Internet Society Asia-Pacific Regional Office Launch
On May 14, 2012, Internet Society marked a new milestone by launching its regional office for Asia-Pacific in Singapore. The region office, located at Suntec Office Towers will oversee the Internet Society’s activities in the region, and its commitment to this diverse and important region.Over 70 invited guests and VIPs attended the launch reception at the Intercontinental Singapore Hotel. The Internet Society’s Chief Executive Officer, Lynn St. Amour, and Chief Financial Officer, Gregory Kapfer, both based in at the head office in Reston were present to mark this important milestone in the Internet Society’s history.
Other guests included the Singapore Government represented by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts (MICA), executive members of the Internet Society Singapore Chapter, diplomats, private sector and industry representatives, media representatives, and the Internet Society’s partners, stakeholders and senior staff.
A special media luncheon and press conference was held earlier in the day with 12 representatives from leading local and regional media in attendance. The evening reception marked the launch of the Singapore regional office, as well as the Internet Society’s 20th Anniversary.
Key highlights of the evening included addresses by Lynn St. Amour, CEO, Internet Society, Rajnesh Singh, Internet Society Asia-Pacific Bureau Director, Kelvin Wong, Executive Director, IOPO, Singapore Economic Development Board and President of the Internet Society Singapore Chapter, Prof. Ang Peng Hwa . Rajnesh thanked those who assisted in helping establish the regional office in Singapore, namely the Singapore Government through EDB, MICA and IDA, the Internet Society Singapore Chapter and numerous members/staff who have long supported ISOC.
CEO, Lynn St. Amour explained the significance of the opening of the regional office in Singapore as an important step in providing support and visibility to the work the Internet Society has done and its on-going contribution to the region’s development. The Internet Society is committed to the Asia-Pacific and has chosen Singapore as the new home of the regional office, due to its strategic location and its role as a hub for regional and international organisations.
The Asia-Pacific region represents 26% (the largest) of the current overall individual membership of the Internet Society. There are currently 5 operating bureaus within the ISOC family (Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia-Pacific), each providing the strategic and regional outreach for the Internet Society’s global mission.