Dear RIPE NCC members, The RIPE NCC Executive Board has appointed Hans Petter Holen as the new Managing Director of the RIPE NCC. He will start his new position no later than 1 June and will work with the existing Management Team to ensure a smooth transition. You are most likely aware of who Hans Petter is as he has been serving as the RIPE Chair since May 2014. Besides doing really well in the recruitment process, the Executive Board believes that his experience in both his professional career and his strong involvement with the RIPE community make him the best fit for this position. Hans Petter asked me to share some words on his behalf: “I am deeply honoured by this appointment as I have known the organisation for more than 25 years and have grown personally and professionally by being involved in the RIPE community working with the RIPE NCC. I am looking forward to exploring the RIPE NCC in a different light and using the knowledge I have gained over the years as RIPE Chair and in my professional career in the best interests of the RIPE NCC members and the technical community. I am grateful for the possibility to work with the Executive Board, RIPE NCC staff and the community to further improve the organisation. The RIPE NCC is the trusted RIR for Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia. We should work with the other RIRs to strengthen the global RIR system and ensure its accountability, transparency and resilience. I believe that we all must work together in order to adapt to the changing environment. Our trust is directly affected by the accuracy of the registry and our service delivery to our members. We need to ensure the highest standards are maintained here. Our trust is also dependent on our ability to engage and strengthen our relationships with stakeholders from the industry, governments, law enforcement and society at large. We have an incredibly diverse membership, and addressing the needs of that membership is a challenge that I am excited to take on. Regarding my position as RIPE Chair, I will naturally withdraw my nomination for the RIPE Chair selection. I believe there are good candidates already nominated, and the community still has time to review and nominate candidates for the consideration by the Nominations Committee until the end of the month. I trust the NomCom to make a good choice for my successor.” We would like to thank Hagoort & Partners, who carried out the executive search. And we wish Hans Petter lots of success in this role and we look forward to working together to bring strong leadership and direction to the RIPE NCC for the years ahead. Kind regards, Christian Kaufmann RIPE NCC Executive Board Chairman