Paul Twomey
CEO ICANN

"Last year, I told the Board that I did not want to renew my contract as President and CEO for another 3 year term," said Twomey.

"While I am deeply and personally committed to ICANN and its success, I think this is the right time for me to move on to another leadership position in the private or international sectors."

Twomey was named CEO and President in 2003, after serving, for 4 years, as the Chairman of  ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC).

"I’m delighted to have taken part in building ICANN’s role in assuring a stable and secure Internet," said Twomey.

"The Board has asked me to stay on after it appoints a successor to have a period of handover with the new appointee. During this transition period I shall be appointed to the new position of Senior President."

Twomey announced his decision at the opening of ICANN’s 34th International Public Meeting in Mexico City.

ICANN made the request in a detailed report sent to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The report will be the topic of a meeting to decide ICANN’s progress on objectives the U.S. government has put in place that would lead to the organizations independence.

ICANN maintains that the objectives have been reached earlier than expected and wants to discuss the issue of becoming independent. Paul Twomey, president if ICANN, told the BBC that the process of meeting the objectives was "essentially complete." The U.S. government asked for comments on ICANN’s progress prior to the meeting. Twomey said the detailed report was part of ICANN’s response to this request listing its achievements.

The meeting is a half-way point for the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) under which ICANN was charged with complying to a number of "responsibilities" that were necessary for its release from official oversight.

"The Board proposes that the JPA is no longer necessary and can be concluded," wrote Peter Dengate Thrush, chairman of the ICANN board, in the letter accompanying the report.

In the future Twomey said governments would still have a hand in communicating with the organization about public policy developments but would not be able to dictate its agenda or development.

ICANN is scheduled to meet with officials from the U.S Department of Commerce in March. Anyone wanting to comment on the organization becoming private has until February 14 to let their thoughts be known to the U.S. government.