Léonie Watson nomination statement

Now, more than ever, I believe that W3C needs a board that is experienced, measured, and capable of governing the Consortium into the future. AI is a major shift that represents both opportunity and risk for W3C, and the CEO transition, declining membership, and our current financial predicament set against a backdrop of turbulent global economics, are all matters affecting the Consortium.

Since being re-elected to the Board in 2024, I've completed the Institute of Directors (IOD) Certificate in Company Direction. The IOD is the only organization in the world that offers director qualifications under Royal Charter and the Certificate is a degree-level qualification covering a director's legal duties and personal liability, what distinguishes an effective board from an ineffective one, how boards should read and query financial information, and how strategies are set and measured at board level.

The IOD Certificate is an independent foundation in international corporate governance, taught by people who have served as Non-Executive Directors of a range of organizations. Completing the Certificate has grounded my own experience (serving on the boards of national and international non-profit organizations over the last 20 years) in globally recognized best practice that is relevant to W3C.

Deep technical and process expertise is well-served at W3C, but a board needs something different. Not less technical understanding necessarily, but a particular discipline of judgement alongside it. An effective board needs people that can make decisions, even when there is uncertainty or a lack of detail; people who can scrutinize and challenge, without compromizing trust; people who know when to step back from the details, and when not to; and people who can weigh and prioritize risks and opportunities across the entire organization and keep its long-term interests at the heart of every decision.

W3C has weathered disruption before, and it did so because its governance remained steady even when the technology, the market, or the organization itself was in flux. This is the kind of governance I want to help W3C continue to build towards, and I'd welcome your support to do it. But whoever you vote for, I encourage you to choose people who have the skills and the ability to work together even when they disagree, because W3C needs the Board's undivided attention if it is to realise the opportunities and mitigate the risks it's presented with.

Thank you.