[NLnet Press] New Director of strategy for ICT charity NLnet

[NLnet foundation press list]

NLnet press release
New Director of strategy for ICT charity NLnet

                                          Amsterdam, April 16, 2008

The Netherlands-based charity fund NLnet appoints Michiel Leenaars (35)
as Director of Strategy of the foundation. NLnet manages a large private
fund of some tens of millions of Euro's, and annually invests
significantly in the area of open standards, free software, digital
privacy and civil rights through an open and easy application process.

NLnet director Valer Mischenko welcomes the appointment by the
NLnet Board of Directors: "With the appointment of Michiel Leenaars the
foundation confirms the previously adopted path of maximum positive
impact on the development of society. For the coming period NLnet has
selected a number of strategic issues that will make good use of the
extensive expertise and experience from Leenaars in both the area of
privacy and open document formats". In addition to his work for NLnet
Leenaars mainstains his position as director of Internet Society
Netherlands. Additionally, he serves as advisor on e-science and
e-infrastructure within The Netherlands Organization for Scientific
Research (NWO). Board memberships include EURid, OpenDoc Society en
Gridforum.nl.

Stichting NLnet manages a significant trust fund created in 1997
by the profits made from the sale of the first ISP in the Netherlands,
and in addition retrieves funds from donations and bequests. Its private
equity puts NLnet in a fully independent position, geared towards the
maximum benefit of society. The articles of association for the NLnet
foundation state: "to promote the exchange of electronic information and
all that is related or beneficial to that purpose". At the moment,
dozens of projects and organizations are supported financially. Amongst
them: research laboratory NLnet Labs, the Free Software Foundation,
KOffice, Intelligent Interactive Distributed Systems, and the Internet
Society.

*** Note to editors

This press release is also available at:

             http://nlnet.nl/press/20080416-director

Media contacts:

NLnet foundation
Director of Strategy NLnet
+31 6 27 050 947
m.leenaars at nlnet.nl

About NLnet Foundation

NLnet Foundation is a private charity fund supporting open standards
and open source worldwide, and has over the years actively contributed
to (internet) standards, open source projects and subsidiary or
enabling activities such as the development of GPLv3. NLnet foundation
is an independent organisation whose means came initially from interest
on a very substantial own capital formed in 1997 by the sale of the
first Dutch Internet Service Provider. Its private capital ensures an
absolute independent position. The articles of association for the
NLnet foundation state: "to promote the exchange of electronic
information and all that is related or beneficial to that purpose".
NLnet believes in open standards and open source. At the moment, dozens
of projects and organizations are supported financially. Amongst them:
research laboratory NLnet Labs, the Free Software Foundation,
ThinkQuest, Intelligent Interactive Distributed Systems, and the
Internet Society.

More info: http://nlnet.nl

For logo's: http://nlnet.nl/logo