LONDON, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hakluyt, the global strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors, is delighted to announce the appointment of The Honourable Julia Gillard AC, former prime minister of Australia and current chair of Wellcome, to its international advisory board.
Julia Gillard is one of Australia's most prominent political leaders and an influential figure in global health. She began her career at the law firm Slater & Gordon, where she became a partner, before moving into politics as chief of staff to the premier of Victoria. Elected to the Australian House of Representatives in 1998, Julia served as deputy prime minister from 2007 to 2010, and then as prime minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013 – the first woman to hold the role.
Julia currently serves as chair of Wellcome, the UK-based global charitable foundation focused on improving health through science. She is also patron of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), the inaugural chair of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College London, and patron of Beyond Blue, a mental health charity in Australia.
Chaired by Lord William Hague, Hakluyt's international advisory board includes senior leaders from across business, government and academia, who support the firm's global connectivity and expertise.
Lord Hague said: "I am delighted to welcome Julia to Hakluyt's international advisory board. She brings first-hand experience of government decision-making that will be of great value to the firm, and her work at Wellcome gives her a global perspective on science, innovation and health, as well as the partnerships needed to tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges."
Julia Gillard commented: "I am excited to be joining Hakluyt's international advisory board. Having had the privilege of serving in public office at the highest level, I have seen how critical sound judgement is in periods of uncertainty and change. I look forward to working with William and my fellow advisory board members to support Hakluyt's clients and the firm's continued growth."
Thomas Ellis, Hakluyt's managing partner, added: "I am thrilled that Julia is joining Hakluyt's international advisory board. She combines exceptional government experience with a deep understanding of the forces shaping economies and societies around the world. As a highly respected voice on leadership questions and many global trends and issues, she brings a distinctive perspective that will strengthen the advice we provide to our clients."
This appointment is effective immediately.
Notes to editors:
Hakluyt is a strategic advisory firm that works with corporate leaders and investors around the world on their most important commercial issues. For more information on the firm, please visit www.hakluytandco.com
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Julia Gillard joins Hakluyt's International Advisory Board
BALI, Indonesia, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) convenes its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Bali from 17-22 October, bringing the global Internet community together to advance work on Internet security, Domain Name System (DNS) expansion, and global cooperation.
Co-hosted by the Indonesian Internet Domain Name Registry (PANDI), with support from Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs and the Bali Provincial Government, ICANN87 marks the first ICANN public meeting in Indonesia. The meeting brings together government representatives, businesses, technical experts, and civil society to address issues affecting the Internet's security, stability, and global interoperability.
The Welcome Ceremony on 19 October featured remarks from Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs; Isnawan Aslam, President of PANDI; Tripti Sinha, ICANN Board Chair; and Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO.
"As we look toward the next decade, our responsibility is not simply to accommodate the Internet's continued expansion, but to preserve the trust that makes it meaningful. Connectivity enables participation. Growth creates opportunities. And protection builds the trust necessary to sustain both. For Indonesia, the objective is therefore not simply to bring more people online. It is to ensure that they can participate in a digital environment that is accessible, secure, and relevant to their needs," said Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs.
"Hosting ICANN87 marks an important milestone for Indonesia and reflects PANDI's commitment to the global Internet community. For us, managing .id goes beyond technical responsibilities; it is a commitment to safeguarding our nation's digital identity. We believe trust is earned through a proven track record, consistent performance, and responsible governance. Building on our experience and continuously strengthening our capabilities, PANDI remains committed to strengthening Indonesia's digital identity and ensuring that .id is secure, stable, trusted, and ready for the future of the Internet," said Isnawan Aslam, President of PANDI.
ICANN Board Chair Tripti Sinha highlighted the multistakeholder model of governance and the need to sustain public trust. "The tenth anniversary of the IANA stewardship transition demonstrates how this governance model has endured technological and geopolitical change. We continue to earn trust through transparent governance, sound decisions, and effective implementation," Sinha said.
"We need to strengthen the connection between strategy, prioritization, budgeting, and implementation, making the process clearer and more transparent," said Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO. "The ICANN community develops solutions and the ICANN org must turn those solutions into effective action."
ICANN Recognizes Hartmut Glaser for Capacity Building
During the welcome ceremony, ICANN awarded Hartmut Glaser the 2026 Dr. Tarek Kamel Award for Capacity Building. The ICANN Board recognized his contributions to Internet governance capacity building at local, regional, and global levels, including founding and leading the Brazilian School on Internet Governance and helping establish the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Address Registry (LACNIC). Sinha presented the award to Glaser, who joined remotely.
The award honors the late Dr. Tarek Kamel, an Internet pioneer, and recognizes members of the ICANN community who advance capacity-development programs related to ICANN's mission.
Advancing a Secure, Stable, and Inclusive Internet
ICANN87 features more than 200 working sessions on Internet policy and technical priorities, including DNS Abuse mitigation, strengthening the security, stability, and reliability of the Domain Name System (DNS), and expanding domain name options through the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program.
The six-day meeting advances ICANN's multistakeholder model, which brings diverse groups together to develop policies and coordinate the Internet's unique identifiers. Participants will also take part in capacity-building and leadership development discussions, while new members of the ICANN Board of Directors take their seats.
To learn more and join the conversation, visit www.ICANN.org and the ICANN87 website.
About ICANN
ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.
About PANDI
Pengelola Nama Domain Internet Indonesia (PANDI) is the registry operator for Indonesia's country-code top-level domain (ccTLD), .id. PANDI plays a role in developing the .id domain name ecosystem and supporting secure, stable, and trusted Internet governance.
PANDI is an organization whose membership represents various stakeholders, including the government, the Internet industry, and academia. As of 31 December 2025, the number of registered .id domain names had grown to 1,431,960, making .id the largest country-code top-level domain in Southeast Asia.
The .id domain represents Indonesia, Identity, and Ideas. In the governance of .id domain names, PANDI also administers the Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (PPND) in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
ICANN87 Brings Global Internet Community to Bali
