Dear DotAsia Members,

I am writing to you to introduce myself as the new Chair for the DotAsia Board. I have been involved with ccTLD registries (in .nz and now .au) at the board, staff and executive level since 2000.

My fellow directors have elected me to the role of DotAsia Board Chair unopposed, and so now I look forward to serving you and our broader Asia Pacific community in this role.

First of all, allow me to thank my fellow Board members as well as the DotAsia community for your continued support for the work at DotAsia.

Following on from the recent challenges leading up to the DotAsia AGM 2023, we saw last week the resignation from the Board of the previous Chair, Leonid Todorov, and two directors - Murad Ibragimov and Arthur Chang.

I thank these directors for their efforts and know that they support the ongoing evolution of DotAsia as a key player in the internet for the region.

As I step into this role, I would like to draw your attention to two key challenges before us.

The first is that we have started this work at a serious time for the DotAsia team and organisation. Questions about transparency, the strategy for the organisation, the recent election process, and extensive litigation about various commercial matters are among the most significant issues we face.

As a Board we will tackle the difficult situation we have inherited openly and with integrity. You can expect an update from me following each meeting of the Board, and of course like all the other Directors I welcome your feedback at any time.

This leads to my second point: the DotAsia Board believes in moving on with a constructive and open governance approach for the organization, to solve the challenges I have mentioned and to strengthen the organisation at every level.

I am pleased to report that the current Board is firmly in support of and appreciates the DotAsia team’s work in alignment with the vision and mission of the organization, and to be a voice for the Asia Pacific Internet community at ICANN and the regional and global Internet governance discussions.

The Board will be looking to build upon the governance framework at DotAsia in a way that will affirm and develop a cooperative and collaborative approach, as set out in the DotAsia vision and incorporated into DotAsia’s Articles of Association.

We will work to put the challenges we face now behind us, and we will do so working openly and constructively with the membership and with all our stakeholders to determine the best ways to achieve our shared vision.

The Board is looking towards the coming year with enthusiasm, especially with the upcoming APrIGF in Brisbane in August, and the global IGF in Kyoto in October, where DotAsia will play a contributing role for the Asia Pacific region.

We will continue with regular updates on the work from the DotAsia Board as we move forward. With many issues to work through we should have something meaningful to share with you each month.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, I would very much appreciate hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Jordan Carter

Chair, Board of Directors

DotAsia Organisation