Chris Disspain


Chris Disspain has been a Board member of ICANN for 8 years and will complete his 9th and final year on the board in October 2020.
Disspain was Vice-Chair of the Board from October 2017 to October 2019 and has been the Chair of the Board Governance Committee and a chair or member of the Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Finance Committee as well as numerous other Board committees and working groups.
Disspain was Chair of ICANN's country code Names Supporting Organization from its foundation in 2004 until he stood down in 2011. He was instrumental in developing the IDN ccTLD Fast Track, which enables the delegation of country codes in non-Latin scripts.
From 2000 until 2016 he was CEO of auDA, the independent governing body/manager of and the policy body governing the Australian Internet Domain Name Space.
In 2005 he set up The auDA Foundation, a charitable trust to promote and encourage educational and research activities that enhance the utility of the Internet for the benefit of the Australian community. He was the Foundation chair from 2005 to 2016.
From 2006 to 2013 Disspain was a member of the United Nations Secretary-General's Internet Governance Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group.
From 2013 to 2016 he was a director of the Internet Society of Australia.
In 1995 he co-authored the book Create Your Fuller Life Map, focused on improving personal performance through goal setting.
Disspain is a corporate lawyer and has held executive management positions and directorships in private and public companies in the U.K. and Australia. These companies have included those involved in mining, e-commerce and the Internet.