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Steve Wright "Working for the Internet" has been at the core of LINX since its inception, and is very much aligned with my own ethos. I have been fortunate to form a career within this industry, including working with a variety of members both large and small such as Websense, DediPower, Pulsant, IX Reach and presently 4D Data Centres and Elite. Having been involved with LINX members for 15+ years, been a regular attendee to LINX member meetings, and served on the LINX Board for the previous 6 years, I truly understand the ethos and values held by LINX as well as being strongly committed to the mutual model treating every member equally.

I hope you will vote for me to be re-elected for a final term to the LINX Board in order to continue to support, challenge and develop the Board and Executive to deliver the best possible organisation for you, the members. I’m still as passionate and driven in ensuring LINX continues to improve as when I first sat in a member meeting, or from the time I joined the LINX Board.

As I look back at my original election statement from 2012, I believe my three key priorities are as relevant as ever, with some refinements in the detail.

• Stability Ensure that the organisation is able to continue its success and growth for the long term in a maturing interconnect market

• Reliability Provide the platform for members to have excellent interconnection opportunities that they can trust and provides value

• Fulfilment Deliver the services and expected growth required by the membership

The LINX is important to all members, both within the UK and internationally, especially in comparison to its organisational size. Ensuring that we focus on our ethos and values to guide our future is imperative, while still growing and adapting to the needs of the membership in a changing interconnect market place is vital to delivering on the above. The maturity and pricing pressures of other interconnect options over peering are evident, and ensuring LINX continues to evolve and deliver value both in technology and other membership benefits is key. The Public Affairs service continues to be extremely highly regarded, creating demonstrable results in an increasingly challenging environment of potential and actual regulation.

You have recently supported further changes to our governance, ensuring it is up to date and fit for purpose. This is the fruition of developmental work started in 2014 which I am pleased to say has progressed well. Governance of a member-based organisation is never finished, however the substantive adjustments to our governing documents have now been made and we are now able to move to continued implementation.

Based on my previous six years working for you on the LINX Board, I have served in the role of Chairman and Vice Chairman and been privileged to see us continue to grow and develop. The interconnection market place is rapidly changing, and ensuring LINX is able to move apace with the market will be critical now, as well as in the coming years. I know from my industry and previous board experience I am able to continue to make valuable and relevant contributions to the direction of the organisation.

I look forward to your support in this election so that I am able to continue my contributions to the success we create together for every single member.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email at steve.wright@visp.me.uk or telephone on +44 7833 477 627 or via LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/swrights

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LINX’s ethos is to act “for the good of the Internet”. With reference to both its operational activities and public affairs, what does this mean to you?

Fundamentally to me the LINX ethos and approach means that we can take the ‘right’ decisions for the wider benefit of our members, the IXP community and the Internet as a whole. In a traditional for profit business, you primarily make decisions based on profitability, but with mutuality running through our core, we can remain focused on delivering the best services to you, our members and the industry. Where LINX can be supportive of the wider community and this aligns with our ethos and values, then we should be supportive. Indeed, where we have been supportive of the wider community, I believe this to have enhanced the organisation as a whole.

The Public Affairs department plays a pivotal role in helping us maintain an open and free Internet. It’s important that we maintain a good relationship with regulators, government and partner organisations to ensure that when we are under the spotlight and in the headlines we are able to represent both LINX and its members interests. The significance of this area cannot be undervalued and through the open environment provided by LINX, it has enabled members to have excellent representation no matter what size they are.

Joining the LINX Council is a serious commitment both in terms of preparation time and attending meetings. We estimate a commitment of two to three days per month, occasionally more. In the light of your other employment, business and personal obligations, please describe how you are able to meet this commitment.

Having served on the LINX Board for the previous six years, and also in the role of Chairman and Vice Chairman during that period, I believe I have already demonstrated the flexibility afforded to me both in my professional and personal life in order to dedicate the time required to LINX. In addition, I currently sit on the Governance Subcommittee and Audit Subcommittees for LINX.

My position on the board is fully supported by my family and business interests. For completeness of declarations, I am Operations Director at LINX member, 4D Data Centres Limited (AS31463), an adviser to Cogendo, an employee performance management platform, Director of Clear Connect Limited, a technology consultancy and service provider, and also a Non-Executive Director of LINX member Elite Limited (AS29611).

From you’re past experience, what is the best learning point you can bring to the role of a non-executive director of LINX?

Whether running your own business, engineering networks, or as a Non-Executive Director, continuing to learn and develop new skills and knowledge just to stay current in this changing industry and regulatory environment is critical. So strangely, my answer to the question of the best learning point is to continually listen and learn so as not to become out dated or complacent! As a Director, my first priority is to act in the best interests of the company, and by extension, you, the members. When making strategic decisions, having a strong understanding of the overall context of LINX and direction of the membership is critical. Being able to adjust to change and rapidly navigate the different issues and challenges is a key skill. Combining that with my in depth understanding of the ethos and values of LINX enables me to make informed decisions always acting in the best interests of the business and delivering for you, the members.

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Mike Blanche I am seeking re-election as a Non-Executive Director of LINX. I would be proud to continue to represent existing and potential members, and other key stakeholders, as a member of the LINX Board.

In my past three years on the Board, I have worked to provide greater value to LINX members through both my contributions and the Board’s collective decisions. My specific individual contributions have included:

As Chair of the Remuneration Committee – which has reviewed senior staff remuneration to ensure it is providing value for money to members; I have also worked closely with the Chair and CEO to update how the CEO’s performance is evaluated, to provide appropriate incentives for him to deliver best-in-class performance;

As a member of the Governance Committee – working through changes to the governing texts of LINX, allowing additional senior staff to join the Board, to enable better decision making and reflecting the modern LINX organisation.

Through my participation on the Board I have helped drive key joint decisions that benefit members including:

• Delivering the first commercial Internet Exchange deployment of a disaggregated switching platform with EVPN, on the LON2 network – low-cost and efficient technologies that have been used for some time in the datacentre world and are now opening new opportunities for Internet network operators;

• Continuing to reduce port prices year after year for LINX members, in particular when new technologies can provide a step-change in costs, while ensuring that the LINX organisation is sustainable for the long term;

• Development of a more modern branding for LINX, to enable the organisation to better reach out beyond its current community to attract new members from industries such as financial services and biotech.

In the coming three years, I believe LINX will need to continue to evolve and develop in a fast-changing Internet infrastructure industry, while maintaining true to its core principles:

1. a neutral, member-owned, member-led organisation - providing a strong example of the “multistakeholder” Internet model

I am a strong believer in the neutral, member-led ethos of LINX, and more generally the overall “multistakeholder” model of Internet governance. Peering is a great example of this - when 99.5+% of all peering relationships are informal and done on a handshake, this helps make the Internet an efficient, resilient system. We need strong neutral platforms like LINX to enable this to thrive.

2. Always providing greater value for existing and new members

Interconnection is changing and with the rise of FTTH and content delivery networks there is ever-greater capacity and traffic at the network “edge” but slower growth in the “core”. At the same time, cloud computing and the growth of the industrial “Internet of Things” is potentially extending LINX’s relevance to new industries.

LINX needs to remain relevant in this environment - this means continuing to innovate such as we are doing with our new platform in London; it means embracing new industries and potential members who are not traditional network operators; and it means providing the right products - both public and private interconnection - to help all members get the best value from Internet interconnection.

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3. Driving automation, scalability and efficiency in the LINX organisation

This is part of providing greater value to members - and technology will help us get there. Networks are becoming increasingly automated, and with the right automation LINX can grow without linearly scaling the organisation. It is great that there is now a sustainable IXP in Manchester, the next challenge is to ensure NoVA and the other regional exchanges can reach this point too.

Overall, I believe I would continue to bring to the LINX Board role:

• an understanding of the requirements and challenges of a range of LINX members

• an extensive set of relationships with networks from not just the UK but across Europe, the Middle East and Africa

• a mix of technical, commercial, and financial skills and experience, and a public policy outlook on LINX’s place in the Internet ecosystem.

About Me:

I have a broad range of experience in the Internet industry over almost 25 years. Most recently this has been at Google, where in 2009 I joined to build a team of peering coordinators for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. My role has developed over time so now I lead Google’s overall strategic relationships with telecoms operators in the region. I also advise on public policy issues related to the Open Internet, telecoms infrastructure, and IP interconnection.

Previous to Google I was CTO at a VoIP company; Technical Director at the UK regional ISP Onyx; helped Manx Telecom establish their LINX presence, and back in the late 1990s I founded, grew, and sold a web hosting and colocation business. I have an MBA from Warwick Business School.

Thanks for reading this far. If you have any questions you are welcome to contact me: mike at blanche dot org.

LINX’s ethos is to act “for the good of the Internet”. With reference to both its operational activities and public affairs, what does this mean to you?

LINX’s core service of providing interconnection facilities is clearly “for the good of the Internet” - in reducing costs and improving performance for Internet traffic exchanged over its private and public infrastructures, as is the valuable work that LINX does in the public affairs space both in the UK and internationally.

In addition, LINX’s member-owned, member-led neutral organisation also provide a positive example to governments, regulators, and end-users of how Internet infrastructure organisations can be successful with such a model.

Joining the LINX Council is a serious commitment both in terms of preparation time and attending meetings. We estimate a commitment of two to three days per month, occasionally more. In the light of your other employment, business and personal obligations, please describe how you are able to meet this commitment.

I have successfully managed the LINX Board time commitments in my past three years alongside my “day job”, and believe I can continue to do so in future. I have successfully separated my LINX Board role from my role at Google – so that I can represent impartially the views of the membership and advance what is best for the LINX organisation. I believe my past three years active participation in the development of the Board and LINX demonstrates my commitment to the organisation and its success.

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From your past experience, what is the best learning point you can bring to the role of a non-executive director of LINX?

I have experience at a range of organisations ranging from ISPs and content hosts, through to Internet application providers, and have a wide range of contacts and context from working with network operators in countries across Europe and Africa. In addition, in my current role at Google I am increasingly involved in the approach to digital transformation of industries beyond traditional network operators – from financial services to retail. Therefore I believe can bring a point of view that considers the varied needs of a wide range of current and potential members of LINX.

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Matt Wilson I wish to serve because I feel I address a skills gap on the existing board and have the right skills and experience to complement the existing team, especially issues around Corporate Governance.

Working for you, I would like to do the following:

• Review the existing governance arrangements to see how we can improve accountability, better management of risk and look at who is making decisions about the way LINX is being run and how they are perceived from the public eye and as well as putting things in place to ensure they can be made more accountable to its members

• I want to explore how LINX can offer additional value for members, without directly competing with them while ensuring LINX stays relevant

• I want to better represent our underrepresented smaller members, I want to hear about how we can make things better for them, give them additional value and a guiding hand to get them up and running on the exchange sooner

• I want to support regional Internet exchanges better, exploring how we can empower local communities and local networks while helping to decentralise for the “Good of the Internet”

First, a bit about myself, I started out in business after completing my Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship. I began by providing dial-up internet access and online data backup services in 1997 (at the age of 18), amassing large amounts of customers before my telecoms provider shut me down for taking too many phone lines from my exchange!

This led me to having to build my own £1.2M Data Centre not far from the Hibernia landing stage in Southport, (creating the UK’s first carbon neutral DC), hosting thousands of websites while also providing various content services over mobile. I became the biggest provider in the UK for mobile content (those annoying ringtones and logos we all had!), all powered from my self designed software and backend systems.

Seeing the future as the cloud, I changed our strategic direction to become a cloud based API-driven Communications platform and still today, Telecoms Cloud (AS 203421) helps power the Internet of Things and various applications as a Communications Network.

I have founded and sold two businesses, sat in 10 Non-Executive roles to date, on the boards of small and large Businesses, Charities, Schools and with turnovers ranging up to £134m (as Non-Executive Director of a NHS Trust) including more recently as chair and founder of IX Liverpool.

I believe in good Corporate Governance and want to help improve it in LINX. I want to bring additional challenge to the board, holding the executives to account while listening to the varied and legitimate needs of members and ensuring the executive implement and deliver the planned strategy.

I’m asking for your support and to elect me on my merits. It’s a chance to bring a fresh face and a fresh pair of eyes on to the board, slightly naive to past history (and the baggage that comes with it), but with open eyes and with total respect of what and who has come before me.

I want to be your voice on the board, giving up the time needed for this role and attending all board and LINX meetings in order to serve you, delivering straight direct talk, dealing with contentious and controversial issues with courage and commitment head-on … perhaps even wrapped up nicely in some self-deprecating scouse humour! :)

Thank you.

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Question A LINX’s ethos is to act “for the good of the Internet”. With reference to both its operational activities and public affairs, what does this mean to you?

Acting in an open, transparent and inclusive way, promoting interconnection and interworking and settlement-free exchanges, taking a leadership position as well as being able to communicate to both technical and non-technical audiences while helping to build the internet in a sustainable and responsible way.

Question B Joining the LINX Board is a serious commitment both in terms of preparation time and attending meetings. We estimate a commitment of two to three days per month, occasionally more. In the light of your other employment, business and personal obligations, please describe how you are able to meet this commitment.

I control my own time and my business interests are run by other nominated directors who are in charge of those businesses operationally, my role is purely strategic. I have had many years serving as a Non-Executive Director on various boards and are used to the efficient planning of my time in order to fulfill my duties.

Question C From your past experience, what is the best learning point you can bring to the role of a non-executive director of LINX?

The ability to think strategically, out of the box and with vision for the future, ensuring LINX stays relevant and true to its core principles while ensuring that a long term plan is not only in place but is actually achievable.

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Simon Lockhart I currently represent two LINX members – CableCom Networking (a managed services provider predominantly to the University Student accommodation market), and Bogons (a small ISP focussed on 'media delivery' – we're the people who do the webcast for LINX meetings). I also previously worked for the BBC in their Internet Services team. Through these employments, I can bring to the LINX Board the practical experience of the Internet and interconnectivity needs of both access and content providers in the small to medium business space. Although primarily a hands-on technical person, I have a good (and growing) exposure to the financial side of running a business of comparable size to LINX. I am a company director of Bogons.

When faced with a decision to be made, I am very much a problem solver – a thinker and an analyser. I like to question the views of others, and understand not just their viewpoint, but also how they came to it. I like to look for alternative solutions to problems, and question whether they would be better than the traditional or default answer. I'm not easily persuaded to do things just because that's how they've always been done, and I'm not afraid to be controversial with my views. However, I also fully understand the need for consensus once all options have been considered.

I believe that LINX is losing focus on the needs of some of its members. Pricing continues to be an ongoing challenge, particularly with transit pricing continuing to drop, leaving peering as a more expensive option for many ISPs. Both Connexions and Regional Peering offer peering opportunities for ISPs outside London – but the two are not necessarily complementary to each other. Furthermore, the ever-increasing use of Connexions can make it very tricky for other LINX members to make routing decisions based on the locality of the member. If I were to be elected to the board, I would seek to ensure that LINX focusses on some of these issues in the short term, and then continues to maintain a focus on the needs of all of its members in the long term.

That said, I strongly believe that LINX is the best overall IXP in the world – not necessarily in terms of member count or traffic levels, but specifically in terms of ethos, respect, credibility and trust. If I were to be elected onto the LINX Board, then I would work to ensure that these values are maintained, as they are what makes LINX what it is.

LINX's ethos is to act “for the good of the Internet”. With reference to both its operational activities and public affairs, what does this mean to you?

The Internet is neither an organisation, nor a quantifiable entity. The Internet is a system of interconnected networks, operated by ISPs around the world. Therefore, to me, “for the good of the Internet” means that LINX should act in the interests of ISPs to allow them to be a part of the global Internet – primarily by facilitating them to interconnect with each other in a technically and commercially efficient manner. Additionally, LINX should use the trust and credibility that it has established with government and regulatory bodies to be able to speak and act on behalf of its members (particularly where individual member voices may not otherwise be heard) to guide and steer those bodies towards supporting ISPs to allow them to carry out their business and continue to be part of the Internet.

Joining the LINX Board is a serious commitment both in terms of preparation time and attending meetings. We estimate a commitment of two to three days per month, occasionally more. In the light of your other employment, business and personal obligations, please describe how you are able to meet this commitment.

As I have previously served on the LINX Board, I have first-hand experience of the level of commitment required to be an effective board member. My employer (CableCom) is fully supportive of me standing for the LINX Board and understands the level of commitment required. My wife and family are used to (although not necessarily happy with!) me working

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evenings and weekends, which is when I often find that I am most productive for work that requires me to focus without the everyday distractions of working in an office.

From your past experience, what is the best learning point you can bring to the role of a non-executive director of LINX?

This is probably best answered by a quote from my line manager at CableCom: “Simon is never afraid to question the status-quo and offer his own opinions which tend to be well thought out and relevant to the debate.” Whilst fully understanding the need for consensus within the LINX Board, I would like to think that I am able to effectively play devil's advocate and question the popular viewpoint to ensure that other options and viewpoints have been properly considered.