proficiency), and German (General Proficiency).