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Rod Beckstrom (Image via Wikipedia)ICANN's CEO and President, Rod Beckstrom, has announced that he will be stepping down in July of next year.

The announcement came via Twitter of all places, with a press release, presumably with more details, due sometime soon:

"I have decided to wrap up my service at ICANN July 2012. Press release soon."
—via Twitter / @RodBeckstrom

With the launch of the new Top-Level Domain (TLD) program scheduled to officially launch early in 2012 maybe Beckstrom feels that his job "is done", or maybe there's another motive behind his departure.

Whatever the reasons, which may or may not become apparent in the press release, ICANN will have to find a replacement.

So who is likely to fill the role?

Will it be another American? (His predecessor was Australian)

Or does the nationality of the person who fills the role really matter?

UPDATE: ICANN have issued a press release [PDF] on his departure.

By Michele Neylon, MD of Blacknight Solutions. Visit the blog maintained by Michele Neylon here.

Related topics: ICANN