New horizons
By October this year, FSFE will have a new leadership team. When my current (third) term as the organisation’s president comes to an end this autumn, I will hand over the role of president, and move on to new horizons.
FSFE is in a great place right now. We’re making a bigger impact than ever before. We sharpened and refocused our mission during 2014, and developed a new strategy focused on empowering users. We are reaching more people than ever before, and have very good traction with policymakers. People value what we do: Thanks to our Fellows and donors, FSFE’s finances look better than they ever have.
FSFE’s fierce independence and focus on the long term make it a very special place to work. My current job is a wonderful vantage point from which to explore the world. But from time to time, it’s good to change one’s perspective and seek out new challenges.
Come October, Matthias Kirschner will take over as president, pending confirmation by FSFE’s General Assembly. Having worked very tightly with him for the past years, I can confidently say that he is the single best person to take FSFE forward into the future. He knows the organisation inside out, takes to policy work like a duck to water, and is very good at getting people to work together. He will make an excellent president.
Before then, in March, we’re taking on board an executive director. This will be a someone who has been with FSFE from the start: Jonas Öberg, one of FSFE’s founding members and a former vice-president. Jonas has considerable experience in managing Free Software-related projects and organisations. This includes building up the FSCons conference in its original form, acting as Creative Commons’ coordinator for Europe, his latest venture Commons Machinery and and the Elog.io project. We couldn’t have found a better person for this role.
So, what are you doing next?
Professionally, I’m going to look for a role where I can make a difference, and bring to bear the skills I’ve learned running FSFE. I’d love to continue working with digital freedoms, strategy, and policy. This could be at the helm of another NGO, or as part of a larger organisation or company. If you would like to discuss potential opportunities, I’ll be delighted to hear from you.
With regard to FSFE, I will remain part of the General Assembly, and will give my full support to Matthias and Jonas as they drive the organisation forward. Wherever my work will take me, FSFE and the Free Software community will always remain close to my heart.