Filiz Yılmaz is the Director of Business Development Interconnection EMEA at Equinix, leading the development of long-term interconnection strategies, eco-systems of interconnection, identifying investment and partnership opportunities and technology trends driving the evolution of digital infrastructure in the region. 

Filiz has worked in the technology sector over two decades, beginning her career developing early internet services in her native Türkiye in late 90s, before moving to Amsterdam Netherlands. After holding senior roles at RIPE NCC, ICANN and Akamai Technologies, she took on consulting roles with a variety of Internet infrastructure providers and interconnection facilitators prior to joining Equinix. 

Throughout her career Filiz has been an active contributor to the Internet community. She has held numerous volunteer positions relating to Internet governance, policy and coordination, including the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), the ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO) Advisory Council (AC) and IANA Review Committee, the RIPE Programme Committee and the Türkiye Chapter of the Internet Society. Filiz is a regular Guest Colloquia lecturer in the System and Network Engineering Programme of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and is a former member of the programme’s Ethics Committee.