Apparently Domain Mondo's post last week about ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade and his NETmundial Initiative project being among those "missing" at the World Economic Forum, appears to have been wrong as it is now reported that the ICANN CEO did in fact show up in Davos, at least long enough for a secret meeting with the rich and powerful that was not exactly successful--
Hibernating NetMundial rattles internet governance world at Davos • The Register: "... Even though the Davos launch was dumped, Chehade is attending the elite conference and has already ruffled feathers by continuing to promote NetMundial at a closed meeting of bigwigs... according to a Reuters reporter who was present. His remarks reportedly were not popular and sparked concerns of an elite group taking charge..."
I guess Fadi is finding out that his top-down vision of internet governance--the NETmundial Initiative, (reportedly funded a/k/a astroturfed, at least in part, by ICANN money)--is as hard to sell as ICANN's new gTLD domain names!
After all, when an elite gathering of the rich and powerful are alarmed that your idea sounds like an elite group taking charge of the internet, maybe it's time to stop and listen, and consider dropping the whole charade. But if the track record of ICANN ignoring sound and wise advice in its new gTLDs program is any guide, Fadi Chehade will continue to make a pest of himself at Davos, until Klaus Schwab says "enough!"
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