Dear OpenID Foundation Members:

This is to update the OpenID Foundation community on our leadership transition and plans for 2021. We’ve enlisted the support of Women in Identity, IDPro and other groups to insure a broad international search and a diversity of backgrounds for the Foundation’s next Executive Director. Our search efforts are ongoing so please feel free to send your nominations to Vice Chairman Bjorn Hjelm.

Despite the headwinds of 2020, the awareness of the OpenID Foundation’s international technical leadership has translated into adoption momentum across working groups. Many point to the Financial-Grade APIs (FAPI) Working Group diversity of requirements and ongoing technical improvement has driven FAPI’s global adoption. The extensibility of open standards and the increasing importance of international interoperability has been a particular focus area of Don Thibeau’s for the Foundation during this leadership transition.

To maintain this momentum and help guide the OpenID Foundation’s new leadership, we’ve asked Don Thibeau to continue to serve, but in a new role as a Non Executive Director on the OpenID Foundation board of directors. This provides the board and its new leadership the time, continuity and experience needed to transition and grow. And most importantly, is to continue to build on the contribution of those in OpenID Foundation working groups that are the foundation of our success.

Thank you for your continued support of and contributions to the OpenID Foundation.

Best regards,

Nat Sakimura
Chairman, OpenID Foundation Board of Directors

Bjorn Hjelm
Vice Chairman, OpenID Foundation Board of Directors