Paul Twomey
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| Country: | Australia |
| Email: | paul.twomey [at] argopacific.com |
| Website: | |
| LinkedIn: |  [Profile Paul Twomey]
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Dr. Paul Twomey became the President and CEO of ICANN in 2003; his tenure lasted until 2009, though he continued on for the next year as Senior President, in an advisory role to the new CEO and President, Rod Beckstrom. Paul has been successful in numerous leadership positions in commercial enterprises, government, and in chairing ICANN's Government Advisory Committee.[1]
He is currently acting as the Managing Director of ArgoP@cific, a company he originally co-founded.[2]
Career History
Immediately prior to working at ICANN, Paul was working with ArgoP@cific, a prominent International IT conslutancy that works with both Fortune 500 companies and SMEs.[3] He co-founded the company with President Clinton's former Internet Czar, Ira Magaziner.[4] Paul also founded Leagle Inc., a site that specializes in online legal content and community aggregation. He is also the founding Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of the Internet; he is a member of the Advisory Board of the United Nations’ Digital He@lth Initiative, and a Board member of the Atlantic Council of the United States.
He is currently a member of the Green Source Energy LLC Strategic Advisory Group; he joined in February, 2010.[5]
Public Sector Participation
Dr. Twomey has held a number of high-level administrative, and representative roles related to the Australian government's IT policy execution.
In 1997, He helped found, and was appointed CEO, of the Australian government's National Office for the Information Economy. He was also the government's Special Advisor regarding the Information Economy and Technology. His roles involved identifying and creating strategies for the development of the nation's technology priorities; he was also charged with taking that policy and protecting Australia's interests at international policy meetings like the WTO, OECD, APEC, and ICANN. Eventually, he became Chair of ICANN's GAC.
Before his work in the new Information Economy Department, and as an IT envoy, Dr. Twomey worked at Austrade, which is the Australian Trade Commission. He began as the Executive General Manager of Strategic Development before becoming the General Manager of its European affairs. His roles saw him assisting Australian IT firms market themselves abroad, developing corporate strategies and business processes, and writing influential studies; one of which was highly important to the Australian government's reaction to the Asian fiscal crisis of 1997 and 1998.[6]
ICANN
During his time with the National Office for the Information Economy, Dr. Twomey was closely involved with ICANN, he was even involved in the White Paper process that effectively founded the organization.[7] He began representing the Australian Government in 1997, this included time at ICANN meetings. By 1999 he had been elected the Chairman of the GAC, he served in that role until November, 2002. He was also appointed as a Special Representative for the Internet and ICANN following his initial, successful representation of Australian interests to ICANN and elsewhere.[8] Paul served as President, CEO, and Board Member from March, 2003 to June, 2009; he stayed on as Senior President, in what was mostly an advisory role to Rod Beckstrom, until January, 2010.
He was ICANN's longest serving CEO,[9] and is also the first non-U.S. citizen to head the corporation.[10] He defended the functionality of ICANN's multi-stakeholder model in a U.S. congressional hearing,[11] and also led and spoke for ICANN at the WSIS' first meetings.
An editorial piece, written by Dr. Twomey and printed by the BBC, on the positive economic and social potential of the Internet can be read here.
Early Career
Before joining Austrade in 1994, Paul worked for the international management consultancy, MicKinsey & Company. He was a consultant for major IT and finance companies. He previoulsy seved as a Research Officer with an international refugee organization.[12]
Academia
Dr. Twomey recieved his Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from the University of Queensland; his Master of Arts in Political Science and International Relations from Pennsylvania State University; and his PhD in International Relations from Cambridge.[13]
Paul Twomey has been published in professional journals and in text anthologies. He also talks about International IT issues at Universities and other fora.[14][15]
Fun Facts
Paul first encountered the Internet in 1991 at the Australian National University, and he immediately recognized it as a potential resource for the average individual.[16]