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Candidate Biographies

Evgeny Antipov

Background

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Evgeny is the CEO of the company that was the first commercial network in Russia. He built his professional career from an ordinary employee of an Internet provider to the head of an IT company. He obtained extensive experience at the leading university in Russia (Lomonosov Moscow State University). This company allowed to take part in the work of the highest state bodies of Russia, to work at the federal level.

Evgeny is an active member and leader of public organisations. In 2018, he received a degree in physical and mathematical sciences.

Motivation

Russia is actively developing the IT sector. The state is intensively introducing information tools for working with citizens. Moscow is in the leading positions of the rating Smart Cities. At the same time there are many changes in the legislation of the telecommunications sector. Developed solutions to technical problems (for example, the Internet of Things).

I hope the Russian experience can be useful at the international level.

Ondřej Filip

Background

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Ondřej has more than 20 years experience in the telecommunications industry and the Internet. He studied Computer Science at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University and Executive MBA at University of Pittsburgh - Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. During his studies at Charles University he founded an important open source project – routing daemon BIRD - and started working for the company IPEX, a nation-wide ISP in the Czech Republic. Later he became Technical director and member of board at IPEX.

Since December 2004, Ondřej has been CEO of the CZ.NIC association. CZ.NIC currently covers many activities for the local and global community, e.g. developing open source software and hardware like BIRD, Knot DNS and Turris. It runs the national cyber security team of Czech Republic (CSIRT.CZ). During Ondřej’s career, he has served many Internet related activities and bodies. He has been a regular attendee of RIPE meetings since 2003.

Experience in Internet related councils, associations, companies and activities:

Ondřej's hobbies are: basketball, travelling or programming of open source software. He speaks Czech and Slovak, fluent English and partly understands German and Russian.

Motivation

During my carrier I have been involved in almost all aspects of the current Internet ecosystem, this includes working for an ISP, IXP, domain name registry, government regulator, academic NREN, ICANN and also RIPE working groups. I hope that with such experience, I can bring forward new views from different parts of our community and bring greater diversity to the RIPE NCC Executive Board. 

Since the RIPE NCC’s primarily role is to serve its community as a registry, I hope I can bring my 15+ years experience of managing a registry with a huge overlap to other areas. 

I would like to help the RIPE NCC to stay open, transparent, impartial and fair to all members. I would like to contribute to increase efficiency so as to lower fees without lowering the current level of service. I very much support many technical projects like RIPE Atlas and RPKI Validator and I would like to help in their further evolution. Having an experience of working for regulators, I would like to contribute to a dialogue with regulators.

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ondrejfilip

Kurt Erik Lindqvist

Background

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Kurt Erik “Kurtis” Lindqvist has an extensive background in engineering and in the business development of ISPs and worldwide carrier networks. He has spent the past 20 years working actively in the Internet community in several varied roles including CEO of the Swedish Internet Exchange, Netnod (2002 - 2015) and CMO of the London Internet Exchange (2016 onward). He has also served as Chair of Euro-IX, the Internet Exchange Association since 2004. 

Previous functions and achievements

  • CMO at LINX, 2016 - present
  • CEO at Netnod, 2002 - 2016
  • Director of IP Network Architecture at KPNQwest, 2000 - 2002
  • Technical Director EUnet Sweden, 1997 - 2000
  • Chair on the Euro-IX board, 2004 - present
  • WG Chair of RIPE NCC Working group at RIPE, 2003 - present
  • Member of the Internet Architecture Board, 2005 - 2009

As well as having acted as chair for working groups at both RIPE and the IETF, Kurt was part of the IASA Transition Team that created the legal framework for the IETF, and later served on the IETF Administrative Oversight Committee (IAOC), in part by taking on the role of chair of the IAOC and IETF Trust. Kurt studied computer science at the University of Uppsala and holds a Master of Business Administration from IMD in Lausanne.

Motivation

I have been part of the RIPE community and have attended almost all RIPE meetings since 1997. The RIPE NCC’s role in implementing the policies developed by the RIPE community and in championing and administering RIPE’s part in the self-governance model is critical for the success and function of the Internet not just in Europe but worldwide. The importance of the role of RIPE has increased over the years, and we need to ensure that we continue to guard this function. Since back in 1997, RIPE Meetings and RIPE NCC training courses (such as the RIPE NCC LIR training course) have provided fantastic ways of learning more about networks and network operations. RIPE and the RIPE NCC still have an important role to fill in this field, acting as a meeting place and conduit for knowledge transfer both formally and informally.

I want to work to ensure that the RIPE NCC continues to serve the best interests of the RIPE community in the ever-changing world of the Internet, and that it continues to defend the current governance model. I want to ensure that the knowledge transfer and learning that the RIPE NCC has facilitated over the years continues and evolves.

As I played a part in establishing the RIPE NCC Services WG, the aim of which is to ensure the RIPE NCC’s transparency and accountability to the wider community, I want to champion these values and ensure that the RIPE NCC continues its engagement with the community.

I believe that with my mix of technical and business experience I have a lot to contribute to the RIPE NCC Executive Board. With my long involvement in technical standardisation and serving in leadership positions in other Internet organisations, I can contribute new insight and understanding about aspects of these other communities, which I believe would be of real value to the board. 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klindqvist/

Remco van Mook

Background

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Remco van Mook is co-founder and CEO of the Internet exchange startup Asteroid, where he and his team are trying to shape a new future for public peering in particular, and network interconnection in general. Previously he was director of interconnection at Equinix, where he looked after the company's global interconnection strategy as well as the company's Internet Exchanges. As part of that position, he got involved with all sides of the company - from datacenter engineering and network architecture to marketing and corporate development.

Remco’s interest in networks started in the mid-1990s, which led to participating in the network team for hacker conference HIP97, facilitating HAL2001 and building the world’s first visitor intranet for a large scale music festival, Lowlands.

He was CTO of NDIX, responsible for architecture and technical strategy, from 2000 until 2009. NDIX was the first Internet Exchange spanning across an international border, with the intention to promote regional development. NDIX has evolved into an exchange platform connecting a diverse range of companies across a multitude of cities in the Netherlands and Germany.

During that same time, he was founder and CTO of Virtu, a Dutch datacenter company that got accolades for being one of the fastest growing technology companies in the Netherlands for three consecutive years. After he sold Virtu to Equinix in 2008, he was country manager for Equinix in the Netherlands for the remainder of that year.

Previously an active contributor to EURO-IX, he involves himself mostly with network design challenges, the European datacenter market and regulatory affairs. He is co-author of a few RFCs, including RFC 5452, to upgrade the security of current DNS (non-DNSSEC) implementations against Kaminsky-style attacks and the widely used RFC 2322.

He is a regular speaker at conferences and RIPE Meetings and advisor to various government organizations on Internet-related affairs. He also currently serves as the co-chair of the Connect Working Group within the RIPE community and is a member of the RIPE NCC Executive Board.

When Remco is not sitting on a plane, attending conferences or taking over the world, he lives near Deventer, the Netherlands with his two daughters.

Motivation

In my 3 terms I’ve spent on the RIPE NCC Executive Board so far, I’d like to think I made a difference. I have fulfilled the role of treasurer since I first got elected, a role that has fit me well – for years before, I was at a microphone during general meetings scrutinizing the financials.

Some highlights that I’ve been particularly involved with in the past 9 years:

  • Chaired the charging scheme task force, the only RIPE NCC member task force ever, to define the criteria a charging scheme must fulfil and, based on that outcome, change the charging scheme away from the historic, IPv4-only model;
  • Negotiated a new ruling with the Dutch tax authorities, allowing the members control over any annual surplus;
  • Improving the quality and transparency of the RIPE NCC financial reporting, to the point where the annual report is now in full compliance with Dutch accounting standards and the auditors are now releasing an unqualified statement about our accounts. For an organization with RIPE NCC’s size and structure, this is an extraordinary achievement;
  • Helped set up the inter-RIR stability fund, an agreement between all five RIRs for mutual financial and in-kind support in case of financial or operational issues;
  • Establish and/or improve regular communication and coordination between the boards of the RIRs.

Looking at the years ahead, I think I’ve helped prepare RIPE NCC best as I could for the changes that are bound to come. The runout of IPv4 by the end of this year, and the membership consolidation that is bound to happen afterwards is a particular concern. I would like to continue to play my part in ensuring that RIPE NCC stays a successful, transparent and accountable organization.

Flavio Palumbo

Background

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Flavio has 32 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, with a strong focus on the Internet. Currently he is working on IP Engineering for Windtre s.p.a. 

Before this, he was the head of the technical support IP Network , IP-Transit, Peering and CDN within the Infostrada s.p.a and Wind s.pa. In this function, he supported the Network department into a global Tier1 status and established the IP-transit business for IP corporate customers, creating a dedicated team . 

Previous functions and achievements 

  • BT Italy communication specialist and tech support on RIPE Database 
  • Italia Online Libero service tech support 
  • MIX Milano startup and tech committee 
  • NaMeX Rome startup 
  • Registered all IPv4 rules for Infostrada 
  • IP network merger between Infostrada s.p.a and Wind s.p.a 
  • IP development Plan for 3 Italy IP network 
  • Initiated and introduced IPv6 IP plan for Windtre s.p.a 

Motivation 

I think and I hope that a bit of imagination typical of Italians can be useful in a database world where too many rules have grown up over other rules. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flavio-palumbo-aa44421/

Rebecca Stanic

Background

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Rebecca has over 20 years of International business and project management experience having worked in Europe, Middle East, Africa, CIS, Canada and the US across both public and private sectors. Initially, her career focussed on public affairs, working with several media publications, both print and television, liaising with governments and providing them with strategic communications advice in order to build a strong reputation and attract key investment to high level projects and sectors.

Since 2013, her focus has been solely on the Telecommunications sector, where she has held various Business Development and Strategy roles. She has held roles at IX Reach, Viatel, GCX/Reliance and is currently with RETN. In these roles, she has worked with Carriers from start-ups to Global corporates, liaising with IXPs, Resellers, Datacentres, Enterprises and Content/OTT in all regions expanding market reach and the product offering.

Rebecca is an active member of the community, frequently attending conferences as well as being part of the Outreach committee at Peeringdb and a board member of France-IX.

Motivation

While I have only been in Telecommunications for a relatively short time in comparison to some of the other candidates, I have seen how quickly the industry has changed and evolved and the need to stay ahead of these changes so that our options and choices are not simply work arounds. I believe having someone with a commercial background, who has been focused on understanding challenges and threats in markets in order to continue to promote growth, would be a valuable addition to the RIPE board.

My current role means that I attend several conferences throughout the RIPE region and have an extensive network. I would like to try and ensure that some of the regions have more member engagement while ensuring that their interests are well served and protected, promoting transparency and communication.

I believe I would be able to well serve the RIPE community through my input on the board, contributing commercial and management skills and a fresh approach and mindset.

Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-stanic-0bb6304/

William Sylvester

Background

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William has over 25 years of experience as an executive of core Internet infrastructure, including working for Network Solutions/VeriSign on the InterNIC project. This project involved Internet numbering, domain names, and directory services and resulted in the creation of the Regional Internet Registries (RIR) and the registry-registrar model in the 1990s.

William was responsible for the technical infrastructure including the root name server infrastructure for a.root-servers.net, which at the time supported the top-level domain names and Internet numbering registries including creation of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN).

As the co-chair of the RIPE Database Working Group, William has led the working group forward, removing roadblocks that have existed for many years. This includes initiatives to clean up the RIPE database and bringing many outstanding work items to a successful conclusion. 

As the chair of the RIPE Accountability Task Force, William worked with the community and the RIPE NCC Secretariat to document, review, and publish the findings for the RIPE community's accountability post-IANA transition.

William has a great deal of governance experience through his participation in many industry groups and corporate governance with many entrepreneurial endeavours. William also holds an Executive MBA.

William is currently Senior Vice-President of Addrex, Inc., the pioneer in the market for IPv4 number blocks. He has spent the past ten years collaborating with global communities to help the Internet to keep growing while we work on adopting IPv6.

Motivation

• RIPE NCC will not pay for any of my travel expenses

• Focus on member experience and services including tools and training

• Maintain fiscal responsibility

• Run a professional organisation

• Ensure RIPE NCC is inclusive for all members, in all service regions

• The current challenges facing the RIPE NCC and the Internet

RIPE NCC will not pay for any of my travel or expenses
As a part of the Executive Board, I will serve at the pleasure of the RIPE members and not at their expense. I do not believe that the members of the community should be responsible for paying for any of my travel expenses to RIPE meetings and RIPE NCC Executive Board meetings.

Focus on members – including the experience, services, tools, and training
RIPE needs to ensure all services, tools, and training provided to the community are done in a professional manner with a focus on the needs of members. It is important for all aspects of the organisation to maintain an emphasis on member experience.

Maintain fiscal responsibility
As members, we require fiscal discipline to maintain the RIPE NCC organisation. We must keep member fees affordable while providing member services that maximise value. This requires fiscal diligence to identify what projects, programs, and expenses drive the greatest value to the members and the community.

Run a professional organisation
While maintaining our academic heritage, RIPE NCC should be the best run and professional organisation. This should include organisational metrics, goal setting, and key results to measure success. As an organisation we must strive to establish and maintain the highest standards when providing services to our members and the Internet at large.

Inclusive for all RIPE NCC members in all service regions
Members of the RIPE NCC currently exist in many different areas of the world. The organisation must continue to embrace the many different geographic, cultural, and market differences that comprise the service region for the RIPE NCC. It is important to make sure all RIPE NCC members have not only a voice, but equal access to the community and organisation services.

The current challenges facing the RIPE NCC and the Internet
The numbering industry faces many risks in a post-IANA transition world. These include loss of revenue, increasing expenses, and other RIR issues including possible failure.

In recent years, RIPE NCC has greatly expanded revenue through rapid member growth. This has created an environment with resources that are able to fund projects for the whole community, not just RIPE members. RIPE has been fortunate and used that good fortune to benefit the entire Internet community.

As members, we must be diligent with the RIPE NCC finances and continue to provide value to members while keeping fees affordable for all members.

However, we must be aware of the potential for our fortunes to change. One of the largest threats is LIR consolidation, resulting in decreased revenue. The Executive Board must be prepared for changing market conditions and steward the organisation accordingly.

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamsylvester/