Dear members of the RIPE Cooperation Working Group, On 17 Oct 2013, at 10:38, Maria Häll wrote:

As you all know Patrik Fältström has stepped down as co-chair of the Cooperation Working Group. As remaining co-chair I would like to nominate Niall O'Reilly as new co-chair of the WG. Niall will present himself on the list shortly.

That seemed to draw a flurry of other nominations, which I see as a healthy sign. I feel privileged that Maria nominated me, and congratulate the other nominees on seizing the initiative to self-nominate. It's time that I introduced myself too. As some of you will know already, I work in the IT Services Unit at University College Dublin (Ireland's largest university). I have been engaged in the RIPE Community since 1990 [1] and have been Chair or Co-Chair in two RIPE Working Groups which are now no longer active: TLD [2] and ENUM [3]. I am familiar with the RIPE Policy Development Process, both from the oversight side and, more recently, as a policy proposer. While responsible for the IE top-level domain, I was one of the co-founders of CENTR, which grew from the work of the RIPE TLD WG. I am still involved in the TLD scene, as a member of AFNIC's Scientific Council [4]. I see the Cooperation WG, and especially item 3 of its Charter [5], as having growing significance, reflecting the increasing attention which civil society is now having to give to the impact of the technology which RIPE once had to promote and foster. I look forward to Maria's "suggestions how to move fwd" with choosing co-chairs for the WG and, whatever the outcome, will be glad to support the leadership of the WG in any way I can. Best regards, Niall [1] http://www.ripe.net/ripe/meetings/ripe-meetings/ripe-3/attendee-list [2] http://www.ripe.net/ripe/groups/inactive-working-groups/tld [3] http://www.ripe.net/ripe/groups/wg/enum [4] http://www.afnic.fr/en/expertise/r-d/a-scientific-council-open-to-the-intern... [5] http://www.ripe.net/ripe/groups/wg/coop