President and CEO Executive Services Agreement

The Board discussed and considered extending the President and CEO's Executive Services Agreement (Agreement) so that it would expire in May 2024 rather than May 2022, as it does currently. The discussion originated in the Compensation Committee and they agreed that the matter should be discussed with the full Board, which it has been. After careful consideration and lengthy discussions with the entire Board, the Board has approved a two-year extension of the President and CEO's Agreement to 23 May 2024.

There is no question that the President and CEO is dedicated to ICANN's mission, including supporting the ICANN Community in its policy development work, and is very committed to continuing help ensure and solidify the understanding of ICANN's role within the Internet community.

The President and CEO has shown his commitment over the past four years in many ways, including overseeing the successful implementation of the IANA Stewardship transition and all that came with that transition. He has also been at the helm while the organization has adjusted and improved the budget processes and developed a regional office strategy that clarifies the role and purpose of those offices that provide comprehensive services to stakeholders in all time zones around the globe. Also impressive is the President and CEO's commitment to supporting the Community in its policy development work to address the impacts of European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including diligently seeking out guidance from the relevant Data Protection Agencies responsible for enforcement of the GDPR. These are just a few of the many activities that have revealed the current President and CEO's commitment to ICANN's success.

Notably, ICANN recently adopted its first ever Five-Year Operating and Financial Plan covering FY21-FY25. This Operating and Financial Plan defines and demonstrates how ICANN organization will implement the Five-Year Strategic Plan for FY21–25 that was adopted by the ICANN Board in June 2019. The Strategic Plan has five objectives that will require consideration and implementation over several years. These objectives include:

Strengthen the security of the Domain Name System and the DNS Root Server System.
Improve the effectiveness of ICANN's multistakeholder model of governance.
Evolve the unique identifier systems in coordination and collaboration with relevant parties to continue to serve the needs of the global Internet user base.
Address geopolitical issues impacting ICANN's mission to ensure a single and globally interoperable Internet.
Ensure ICANN's long-term financial sustainability.
The President and CEO has expressed interest in remaining in his role for an additional two years, though May 2024, which will provide continuity in leadership over initial implementation of the FY21-FY25 Operating and Financial Plan, as well as the ongoing work over its first several years of operation.

Moreover, in support of the overarching FY21-FY25 Operating and Financial Plan, there is some specific work that has recently been concluded or is currently being pursued by the Community, implementation of which will go beyond May 2022. An extension to May 2024 will allow the President and CEO to see such initiatives through the implementation stage and possibly beyond. Such work includes, among many other things, Community discussions on DNS Abuse that could lead to policy recommendations, the current policy development process and upcoming implementation relating to the next round of new gTLDs, the recent and soon to be delivered recommendations from Community groups, including those from the numerous organizational and specific reviews, and the ongoing work to determine how ICANN can best support to Community policies while complying with data protection and privacy laws, such as the GDPR.

The Board notes that ICANN org has been served well over many years by the continuity of leadership at the senior Executive level, as several current members of the President and CEO's Executive Team have been with the organization for many years.

In addition, the Board recognizes that making this decision now, will provide a sense of calm within the organization, which would not be disrupted by a search for a new President and CEO in the near future that would necessarily be a long process and would require vital resources at a critical time for the organization.

The Board does recognize that in 2018 it approved a one-year extension of the Agreement, to May 2022, noting that the short extension would help align the expiration of the Agreement with the President and CEO's Visa renewal which, when obtained, had a three-year term and was set to expire in 2022. Since then, following two additional years at ICANN, the President and CEO has begun the application process that would allow him to remain in the United States as long as he chooses. Accordingly, there will be no issue with him remaining in the U.S. to continue performing his role while based at the ICANN org headquarters in Los Angeles, California.

Providing ongoing continuity in the leadership of ICANN org will without doubt be in the public interest as the current President and CEO is dedicated to ensuring that ICANN fulfills its mission.

While the decision to extend the current President and CEO's Agreement, including potential annual equity/cost of living adjustments to his base salary, will have a fiscal impact on ICANN, payment of compensation to any President and CEO will be accounted for in all future budget development processes. This resolution will not have any direct impact on the security, stability and resiliency of the domain name system.

This is an Organizational Administrative function that does not require public comment.