Jonathan Robinson, Executive Chairman of Afilias’ Board of DirectorsAfilias, a leading domain registry operator, congratulates Jonathan Robinson, Executive Chairman of Afilias’ Board of Directors, on receiving the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) 2016 Leadership Award for his contributions to the ICANN and broader internet community.

As Chair of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council, ICANN’s policy body, from 2012 to 2015, Robinson strengthened collaborative work within the Council as well as with other ICANN bodies. His commitment to fostering communication and collaboration among ICANN’s diverse participants is a personal passion which was recognized with an ICANN Leadership Award in 2014. Following on from his work on the GNSO Council Robinson continued to co-chair the IANA Stewardship Transition working group. It is for his work as co-chair of this Group that he is now being recognized.

“I am honored to receive the award, especially in the company of so many other distinguished recipients” said Robinson at the award presentation ceremony at the 57th ICANN meeting in Hyderabad. “With this meeting of the ICANN community, immediately after the IANA Transition, we begin a new era of internet stewardship. It has been my privilege to serve in a leadership role, encouraging the essential collaboration and hard work that is required.”

“The IANA transition places even more responsibility on ICANN, which relies heavily on community members for direction, inspiration and accountability” said Hal Lubsen, President and CEO of Afilias. “It is gratifying to see Jonathan recognized for his leadership, effectiveness and contributions to the multi-stakeholder model that we now rely upon completely for stewardship of the unified global Internet.”

Robinson has extensive executive and non-executive experience in the domain name industry over many years. He was a founder of NetBenefit in 1995, a supplier of domain name management and associated services, which was listed in London in June 1999. Jonathan served as a main board director at NetBenefit from 1999 to 2009. Having served as a director of Afilias since 2001, Robinson was appointed Executive Chairman in 2014.