Nominating Committee Announces Nominees to Be Seated at [...]

Marina del Rey, California, USA (16 June 2003) – After an intense period of outreach, consultation, recruitment, and evaluation, the Nominating Committee (NomCom) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced today its final and unanimous selection of three "slates" of Nominees for three of ICANN's leadership bodies: the Board of Directors, the Council of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), and the new Interim At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC). The Nominees will join the already-seated members of these bodies during the ICANN Meeting in Montreal, Canada, 22-26 June 2003.

ICANN is a non-profit organization responsible for coordinating the global Internet's systems of unique identifiers, including the systems of domain names and numeric addresses that are used to reach all computers on the Internet. ICANN's mission is to ensure the stable and secure operation of these unique identifier systems, which are vital to the Internet's operation. In addition, ICANN coordinates policy development related to these technical functions. For more information, see ICANN's website.

"We are delighted that so many excellent Candidates from all five geographic regions participated in this first NomCom Process," said Nominating Committee Chair and spokesperson Linda Wilson. "It reflects the Internet community's impressive array of talent, experience, and willingness to undertake these volunteer leadership roles essential to ICANN's evolution and performance goals."

The Nominees:

Slate 1: ICANN Board

• Term: Conclusion of 26 June 2003 ICANN meeting – conclusion of Annual Meeting 2003
  • Masanobu Katoh (Japan - Asia/Australia/Pacific)
  • Veni Markovski (Bulgaria/Macedonia - Europe)
  • Hualin Qian (China - Asia/Australia/Pacific)
• Term: Conclusion of 26 June 2003 ICANN meeting – conclusion of Annual Meeting 2004
  • Ivan Moura Campos (Brazil - Latin America/Caribbean islands)
  • Vinton Cerf (U.S.A. - North America)
  • Tricia Drakes (U.K. - Europe)
• Term: Conclusion of 26 June 2003 ICANN meeting – conclusion of Annual Meeting 2005
  • Thomas Niles (U.S.A - North America)
  • Njeri Rionge (Kenya - Africa)
• Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2003 – conclusion of Annual Meeting 2006
  • Hagen Hultzsch (Germany - Europe)
  • Veni Markovski (Bulgaria/Macedonia - Europe)
  • Hualin Qian (China - Asia/Australia/Pacific)

Slate 2: GNSO Council

• Term: From Notification of selection – conclusion of the Annual Meeting 2004
  • Amadeu Abril i Abril (Spain - Europe)
• Term: From Notification of selection – conclusion of the Annual Meeting 2005
  • Demi Getschko (Brazil - Latin America/Caribbean islands)
  • Alick Wilson (New Zealand - Asia/Australia/Pacific)

Slate 3: Interim At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC)

• Term: From Notification of selection – conclusion of the Annual Meeting 2004
  • Roberto Gaetano (Italy - Europe)
  • Kenneth Hamma (U.S.A. - North America)
• Term: From Notification of selection – conclusion of the Annual Meeting 2005
  • Sunday Folayan (Nigeria - Africa)
  • Toshifumi (Tommy) Matsumoto (Japan - Asia/Australia/Pacific)
  • Tadao Takahashi (Brazil - Latin America/Caribbean islands)

Biographical information on the 2003 Nominees for these positions is available on the www.icann.org/en/groups/nomcomnominee-biographies-16jun03.htm = Nominating Committee's nominee biographies webpage.

In response to its www.icann.org/en/groups/nomcomformal-call-05apr03.htm = 5 April 2003 Formal Call, the Nominating Committee received 115 recommendations of potential candidates from all over the world. Out of 110 individuals who subsequently submitted a Statement of Interest, NomCom selected 17 outstanding individuals for staggered terms in the leadership roles as ICANN implements its organizational restructuring. The terms range from five to forty-one months in length. Nine individuals were selected to serve on the Board of Directors. Five individuals were selected for the Interim At-Large Advisory Committee (which coordinates participation by individual Internet users in ICANN's activities), and three individuals were selected for the Council of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (which develops policy concerning domain names in generic top-level domains such as .com, .net, .org, .info, and .biz).

The Nominating Committee was asked to find high-caliber, experienced, open-minded women and men with integrity, sound judgment, and objectivity. "We used a holistic approach, focusing on the careful selection of slates of Candidates with complementary skills and perspectives who fulfilled the ICANN criteria and eligibility requirements," Wilson explained, "and we kept all the Candidates in consideration until the final slates were chosen."

Through these strategies the Nominating Committee pursued its dual charge: to balance the other ICANN leadership selection processes which are based on Supporting Organizations and Constituencies and to help ensure that ICANN can benefit from the leadership of the women and men of the highest integrity and capability who place the public interest ahead of any particular interests. These carefully selected slates will help ICANN ensure functional, cultural, and geographic diversity in its policy development and decision-making as the Internet itself evolves.

The Nominating Committee:

An independent Nominating Committee is a key element of the newly reformed ICANN structure. It is composed of a diverse set of individuals chosen by the groups and entities that make up ICANN and by various Internet Standards-Development Organizations. The Nominating Committee is charged to act in the interests of the global Internet community rather than in accord with specific interests. It is presently responsible for selecting 8 of fifteen Board Directors, 5 of fifteen Interim ALAC Members, and 3 of fifteen GNSO Council Members.

Nominating Committee Selection Statistics:

Total Number of Candidates: 110

Geographic Distribution:

Candidate Citizenship:

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Uganda, UK, USA and Zimbabwe.

Nominee Citizenship:

Brazil, Bulgaria/Macedonia, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Spain, UK and USA.

Gender Distribution:

Recommendations Received:

Total Number of Recommendations: 115
Total Number of Recommendees: 96
Total Number of Recommendees who submitted a Statement of Interest: 45
Percentage of Recommendees who submitted a Statement of Interest: 47%