We’re excited to announce that technology pioneer Tom Jenkins has been appointed as the World Wide Web Foundation’s Board Chair. Tom will join a diverse international team, responsible for setting the Web Foundation’s strategic direction as it works to ensure that everyone can access the web and use it to improve their lives.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Founding Director of the World Wide Web Foundation said:

“I’m thrilled to welcome Tom to this role.For more than 20 years, he has been working to build and strengthen the open web. His leadership experience and deep understanding of technology position him perfectly as Board Chair.”

Tom Jenkins is currently Board Chair of OpenText, an Enterprise Information Management company where he has previously held roles as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer. He has served as a Director of OpenText since 1994 and as its chair since 1998.

In addition to his OpenText responsibilities, Tom is a board member of Manulife Financial Corporation and the Chair of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). He has also served as a board member of Thomson Reuters Inc. and TransAlta Corporation. Tom was the tenth Chancellor of the University of Waterloo and Chair of the Ontario Global 100 (OG100).

Commenting on his appointment, Tom Jenkins said:

“The web, as we know, faces significant challenges. Tackling these and ensuring that everyone can access the web’s enormous benefits is one of the great priorities of our time. We must build a web where people enjoy privacy and can control their data, a web that is safe and respects peoples’ fundamental rights, and a web that is open and available to everyone. I’m honoured to join the board as Chair and excited to work at the forefront of these efforts.”

Tom took up his post on October 16th, as previous Board Chair Afsaneh Beschloss stepped down after three years in the role. Tom joins retail executive Marty Wikstrom and former Nigeria ICT Minister Omobola Johnson, who was appointed to the Web Foundation board earlier this year.

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