CEO Corner
Kurt Erik "Kurtis" Lindqvist is the ICANN President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and he regularly communicates the organization’s milestones, activities, and progress toward established goals and objectives. In this collection of reports, blogs, and annual goals, readers can learn more about ICANN and stay up to date on its latest initiatives from the perspective of the organization’s leader.
Get a high-level and comprehensive look at how the organization works by viewing the CEO’s annual goals, the regular CEO Reports to the Board, and blogs. Check back often to stay informed about the latest from ICANN.
CEO Goals and Report to the Board
One of the most important aspects of any organization's operations is setting goals. By clearly defining what it hopes to achieve, an organization can stay focused and on track.
Each year, the ICANN CEO works with the ICANN Board and the org’s Executive team to set goals for the organization. These goals are developed with the needs of the organization and the challenges the ICANN ecosystem faces in mind, and they help guide the org as it continues its work. Once the goals are set, the CEO regularly reports back to the Board on the org’s progress, allowing for course corrections when necessary and celebrating of successes along the way.
Learn more about how ICANN org is working to meet its mission by reviewing the CEO goals and CEO Reports to the Board.
CEO’s Latest Blogs
Remembering Nigel Hickson
By Kurtis Lindqvist 1 April 2025 A Look Back at ICANN82
By Kurtis Lindqvist 25 March 2025 Ready for My First ICANN Meeting as CEO
By Kurtis Lindqvist 26 February 2025
Kurtis Lindqvist
Kurt Erik “Kurtis” Lindqvist is a seasoned technology executive and business leader who became President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) on 9 December 2024. With more than 30 years of experience in engineering and business development of Internet service providers, Internet Exchange Points, and global network carriers, Lindqvist has dedicated his career to advancing the stability, security, and accessibility of the Internet.
Prior to joining ICANN, Lindqvist served as CEO of the London Internet Exchange (LINX), a leading operator of worldwide interconnection services, from 2019 to 2024. Prior to this, he was CEO of Netnod from 2002 to 2015. Lindqvist also chaired the European Internet Exchange Association (Euro-IX) from 2003 to 2020, which underscores his long-standing leadership in Internet infrastructure organizations.
Lindqvist has been a leading voice in Internet governance (IG) and technical development. He served on the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) and led working groups within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and RIPE, where his efforts helped shape critical Internet standards and policies. Additionally, he has advised the Swedish government on IG, broadband policy, and other key areas, fostering collaboration between public and private sectors.
Lindqvist studied Computer Science at Uppsala University, Sweden, and holds an Executive MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.