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Egyptian software exec is ICANN’s new CEO

Kevin Murphy, June 22, 2012, 14:12:40 (UTC), Domain Policy

ICANN has named Fadi Chehade as its new CEO.
Lebanon-born Chehade is a California-based software industry executive currently CEO of Vocado, a maker of educational software.
“I’m here because I owe the internet everything I’ve achieved to date,” he said at a press conference (ongoing).
He’s not due to take over until October 1. Until then, COO Akram Atallah will hold the reins, ICANN confirmed.
Chehade has known Atallah since they were kids — they used to be in the same boy scout troop, he said — and they worked together at Core Objects, where Chehade was CEO.
ICANN chairman Steve Crocker pointed to Chehade’s role as founder of RosettaNet, a supply chain software standards consortium, as evidence of his experience of consensus-building work.


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Comments (4)

  1. Sameh says:

    Is he Egyptian or Lebanese? Either way, it’s always great to hear about successful Arabian people.

    • Kevin Murphy says:

      The press conference was going on while I was halfway out the door to Prague; apologies for the confusion.
      I believe he’s a naturalized American who was born in Lebanon and grew up in Egypt. He’s a citizen of all three.

  2. Sean White says:

    It certainly looks like a CoreObjects alumni going on here – maybe the ICANN Board is hoping for a CoreObjects-like quick turn-around for ICANN.
    But wait – Atallah has been the ICANN COO for almost 2 years, which is longer than the time he took in “turning around” CoreObjects (he was there for a year). Or was it Atallah or Chehade turned CoreOjbects around? Never mind. ICANN got both of them now.
    Also wouldn’t be surprised if more of their former colleagues joining them soon though – maybe the husband of Ms Maguy Serad (head of ICANN Compliance). According to LinkedIn, Mr Serad was a SVP for Business Development at CoreOjects and the couple have a track record of working for the same company.
    Happy reunion…

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