Changes

==Conflicts of Interest==

==Conflicts of Interest==

ICANN has never had a clear conflicts on interest policy, or any regulations in place that would prevent its most important staff members and its  directors from moving directly into employment within the industry. This is an issue given the fact that these people of power influence the decisions and market-power of ICANN, and thus they could help create programs and policies that they could then go on to financially benefit from. This notably came to a head in 2011, when a prominent staffer and the Chairman of the Board left ICANN for employment in the industry. Both were involved in developing ICANN's new [[gTLD]] program, and both went on the be employed in new gTLD related ventures.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/calls-to-fix-new-gtld-revolving-door-at-icann/ Calls to Fix Revolving Door, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

For most of its history, ICANN did not have a clear conflicts of interest policy, or any regulations in place that would prevent its top staff members and directors from moving directly into employment within the industry, although these people had a direct influence on the decisions and market power of ICANN and the surrounding industry. This notably came to a head in 2011, when a prominent staffer and then the Chairman of the Board left ICANN for employment in the industry. Both were involved in developing ICANN's new [[gTLD]] program, and both went on the be employed in new gTLD related ventures.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/calls-to-fix-new-gtld-revolving-door-at-icann/ Calls to Fix Revolving Door, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

The Chairman of the board in question was [[Peter Dengate Thrush]], who led the directors to the historic approval of a new gTLD program and timeline at [[ICANN 41]] in Singapore. This was his final meeting as Chairman of the board due to the determined term limits. Mr. Thrush went on, weeks later, to become the Executive Chairman of [[Top Level Domain Holdings]], the parent company of new gTLD registry and consultancy, [[Minds + Machines]]. He was the first chair to move directly into a high-paying, domain name industry job.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/former-icann-chair-joins-mm/ Fomer ICANN Chair Joins M + M, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

[[Peter Dengate Thrush]], then-Board Chairman, led ICANN's directors to the historic approval of a new gTLD program and timeline at [[ICANN 41]] in Singapore. This was his final meeting as Chairman of the board due to the determined term limits. Mr. Thrush then went on, weeks later, to become the Executive Chairman of [[Top Level Domain Holdings]], the parent company of new gTLD registry and consultancy, [[Minds + Machines]]. He was the first chair to move directly into a high-paying, domain name industry job.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/former-icann-chair-joins-mm/ Fomer ICANN Chair Joins M + M, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

Following Mr. Thrush's move to Minds + Machines, a number of outside organizations and ICANN stakeholders called for a concrete ethics policy to be set in place, these include: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, the [[Association of National Advertisers]], The [[European Commission]], The U.S. [[Department of Commerce]], the French government, and other IP and industry organizations.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/would-an-icann-ethics-policy-break-the-law/ Would an ICANN ethics policy break the law, DomainIncite.com]</ref> ICANN's CEO, [[Rod Beckstrom]] had previously noted at the opening ceremony to ICANN 42, even before Peter Dengate Thrush moved on, that he was encouraged by the fact that the ICANN community was moving to fix the lack of clear ethics rules within the organization. [[AusRegistry]]'s CEO, [[Adrian Kinderis]], later noted the converse fact that without clear ethics policies he and his industry would continue to go after ICANN's most knowledgeable and prepared individuals for their own gain.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/calls-to-fix-new-gtld-revolving-door-at-icann/ Calls to Fix Revolving Door, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

Following Mr. Thrush's move to Minds + Machines, a number of outside organizations and ICANN stakeholders called for a concrete ethics policy to be set in place, these include: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, the [[Association of National Advertisers]], The [[European Commission]], The U.S. [[Department of Commerce]], the French government, and other IP and industry organizations.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/would-an-icann-ethics-policy-break-the-law/ Would an ICANN ethics policy break the law, DomainIncite.com]</ref> ICANN's CEO, [[Rod Beckstrom]] had previously noted at the opening ceremony to ICANN 42, even before Peter Dengate Thrush moved on, that he was encouraged by the fact that the ICANN community was moving to fix the lack of clear ethics rules within the organization. [[AusRegistry]]'s CEO, [[Adrian Kinderis]], later noted the converse fact that without clear ethics policies he and his industry would continue to go after ICANN's most knowledgeable and prepared individuals for their own gain.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/calls-to-fix-new-gtld-revolving-door-at-icann/ Calls to Fix Revolving Door, DomainIncite.com]</ref>