The World Wide Web Foundation’s Board of Directors announces the election of Rick Haythornthwaite as interim Chairman of the Board, effective 21 February 2012. Mr. Haythornthwaite replaces the Foundation’s Board Chair, Alberto Ibargüen, who will remain an active member of the Board of Directors.
Mr. Haythornthwaite will serve as interim Board Chair as the Foundation undertakes a search to fill the role. His experience and thought leadership will ensure the Web Foundation’s work continues unabated during our search for the Foundation’s next Board Chair.
Mr. Haythornthwaite is Chairman of Mastercard’s Board of Directors, and has served on the Board of Directors since May 2006. He is also Non-Executive Chairman of Network Rail, President of PSI UK Ltd. (Petro Saudi International) and an advisor to Star Capital Partners Limited.
From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Haythornthwaite served as Chief Executive Officer and Director for Invensys plc, and from 1997 to 2001 as Chief Executive, Europe and Asia and then as Group Chief Executive for Blue Circle Industries plc (acquired by Lafarge SA in 2001). His prior positions include serving as a Director of Premier Oil plc, President of BP Venezuela, and General Manager, Magnus Oilfield, BP Exploration. Within the last five years, Mr. Haythornthwaite has also served as a non-executive director, chairman of the remuneration committee and member of the audit and nominating committees of Imperial Chemical Industries plc, and also as a director of Land Securities Group plc.
Rick is also active in supporting the Arts, and he is currently Chairman of Southbank Centre’s Board of Governors. He was Chairman of the Board of the Almeida Theatre, Chair of the Corporate Advisory Group at Tate Gallery and a board member of the British Council. He has also been a trustee of the UK National Museum of Science and Industry, Chair of the British American Arts Association and a trustee of the Whitechapel Art Gallery.
Former Chairman Alberto Ibargüen, who is President and CEO of the Knight Foundation, has played an integral role in the creation of the World Wide Web Foundation. In September of 2008, he announced the Knight Foundation’s decision to award a grant of $5 million over five years to seed the creation of the Web Foundation. His leadership and commitment to the Web Foundation’s guiding principles and vision are much appreciated, and we are pleased that he will continue to support the Foundation’s mission as an active Board member.