<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="Title" content="">
<meta name="Keywords" content="">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:36.0pt;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Calibri;
color:windowtext;}
span.msoIns
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-style-name:"";
text-decoration:underline;
color:teal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:595.0pt 842.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1933931597;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:559984788 -302602924 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-text:"%1\.\)";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:2020040221;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-995166242 -59238870 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-text:"%1\.\)";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
--></style>
</head>
<body bgcolor="white" lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">My personal opinion,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">The current nomination guidelines end up hamstringing us –<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">To look at this – let us look at what a board is meant to do
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">a.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">They are meant to ensure that the company is a sustainable on-going concern – translation – that the company is financially stable, can cover its expenses and isn’t going to go
broke <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">b.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">They are meant to set strategic direction and do high level planning
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">c.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">They are meant to ensure that the companies bylaws are followed, and where applicable, that the companies act is followed – there can be no deviation from that
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">d.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">Tying back to point (a) they are meant to ensure there isn’t fruitless and wasteful expenditure going on<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">Basically – to put it simply – a board member is meant to ensure the company is healthy and has sound strategies to ensure that it remains such. The major difference between a non-profit
and a profit seeking organization is that the board strategies need not be designed to produce a “profit” in the latter, since there are no distribution of profits. On the former, the board has to revert back to point (a) – and that means generating enough
financial income to ensure that there is sufficient reserve to cover the company in the event of unexpected expenses etc, while generating enough money to also pay the operational expenses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">Now, when you consider that – Let’s look at what you really need on a board.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">a.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">You need financial skills – Yes – the CFO and the management of the company produce the financials – Yes the auditors check those financials that are submitted – but it is the
board that have to sign off on those financials and it is the board that is liable in the event of trading which could be considered reckless (spending money where there is a risk that it could lead you to liquidation for example)
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">b.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">You need legal skills – Yes – you can have legal advisors – but the law is a tricky thing – and the board has to be able to properly interpret the legal advice received and sometimes
make decisions on if it should be heeded or discarded (though I would argue the latter would be extremely dangerous)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">c.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">You need strategic people – people who understand the market in which we operate and the dynamics behind it
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">d.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">You need (to a limited degree) technical people – who can understand the technical implications of any decisions made should that arise
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">e.)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">You need people who have experience dealing with regulatory issues – because if we like it or not – that plays a role in what we are doing as an RIR.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">By and large though – the people you need are people with real business experience at senior levels who have an understanding of how to balance the functioning of a company. The vast majority
of technical aspects are handled by the staff of the organization – they are not handled at a board level.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">Now – on to my original statement in this email about being hamstrung by the nomcom guidelines. We have a requirement that says that candidates must have participated in X number of meetings
in X amount of time. I would argue that the meetings do not lend themselves to the types of people you want running a company. The types of people you want running a company have deep business experience and are in C level structures – the nature of AfriNIC
meetings is that they are fundamentally technical . That is not a bad thing and I think that the AfriNIC meetings are great – I just think that the participation requirements limit the TYPE of candidate we so desperately need.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">As regards education levels – I’m ambivalent – if I look at many academic systems (Germany, the UK, South Africa, and many other places), there is a thing called recognition of prior learning.
And that recognition of prior learning encompasses experience gained over the years and a variety of other factors. I believe that there are many successful people who have risen to the top of their respective organizations and to the level where they have
sufficient experience that can be proven and demonstrated to perform the function – and any restriction that limits the participation of such people would be counter productive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">I would argue that people who can be clearly shown to have delivered on projects and on promises that they have made in this industry would also be strong candidates – a track record of
delivery against what is said is probably for me the most important requirement. Anyone can right a CV – anyone can claim academic prowess – it’s a far more limited group that can demonstrate actual fundamental delivery and actions taken. It is out of that
limited group, with considering to everything else I have said above, that I believe we need to find our candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri">Andrew<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:black">From: </span>
</b><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:black">Ish Sookun <ish@lsl.digital><br>
<b>Organization: </b>LSL Digital<br>
<b>Date: </b>Monday, 22 May 2017 at 14:52<br>
<b>To: </b>"mje@posix.co.za" <mje@posix.co.za>, "rpd@afrinic.net" <rpd@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [rpd] Board Election 2017: Final Candidate Slate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Mark,<br>
<br>
On 22/05/17 15:39, Mark Elkins wrote:<br>
> When I first became a Board Member of AFRINIC eighth or so years ago,<br>
> there was a young lady from Kenya who also joined. She was fresh out of<br>
> University and, as only two people volunteered for East Africa, and<br>
> there were two places to fill, she got on. Never came to a meeting and<br>
> met her only once at ICANN in Kenya.<br>
<br>
That's indicative of a lack of engagement by other community members. I<br>
had a similar experience in Mauritius.<br>
<br>
In my opinion a volunteer with little or no experience should be given a<br>
chance if there is no other suitable candidate, like in the case you<br>
mentioned. Age is not always indicative of experience.<br>
<br>
How does Afrinic currently address non-participation of board members<br>
(if it's still happening)?<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Ish Sookun<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
RPD mailing list<br>
RPD@afrinic.net<br>
<a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</a><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>