New Zealander to head Internet oversight board

Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES--A New Zealand lawyer has been selected as the new chairman of the international Internet oversight agency ICANN, replacing American Vinton Cerf who has lead the agency since its creation in 1998, the organization said on Friday.

Peter Dengate Thrush "has been elected unanimously as the new Chairman of the Board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers," ICANN said in a statement.

"I am delighted that my colleagues have placed their confidence in me for this challenging and important role," Dengate Thrush, who specializes in intellectual property law and helped draft bylaws for the group, said in the statement.

Cerf, sometimes called the father of the Internet, said the selection of the new chair showed the organization was maturing.

"ICANN has moved from a foundation state to a steady state. Peter understands that and the Board's role and is a great choice to keep the organization strong and focused," said Cerf, who helped invent the core protocols of the Internet.

ICANN, a non-profit organization based in Marina del Rey in Southern California, oversees the assignment of domain names (such as .org or .edu) and Internet protocol addresses that help computers communicate.