Raúl Echeberría

After completing his term on Internet Society’s Board of Trustees (2008-2014), Raúl Echeberría joined the organization as Vice President of Global Engagement.

Raúl was one of the founders of LACNIC (the Internet Address Registry for Latin America and the Caribbean) where he played a key role in bringing together several organizations to support this endeavor. He was Chairman of the Board of LACNIC between 2000 and 2002, when he was appointed as CEO, a position he held until 2014. 

He is well known for his contributions to the development of the Internet within the region. Starting in the early 90s, Raúl was responsible for Technologies at the National Agriculture Research Institute of Uruguay, where he played an important role in the start up and development of the Internet in Uruguay.

Between 1998 and 2002 he was member of the Board of Directors of the Latin American Network Forum (ENRED), and also a member of ICANN's Name Council on behalf of the non-commercial constituency when it was first created in 1999.

Based on his experience and strong involvement in the early stages of ICANN, Raúl was hired by Oxford University in 2000 as a researcher, to be part of a group (NAIS project) that prepared an in-depth analysis of ICANN's experience with its At-Large Election in the year 2000. This project was a milestone in the evolution of the discussion on public participation in ICANN.

During 2001-2002 Raúl worked as the Coordinator of the APC program "ICT Policy Monitor in Latin America and the Caribbean", an experience, which allowed his increased involvement in the development of the information society from a civil society perspective.

Between 2004 and 2005, he participated in the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) created by the United Nations Secretary General and played a relevant role in the negotiations that took place in relation to this issue at the Summit in Tunis as a member of the Uruguayan delegation present at the Summit. His role in the great efforts that were necessary to achieve an agreement on Internet Governance deserved a public recognition from Ambassador Masood Khan, chair of the negotiations.

In May 2006 he was again distinguished by the United Nations Secretary General, being chosen to be a part of the Internet Governance Forums Multistakeholder Advisory Group, group in which he served until 2014.

Raúl is located in Uruguay. 

Image credit: © Jordi Ruiz Cirera/Panos