Maria Livanos Cattaui

Country of citizenship: Switzerland
Place of residence : Switzerland
Email address: sg@iccwbo.org
Employer : International Chamber of Commerce, The World Business Organization

Statement of Qualifications and Experience

Through ICC's work as treasurer of the business constituency of ICANN's Domain Name Support Organization, I have become familiar not only with the history of ICANN, but also with its future objectives.

I fully support its desire to maintain the operational stability of the Internet and share the organization's dedication to promoting competition in this new and constantly evolving cyberworld.

Specifically, my involvement with ICANN has exposed me to the myriad issues surrounding gTLDs, ccTLDs and famous trademarks.

Through the ICC Commission on Intellectual and Industrial Property, I was also active in the debate surrounding the transfer of domain name responsibilities from IANA to ICANN.

Through my work as the Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce, I have made it a personal mission to ensure the world business community I represent is at the vanguard of developments in the new economy.

The Internet is without a doubt the most exciting new development in the business world. Identifying and capitalizing upon its potential to make trade and commerce more simple and effective has become a hallmark of my tenure at the ICC.

I have worked particularly hard to prepare ICC members for the challenges of the net economy, ensuring the organization is a key player in international policy making on business applications to the Internet.

To that end, I have been actively educating business in the best ways to harness the power of the Internet and have been paying particular attention to helping European businesses catch up with their North American counterparts.

My work in this field has not been restricted to the developed world. I have taken particular interest in integrating the worldÕs least developed countries into the new economy.

To that end, and together with the International Youth Foundation, the International Crisis Group and the EastWest Institute, I have helped create an alliance of hi-tech companies whose aim it is to restore to the devastated Balkan region the infrastructure and educational facilities required for these countries to join the net revolution.

In 1972, I was among the first foreign business people to establish working ties with the Chinese government Ð leading in 1980 to the first large scale business symposium in that country.

I have since turned my focus to EuropeÕs emerging economies including the Baltic States, Ukraine, Slovakia, Russia and Poland. I have put together some of the first large-scale discussions between business and political leaders in these countries and helped to open up previously closed economies to the possibilities of the global economy.

In 1998, I convened the Geneva Business Dialogue - a conference designed to build cooperation between business and governments in meeting the challenges of globalization. At the similarly well-attended ICC World Congress in Budapest last May, world leaders and business chiefs debated directions for the new century and, against a background of global financial and economic turmoil, reached consensus on a broad range of pressing international issues Ð including the importance of bridging the digital divide.

During my tenure at the ICC, I have worked extensively with the World Bank, speaking often at their international seminars. I have also established a global partnership between world business and the United Nations, forging a relationship with UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. This partnership has led to greater business input into UN economic activities and consequently boosted business activity in the worldÕs least developed countries.

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ICANN Related Interests

Secretary General of ICC.
No financial interests in any ICANN related business

Background Information

Maria Livanos Cattaui is the Secretary-General of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). ICC is the world business organization Ð the only truly global representative body which acts as an advocate of business interests to governments and international organizations.

Since taking the position of ICC Secretary General in 1996, she has successfully raised the organizationÕs profile. She has done this by redefining the ICCÕs role against a constantly evolving global backdrop and helping to establish the organization as an important player on the international stage.

A hallmark of her tenure at the ICC has been the emphasis on ensuring ICCÕs 7,000 member companies in more than 130 countries are well prepared to mine the rich business potential of the Internet.

By ensuring ICC is at the center of all international policy making decisions pertaining to business applications on the net, she has remained at the cutting edge of new economy developments and trends.

Prior to working with the ICC, Mrs Cattaui worked for 19 years in Geneva with the World Economic Forum. As Managing Director of the WEF she was responsible for organizing the annual summit of business and political leaders in Davos, Switzerland. It was a position which furnished her with an impressive list of influential contacts and earned her an enviable reputation as an organizer of large scale events of global significance.

She holds board and advisory board memberships with the Institute of International Education (New York), the International Youth Foundation (Baltimore), the International Crisis Group (Brussels), the Council of Women World Leaders (Kennedy School/Harvard), the Center for Strategic & International Studies (Washington), the EastWest Institute (New York), the Elliott School of International Affairs (George Washington University), the Schulich School of Business, York University (Toronto) and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Mrs Cattaui, who is of Swiss nationality and Greek origin, was educated in the United States. She is an Honours graduate of Harvard University. During her early career, she was engaged in writing and research, then editorial supervision and planning with Encyclopaedia Britannica and Time-Life Books. She was a freelance editor and writer of books, speeches and articles.

Personal Statement

My broad experience with people and businesses from all over the world has afforded me insights into the ways in which the Internet is being used on a day to day basis. I am in regular contact with business practitioners from every corner of the globe Ð from the smallest corner shop to the largest multi-national Ð and have come to appreciate the myriad needs business has of the Internet. Through my work with ICC and ICANN, I have furthermore come to understand the burning issues in the new economy Ð and have been active in formulating policy to best harness the new mediumÕs massive potential.

Armed with this knowledge Ð and charged with the responsibility of creating a cyber-landscape in which business around the world can more easily and efficiently be conducted Ð I would hope my voice would be a valuable addition to the ICANN Board.

Further information regarding Maria Livanos Cattaui and the ICC can found on the following website: www.iccwbo.org.

Mrs. Cattaui is neither an official of a national government nor a multinational entity established by a treaty or other agreement between national governments, such as an elected official or employee of a government or multinational entity.