Nomination For Board Seat 14

[<Lucy.Nichols@xxxxxxxxx>]

 Full name of the nominee: Philip Sheppard

 E-mail address of the nominee: philip.sheppard@xxxxxx

 Country of citizenship of nominee: United Kingdom

 Full name of the nominator: Lucy Nichols

 E-mail address of the nominator: Lucy.nichols@xxxxxxxxx


                I am pleased to nominate Philip Sheppard.  Philip has
been involved with ICANN since 1999, first as a member of the Business
Users Constituency (representing small and large commercial users) and
now as an elected representative to the GNSO. He served two terms of
office as DNSO Names Council chairman and chaired issue task forces on
review and on structure. In 2002 he participated in the Board's Dot Info
Country Names Discussion Group (ICNG) and was appointed to the Board's
assistance group developing recommendations on structure and a policy
development process for the country code name supporting organization
(CCNSO). In 2003 he chaired the GNSO Council committee on new gTLDs. In
2004 he chaired the dot net redelegation subcommittee and in 2004 he
served on the President's Committee on the WIPO II request.
                The majority of Philip's professional work experience
has been outside the UK and has included a significant amount of time in
the Middle East and continental Europe. Upon changing careers, he moved
to Brussels, Belgium where he currently holds the position of public
affairs manager for an association representing both multi-national
organizations and national associations of small and large companies
throughout western, central and eastern Europe. 
                In this role he works daily with different nationalities
both within his own organization and in his professional public affairs
work with the European Commission, members of the European Parliament,
and with the ministries of national governments. He travels frequently
to national European capitals and to Geneva. The focus of this work is
the maintenance of a liberal legal climate where innovation can flourish
and includes the important strategy of encouraging the use of
self-regulation as an alternative to law. 
                Philip is also one of thirteen board members of the
International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and is the President
elect 2007. IPRA represents the PR profession globally with some 1000
members world-wide. The Board is diverse with current representatives
from Malaysia, Turkey, Egypt, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, UK and
the US. One of its public interest campaigns is for media transparency -
to remove the corruption endemic in certain countries where paid-for
editorial is standard. IPRA was a participatory organization in the UN
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
                Philip is a freeman of the Merchant Taylors' Company of
the City of London which was established in the sixteenth century and
now is engaged primarily in charitable works. 
                Philip is has demonstrated a keen analytical sense and
is able to grasp complex problems and then distinguish and communicate
the key elements. He is a natural and experienced consensus builder who
is able to work with others in order to build a position around an
issue, while factoring in the ideas and views of the relevant group. 
                It is my belief that such skills are essential when
dealing with the complex issues facing ICANN - where the policy essence
may be drowned out by the technical or commercial issues. Encouraging
the Board to focus on its core mission, to help build ICANN's
functionality and to empower its new structures are areas to which I
feel Philip is more than capable of making a serious contribution.

                Lucy Nichols