ICANN President to Step Down in 2003

The head of the group that sets standards for the Internet’s addressing system, who has been trying to restructure the group’s board in a way that critics complain would favor companies over computer users, announced plans to step down next year.

M. Stuart Lynn, president and chief executive of the Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers, said he would step down in March 2003 for personal reasons.

Lynn made his announcement while the ICANN board met privately in New York to sort through several restructuring proposals that aim to make the international body function more smoothly.