[Inline image 1] I am excited to announce that today, December 1, 2017, is my first day as President of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC)! I want to thank everyone for placing their trust in me to lead this organization at such an important time for intellectual property owners, brands and consumers. The issues that face the IPC in the coming term are of critical importance as we do our part to ensure that intellectual property rights and consumer interests are preserved and protected on the Internet, and are appropriately balanced with legitimate privacy and Internet infrastructure concerns. Key issues in the coming year include: * understanding the impact of GDPR (new European data privacy regulation) compliance and ensuring transparency/accessibility of website ownership data for IP enforcement and consumer protection purposes; * preparing for the review of the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP); * evaluating the impact of the new gTLD program and evaluating rights protection mechanisms (RPMs) and accountability mechanisms; * assessing the proper balance of government interests and international law with respect to the use of geographic terms in the domain name space; and more. I would like to encourage IPC members and those who are interested in the work of the IPC to reach out to me at any time to share thoughts about the coming term, the above priorities, IPC communication to members and outreach to the community, and organizational management. I also welcome any suggestions for additional priorities, and any questions or concerns. It is my hope for the IPC that we can develop a strategic plan to concretely identify and tackle the main priorities of the IPC, and to establish a sufficiently fluid and efficient process to integrate new priorities and action items as challenges present themselves and new opportunities arise for IPC advocacy. Our main goal this year is to focus on making an impact. I look forward to working with you all in the coming year! About the IPC The Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) represents the views and interests of the intellectual property community worldwide at ICANN, with a particular emphasis on trademark, copyright, and related intellectual property rights and their effect and interaction with Domain Name Systems (DNS). The IPC ensures that these views, including minority views, are reflected in Working Groups, recommendations made by the GNSO Council to the ICANN Board, in public comments and throughout ICANN. The IPC is one of the stakeholder groups and constituencies of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) charged with the responsibility of advising the ICANN Board on policy issues relating to the management of the domain name system. Information regarding membership in the IPC or other areas of interest can be found by visiting: www.ipconstituency.org<http://www.ipconstituency.org> About Brian Winterfeldt Brian J. Winterfeldt is the Founder and Principal of Winterfeldt IP Group, and brings 18 years of experience practicing trademark and Internet law to the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC). Prior to becoming president, Brian had held several leadership roles within the IPC, including serving four years as a representative for the IPC on ICANN's Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council, as well as IPC Treasurer. Brian has spent his career advising clients on the creation of global trademark and branding strategies, developing programs to register and enforce clients' intellectual property rights and protecting against infringement. He has developed one of the leading practices specializing in advising on trademark and Internet issues. For more information, please visit: www.winterfeldt.law<http://www.winterfeldt.law> About Winterfeldt IP Group Winterfeldt IP Group is a specialized law firm focused on intellectual property issues, particularly brand management, Internet, and policy matters. Based in Washington, DC, the firm consists of approximately 15 lawyers and other professionals with many decades of collective experience across digital as well as analog platforms, including trademark, portfolio, Internet and registry/registrar expertise. The firm has worked with over 100 companies in varied sectors including media and entertainment, retail, internet and tech, consumer products, pharma, financial services and luxury goods. Winterfeldt IP Group has a concierge, creative-driven and practical approach and leverages a global network of partners. Winterfeldt IP Group has a strong commitment to pro bono legal services and diversity, striving to serve as responsible and productive citizens of the legal, local and global communities. For more information, please visit: www.winterfeldt.law<http://www.winterfeldt.law>