Leadership & Expertise

Head Policy Planner

Dr. Abiola Inniss
Ph.D., Public Policy and Administration (Walden University)
LL.M., Master of Laws (DeMontfort University)

Dr. Abiola Inniss is the Head Policy Planner of the Inniss Institute and one of the Caribbean’s leading authorities on digital governance, intellectual property, and cultural rights. With more than a decade of regional leadership—including ten years as the founder and Executive Director of the Caribbean and Americas Intellectual Property Organization (CAAIPO)—she has shaped the region’s modern IP identity and laid the groundwork for today’s conversations on digital sovereignty and cultural data governance.

Her work integrates legal scholarship, public policy design, and hands‑on implementation. She is widely recognized for developing influential frameworks such as data nullius and the digital plantation, which have informed global discussions on digital extractivism and the economic value of cultural and data assets in the Global South.

Dr. Inniss authored the widely circulated CARICOM policy brief on digital sovereignty and AI governance, which reframed regional policy discussions around cultural rights, economic justice, and Caribbean‑first digital futures. She continues to advise governments, cultural institutions, and regional bodies on licensing, benefit‑sharing, regulatory readiness, and digital governance strategy.

Her leadership at the Inniss Institute focuses on designing implementable policy solutions, developing pilot projects, and building institutional capacity across the Caribbean and the wider Global South. She has presented at international policy forums, published in peer‑reviewed journals, and contributed to public scholarship through op‑eds, podcasts, and policy briefs.

Areas of Expertise

• Digital governance and AI policy

• Intellectual property and cultural rights

• Data sovereignty and benefit‑sharing

• Licensing frameworks and economic value creation

• Institutional capacity building

• Policy research, analysis, and implementation

• Cultural heritage protection in the digital age

• Global South digital economy development

Advisory Network

The Inniss Institute collaborates with a network of regional and international experts in:

• Law and public policy

• Cultural heritage and archives

• Technology and data governance

• Development policy and institutional reform

• Creative economy and rights management

Institutional Engagements

The Institute’s work builds on a decade of leadership and engagement with:

• CARICOM and regional policy bodies

• The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)

• Cultural institutions and national archives

• Academic and research institutions

• Global South development partners

How We Work With Institutions

The Institute supports governments, cultural bodies, and development partners through:

• Strategic advisory services

• Policy research and analysis

• Pilot design and implementation

• Licensing and benefit‑sharing frameworks

• Capacity‑building workshops and executive briefings

• Institutional readiness and governance assessments