Chalaby named next ICANN chair

Cherine Chalaby is to be the next chair of ICANN.

In a case of burying the lede extreme even by ICANN standards, current chair Steve Crocker announced the news in the 11th paragraph of a blog post entitled “Chairman’s Blog: The Montevideo Workshop Wrap-Up” this evening.

Crocker wrote: “the Board had an opportunity to participate in the discussion of the Board’s future leadership, and have indicated unanimous support for the future election of Cherine Chalaby as the next Chair of the ICANN Board.”

No formal election has happened yet, but the board decided to come to a consensus on which way they will vote anyway.

Chris Disspain has been selected future vice-chair using the same informal process, Crocker wrote.

The actual raising of hands will take place during the board’s Annual General Meeting in Abu Dhabi at ICANN 60 in early November.

Chalaby was born in Egypt, also holds British citizenship, and lives in ICANN’s home town of Los Angeles.

He’s the first ICANN chair to come from the financial services world, having served a career at Accenture before joining Rasmala Investments.

He’s been a member of the ICANN board since the Nominating Committee selected him in December 2010 and was elected vice-chair a few years back.

His stint as chair will not be long. I believe he’s term-limited and will have to step aside at the end of 2019.

Crocker, an early internet pioneer, has been chair since 2011. No doubt ICANN is planning a big send-off for him at ICANN 60.

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Tagged: abu dhabi, ICANN, icann 60