Re: [EXTERNAL] [Trustees] Trust Financial Statements

[S Moonesamy <[e-mail]>]

Dear Glenn,
At 10:06 AM 16-01-2020, Deen, Glenn (NBCUniversal) wrote:
>At the heart of discussing disclosure a key question is what aspects 
>would possibly be a conflict of interest for a Trustee that would be 
>revealed via the disclosure.   The Trust's focus on IP asset 
>management which means ensuring licenses are properly done, where 
>needed defensive protective actions are taken, and that needed legal 
>processes are properly followed and timely makes the potential 
>conflicts very different and will require some new thinking through 
>what would constitute a conflict.

Yes.

>Clearly a Trustee that is/was a plaintiff or is/has been engaged on 
>the side of a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the IETF LCC or IETF 
>Trust would be a clear conflict.   Another is a situation of an 
>anti-IP activist who is fundamentally opposed to the role of the 
>Trust or the way that IP assets are legally managed as they may be 
>unwilling to perform the duties of a Trustee.   What other 
>situations there might be will need thinking through, as well as the 
>question of what specific information disclosure would in fact be 
>asked by Trustees to address the scenarios.

One of the stated purposes of the IETF Trust is that it is for the 
advancement of education and public interest ...  It is difficult to 
argue that the trustee is acting as a disinterested party when there 
is a conflict of interest.  It also raises questions about whether 
the action was in the public interest or whether it was self-interest.

I gather that a Trustee would understand that it is a bad idea to be 
affiliated with a party which files a lawsuit against the IETF 
Trust.  As for the unwillingness of a Trustee to perform his/her 
duties, it would be good to understand what the problem is instead of 
reaching hasty conclusions.

Regards,
S. Moonesamy