It is with a mixture of sadness and gratitude that the Board of Directors announces that Pavel Richter will be leaving his position as Chief Executive Officer of Open Knowledge International as of today. He will be available to support the Board and Leadership Team until the end of 2017, to ensure a smooth transition.

Since May 2015, Pavel has played a critical role in the development and success of the organisation. While we will miss him and his thoughtful leadership, we wish him the best of luck in his new endeavours. We want to thank him for more than 2 years of dedicated service which involved many significant accomplishments. He managed the successful transition from our founder to a new Leadership Team. He maintained the position of Open Knowledge International as one of the key stakeholders in the movement for more openness. Together with his Leadership Team, Pavel defined a clear strategy and partnership approach for Open Knowledge International to succeed in an ever-changing funding environment, and stabilized the organisation.

Over the coming months, we have asked Mark Gibbs and Paul Walsh to continue to lead the organisation. Mark and Paul will work closely with the Board to deliver the strategy that will carry Open Knowledge International’s mission forward in the coming years. During this transition period, it is the Board’s priority to maintain a stable and effective organisation. Mark will continue to lead the day-to-day operations of the organisation, and Paul will continue to lead and develop product offerings and the commercial strategy for the organisation. Mark and Paul have asked both Stephen Abbott Pugh and Katelyn Rogers to work with them and the Board in supporting our future fundraising efforts, as we define our future strategy.

Again, we thank Pavel for the dedication, enthusiasm and motivation he has given to Open Knowledge International over the past couple of years. He will be missed by the staff, Board members and partners alike. We look forward to following the success of his career, and are hopeful and excited for the next chapter of Open Knowledge International as we continue to support our Community, our Chapters and Civil Society Organisations in their important work to open up data and knowledge.

If you have any questions or concerns during this transition process, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at karin@karinchristiansen.org.