Oscar Messano “LACNIC Has Always Exceeded My Expectations”

29/06/2017

His name is synonymous with LACNIC, not only because he chaired the organization for 13 of its 15 years of existence, but also because he was involved with the Internet Address Registry for Latin America and the Caribbean since its inception. We are talking about Oscar Messano, one of the most visible men in the organization throughout the years.

In the opinion of the current vice-president of LACNIC, the regional community has played a fundamental role in promoting an Internet that addresses the peculiarities of the Latin American and Caribbean territories.

What was your relationship with the world of ICTs like 15 years ago?

I was the founder and president of the Technology Training Center (at that time the organization was already 15 years old), the Argentine Internet Chamber (CABASE) and the Latin American and Caribbean Federation for Internet and Electronic Commerce. All of these organizations had been created with the aim of sharing experiences and knowledge with other colleagues in the region and generating the critical mass needed at that time.

When and how did your relationship with LACNIC begin?

I signed the organization’s founding charter in representation of CABASE and ECOMLAC. But the relationship predates the official creation of LACNIC as together with a group of people from around the region we saw an opportunity in the decentralization of IP address management. We realized that creating an organization to manage IP addresses in Latin America and the Caribbean would also serve as a catalyst for Internet growth in our region. Looking back over these past 15 years, I believe the effort has achieved what many of us thought was possible. Everyone who was part of the initial stages of this institutional project worked hard to make it a success.

What roles have you played within the LACNIC community? Did they meet your expectations? What aspects would you highlight?

I served as the organization’s treasurer for about a year, then I was chairman of the Board until 2015. I am currently serving as vice-president. My expectations were exceeded both in my past and in my current positions. The group of human beings with whom I shared and continue to share within the institution is remarkable, both from a personal as well as from a professional point of view.

I am proud to have chaired the organization all these years, so I am especially grateful to the colleagues who entrusted me with this responsibility.

We’ve all learned to move forward together. On this journey, the different teams within LACNIC join forces with other regional and global Internet organizations every day.

What role do you think the LACNIC community has played in the management of number resources over the past 15 years?

Since the very beginning, LACNIC has always been an essential guide for the development of IP address management policies for the region. In addition to proper resource management, its idea of ​​a stable, open and secure Internet has not only been a slogan but the main reason behind the successful work of LACNIC.

What are the LACNIC community’s identifying features?

A group where ethics and transparency are fundamental values and accompany every activity carried out by LACNIC. The respect that the multi-stakeholder community has for LACNIC is a right that was earned over 15 years defending those principles.

How do you envision Internet governance 15 years from now?

The technological trilogy of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computers make it impossible for me to imagine a future that is so close in terms of years yet so distant in terms of Internet Governance.