ISOC appoints director public policy

The organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and other Internet-related bodies, the Internet Society (ISOC) has appointed Mr. Matthew Shears as its Director, Public Policy.

His appointment, ISOC said, is with immediate effect and is to further strengthen the society’s role as an independent and effective advocate for the core values of an open and accessible Internet.

ISOC said his appointment is expected to drive the society’s policy initiatives in support of the Strategic Operating Plan (SOP).

Champion Infotel recalls that ISOC at the end of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) last month in Paris, adopted SOP as a high-level framework outline for the society, including its vision, mission, values, goals, objectives, programmes and projects.

Communications Manager at ISOC, Mr. Peter Godwin, in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel, said the policy initiative in support of SOP would include broad outreach activities.

“Aimed at helping governments and policy makers design and maintain policies to ensure that the Internet remains an open and universally accessible platform for innovation, creativity, and economic opportunity,” ISOC said.

Mr. Shears has extensive experience in public policy, advocacy, communications, business development and strategy in both the public and private sectors.

After working as a standards and market entry adviser at the United States (US) Mission to the European Union (EU) in Brussels, he worked as AT&T’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Regional Director for Public Affairs, and drove public affairs in Europe for the Seattle-based satellite Internet start-up Teledesic, before moving to Cisco, where he created the EMEA Government Affairs team.

President of ISOC, Lynn St. Amour, said, “The public policy issues facing the Internet are now more complex and more visible than ever before. Matthew’s experience and insight will be invaluable as ISOC moves forward to develop new approaches to help policy makers meet these new challenges.”

Founded in 1992, ISOC is a dedicated non-profit organization striving to ensure open development, evolution and use of the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world, with offices in Washington DC, and Geneva, Switzerland.