Alex Benay, the Chief Information Officer of the Canadian government, has been elected as the newest member of the Web Foundation’s Board.
Prior to his appointment as CIO in April 2017, Alex was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation. From 2009 to 2014, he was a Vice President at OpenText.
Rosemary Leith, Nominations Committee Chair and Co-Founder, Web Foundation, said:
“Alex has spent the better part of two decades working to drive positive technological change. He has a deep commitment to public service and is one of the world’s foremost experts in government technology. As the Web Foundation continues to call for governments and companies to promote a free and open web that benefits everyone, Alex’s support and advice will be invaluable.”
Alex was recently named to Apolitical’s international list of the 100 most influential people in digital government. He is also the author of Canadian Failures, an anthology of essays from prominent Canadians openly talking about failure, and Government Digital, an in-depth look at how modern governments are tackling digital change.
Commenting on his appointment, Alex said:
“There are few areas of life today untouched by digital technology. That means all of us, whether as policymakers, engineers, investors, activists or citizens, must do our part to make sure that the web we get is the web we want. Now is a key moment to make sure that the web lives up to Sir Tim’s founding vision as an open tool that serves the public good. I’m thrilled to be working with the Web Foundation as part of this effort.”
Alex took up his post on 17 June 2019, joining a diverse, international board working to guide the Web Foundation’s strategic direction as we work to make sure the web is a tool that everyone, everywhere can use to improve their lives.
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