Dear colleagues, As many of you will have personal and professional connections with him, I want to inform you that Paul Rendek, our Director of External Relations, will be parting ways with the RIPE NCC at the end of February. Paul has dedicated over 20 years of his working life to the RIPE NCC and the RIPE community, with his influence extending to many areas of the Internet ecosystem. He is a trailblazer in the Internet governance world, establishing links between and among technical communities, business, governments, law enforcement and developing regions of the Internet world. He established the RIPE NCC's Dubai office and presence in Moscow and was instrumental in ensuring the inclusion and involvement of stakeholders from the Middle East, Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus in wider Internet discussions and developments. His work to engage with all stakeholders was matched by an ability to ensure we always had a seat at the table and were able to work for the good of the Internet on the biggest stages. All of this he has done with incredible energy, intelligence and a wicked sense of humour. Fortunately for us, he plans to remain working within the Internet community as a consultant and I am sure he will bring the same energy and dedication to his future endeavours. Our External Relations Manager Chris Buckridge will carry on Paul's work in an acting capacity as we work to determine how best to develop our engagement strategy for the future. I'm confident that the team he has built will be able to continue the great work that he started many years ago. On a personal note, I've counted Paul as a friend and advisor for nearly three decades. I will sorely miss him at the RIPE NCC but I look forward to his continued influence and experience playing a guiding role in the community that has been his home for a long time. Kind regards, Axel Pawlik Managing Director RIPE NCC