Minutes 60th Executive Board Meeting

Author: Paul Rendek
Date: 2008/01/25

Revision No.: 1.2
Status: Draft

Maintainer: Sabine Mader

Attendees
Dmitry Burkov, ICANN Liaison
Kees Neggers, Chairman
Jim Reid, Member
Nigel Titley, Secretary
János Zsakó, Treasurer

Sabine Mader, Assistant to the Managing Director, RIPE NCC
Axel Pawlik, Managing Director, RIPE NCC
Paul Rendek, Head of External Relations & Comms., RIPE NCC
Jochem de Ruig, Chief Financial Officer, RIPE NCC

Guests:
Rob Blokzijl, RIPE Chairman

AGENDA:

1. Agenda / Comments

1.1. Apologies, New Agenda Points

1.2. Approval of Previous Minutes, #58 & #59

1.3. Date of Next Meetings

(proposed: week 10-12, 3-20 March 2008; 14 May 2008, RIPE-56, Berlin)

2. Report from the RIPE NCC

3. Personnel Fund

4. Approval of Activity Plan 2008

5. Approval of Budget 2008

6. External Relations

6.1. ICANN / IANA

- Approval of letter of exchange

6.2. NRO

6.3. RIPE

7. Treasury Proposal

8. AOB

8.1. GM Minutes

9. Executive Session

Kees Neggers, RIPE NCC Chairman, opened the meeting on 11 December to approve the minutes of the Executive Board Meeting EB#59. The meeting then continued on 12 December starting at 11:45.

1. Agenda / Comments

No new agenda items were brought forward.

1.1. Apologies, New Agenda Points

No Apologies. All Board members were present.

1.2. Approval of Previous Minutes, #58 & #59

No Comments. Minutes approved.

1.3. Date of Next Meetings

The following meeting dates were agreed:

5 March 2008, 13:00 - Amsterdam, Lunch served at 12:00

7 May 2008, at RIPE 56 Meeting in Berlin

10-11 June 2008, at RIPE NCC offices in Amsterdam

2. Report from the RIPE NCC

Axel provided a short summary of the RIPE NCC report that was published to the Executive Board prior to the Executive Board meeting.

Jochem reported that the growth of New LIRs is continuous and very strong. There is no specific area or country that causes this growth. The expenses will be in line with the budget, the number of FTE will be slightly higher at year end then the budget. The overall financial result (surplus) of the RIPE NCC for the year 2007 is estimated to be approximately 1 million Euro.

3. Personnel Fund

Kees provided an update from the meeting of the Personnel Fund Board that took place on 11 December 2007. He reported that all Personnel Fund Board members agreed with the dissolution agreement between the RIPE NCC and the Personnel Fund. A formal signature is needed on the agreement from all Personnel Fund Board members and the Executive Board representatives.

There was discussion about the technicalities of the transfer of assets from the Personnel Fund to the RIPE NCC.

The Board briefly discussed the operational reserves of the RIPE NCC. The Board agreed to increase the reserves to a level of one operational year of expenses plus the amount of the Personnel Fund: 1.5 million EUR.

4. Approval of Activity Plan 2008

Axel proposed that the dissolution of the Personnel Fund to be reported in the RIPE NCC Annual Report as this was a more appropriate place to document this activity.

The Board discussed the final draft proposal. It was stated that no additional activities or services or other comment was proposed by the membership.

Axel asked the Board for their approval of the RIPE NCC Activity Plan 2008.

Draft Resolution: “The RIPE NCC Board approves the Activity Plan 2008 as presented in: RIPENCC-EBD349”.

The Board agreed to adopt the Activity Plan 2008.

5. Approval of Budget 2008

The Board reviewed the RIPE NCC Budget 2008 document.

Draft Resolution: "The RIPE NCC Board approves the Budget 2008 as presented in: RIPENCC-EBD369".

The Board agreed to adopt the RIPE NCC Budget 2008.

6. External Relations

6.1. ICANN / IANA

- Approval of letter of exchange

The Board approved the “Letter Exchange with ICANN”. The Board asked when the letters would be signed. Axel reported that the letters could be signed as early as next week.

The Board asked Axel to keep an archive of past versions of RIR documents that the Board must approve.

6.2. NRO

Axel reported that Paul Wilson of APNIC will be the Chairman of the NRO and that AfriNIC will act as the NRO Secretariat.

Axel stated that the NRO name is being used more often in government circles and in ICANN.

6.3. RIPE

The Board recommended that the RIPE 56 Meeting be held during the week of 5 May 2008.

7. Treasury Proposal

Jochem presented a proposal for future management of RIPE NCC cash reserves. The Board agreed to the principles and noted that liquidity is not a requirement. The various scenarios brought forward were discussed and the Board asked the RIPE NCC in close cooperation with Janos, the Treasurer, to set up a cash management system that guarantees the capital invested and maximises interest income. Each quarter the RIPE NCC and Janos will review the structure. The Board also agreed to discuss the RIPE NCC cash management structure in detail each year.

8. AOB

Jim asked whether there is a provision in the RIPE NCC employee contracts to address conflicts of interest. Axel confirmed that a conflict of interest clause exists in the RIPE NCC employee contracts.

8.1. GM Minutes

The Board reviewed and polished a draft of the minutes of the RIPE NCC General Meeting of October 2007.

The Executive Board approved a final version of the RIPE NCC General Meeting minutes of October 2007 for publication.

The Chairman brought the meeting to a close at 14:45.

9. Executive Session

This part of the meeting was not be minuted.