Olivier Muron

Name: Olivier Muron
Country of citizenship: France
Place of residence: Paris, France
Email address: Olivier.Muron@wanadoo.fr
Employer(s): Head of Intermediation Department, Research & Technology Division,
France Telecom

Statement of Qualifications and Experience

I have wide professional experience in the academic world, research community, public sector and in the telecommunications industry.

(a) I have been deeply involved in Internet-related projects since 1994 and have acquired a general technical knowledge of Internet architecture (names, addresses, protocols and applications).

(b) In my positions at the Ministry of Industry, I had a leading policy making role in the field of information technology as well as being involved in international discussions concerning global policies in this field.

When I joined France Telecom I took an active role in the consensus building effort that ultimately led to the creation of ICANN. I contributed to the objective of a stable, comprehensive and transparent framework for the technical management of Internet, based on a consensus of all stakeholders and consistent with the international scope of the network. I took part in the international discussions held in that framework and have a good experience in the consensus building process in multicultural environments.

ICANN Related Interests

I am an employee of France Telecom's Research & Technology Division. I have no official position in the registrar activities of France Telecom. As a board member, I would be committed to the entire Internet community.

Personal Statement

I joined France Telecom's Research & Technology division in 1998, where I became the head of a department in charge of IP technology and electronic commerce ; prior to that, I was involved in Internet-related projects at INRIA and the French Ministry of Industry and Telecommunications. I hold an engineering degree from Ecole Centrale de Paris and a Ph. D. degree in Statistics from the University of California -Berkeley.

Visit my web site for a detailed biography : http://perso.wanadoo.fr/omuron/ .

I think it is important to remember that the work of ICANN has a strong technical side as well as an important influence on future applications of the Internet. The rapid development of permanent IP connections, future home appliances and networks, the expansion of electronic commerce, the new generation mobile networks are key factors that will put strong pressure on the network architecture and especially on the name and address system. The growth of names space will lead to new challenges for the scalability of the DNS. Today's Internet is a very large and complex system: one must move carefully to ensure its short and long term stability and also accompany its huge innovation potential for our societies.

Due to this rapid change in technology, individual users will be increasingly concerned : widespread use of domain names for individuals and the naming of future mobile terminals just to cite a few examples. I will encourage an active participation in the debate of the membership through its self-organization.

A great deal of work has been done by ICANN in less than two years : creation of the SO's, competition in domain name registration services, creation and implementation of the UDRP, stable relationships with the RIR's and the Internet standards-development organizations. More work still needs to be done : when all the necessary studies have been completed, the control of the root server must be transferred to ICANN; one must also ensure the long-term funding.

ICANN's biggest challenge is to get all concerned by the process, especially individuals, increasingly involved and thereby build up trust. A key contribution of the "at large" board members will be to enlarge support for the new body, to help build a consensus among the various groups of members and enhance trust. I think my background could help me contribute to that goal.

Please refer to my web site ( http://perso.wanadoo.fr/omuron/ ) where I have posted additional information in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian.

Governmental Affiliation or Employment

I am not an official of a national government or a multinational entity established by treaty or other agreement between national governments.