AFRINIC COMMUNIQUÉ
Ebène, Mauritius — Monday, 24 August 2026: The Board of the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), with the consent of the Receiver, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Mike Silber as CEO Designate. Mr Silber will assume office as Chief Executive Officer of AFRINIC on 1 January 2027.
Following a rigorous, in-depth recruitment process led by the AFRINIC CEO Search Committee initiated by the Receiver and the Board, this appointment reflects AFRINIC's commitment to securing leadership capable of ensuring institutional renewal and stabilisation.
Mr Silber currently holds the position of Group Executive: Regulatory Affairs at the MTN Group, supporting a base of over 300 million customers across Africa. He has previously served as Group Chief Regulatory Officer at Liquid Intelligent Technologies and as Chief Administrative Officer at Africa Data Centres. Mr Silber has served on the Board of Directors of ICANN, and as Vice-Chair of the ASO AC, alongside sustained engagement with the ITU, the European Union, the African Union, and national regulators across multiple jurisdictions. He has served on the boards of the .ZA Domain Name Authority, ISPA South Africa, and other industry bodies, and continues to serve the public interest as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of the Public Interest Registry and a Director of TENET South Africa.
He is an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and is widely recognised as a leading voice in Internet and e-commerce law, and in the broader regulation of technology, media, and telecommunications across the continent.
In appointing Mr Silber, the AFRINIC Board has placed its confidence in a leader who, besides being a seasoned professional, combines deep technical and legal expertise with a well-informed understanding of AFRINIC's specific challenges. The Board expects the incoming CEO to prioritise restoring operational stability, transparent and accountable governance, and rebuilding trust with AFRINIC's members, as well as the wider African Internet community and international partners. With this appointment, the Board is looking forward to a renewed focus on service delivery, resolving AFRINIC's outstanding legal matters, and strengthening institutional capacity for the region's long-term benefit.
AFRINIC's recovery will not be the responsibility of just one individual or just one Board. The Board calls on members, staff, partners, and the wider African Internet community to extend their full support and collaboration to Mr Silber as he prepares to take this role. AFRINIC's mission remains to serve as a responsible and effective steward of Internet number resources for Africa, and this depends on the collective commitment of all stakeholders who share a belief in a stable, trusted, and community-driven AFRINIC.
The AFRINIC Board warmly welcomes Mr Silber and looks forward to working alongside him and the community to secure a resilient future for AFRINIC and the continued growth of the Internet across Africa.
Issued by the AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver