When Alexa Raad resigned as the CEO of Public Interest Registry, the
.ORG registry, a few months ago there were many who wondered where she
was going next. Now we have the answer.
Raad has announced the formation of a consultancy called Architelos to
take advantage of the new domain name landscape, offering her services
to advise on new gTLD applications and in particular “vertical niches,”
for example banking, where there are specific service, technology and
security requirements. Architelos will also assist companies in the
application process for new TLDs once ICANN finalises the application
procedures.
More information is available in the Architelos news release below:
Former CEO Of .ORG Registry Predicts Deregulation Will Shake Up Domain Name Market [news release]
Launches Architelos to Advise the DNS Marketplace
RESTON, VA, March 10, 2011-Alexa Raad, who today announced the formation
of a new company-Architelos, Inc., predicts deregulation of the domain
name market will require current players to re-assess and likely
re-position their businesses as the walls between wholesalers
(registries) and retailers (registrars) crumble and the domain name
system (DNS) expands with the expected introduction of many new
top-level domain names (TLDs).
"The future landscape of the DNS market will be not only challenging but
also promising," Raad says. "Navigating the complexity of these
strategic decisions is Architelos' core strength."
Raad, who will be attending the ICANN meeting in San Francisco the week
of March 13, is unique in the industry, having both launched the most
successful TLD in the last round (.MOBI) and led .ORG to record growth
as CEO of Public Interest Registry (PIR).
Architelos, a strategy and market development consultancy focused on the
domain name industry, will leverage her experience and that of
co-founder John Matson to provide competitive analysis, strategy
development, benchmarking, organizational assessments, portfolio
diversification analysis and business development support. Architelos
has unique financial planning and decision support tools designed
specifically for the industry.
The company will also advise organizations applying for generic TLDs for
vertical niches, for example banking, where there are specific service,
technology and security requirements. Architelos will also assist
companies in the application process for new TLDs, once the program is
finalized. That process, overseen by the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), is expected to begin this year.
Nominet, the .UK registry, engaged Architelos for a horizon scanning
review of the market and the potential impacts of the ICANN decision on
vertical integration. Nominet's CEO, Lesley Cowley, OBE said, "We were
impressed by the quality and comprehensiveness of the work that
Architelos produced for us and we look forward to continuing our
relationship with them as we further develop our strategic thinking."
Deregulation, Competition Limit Second Chances
John Matson has advised Fortune 500 companies on new business models for
more than 20 years. His financial benchmarking studies of the Internet
registry industry and prior generic TLD (gTLD) launches found that most
missed their business plan target by 25-40 percent in the first year and
by more than 80 percent in the fourth year. The first year is critical,
he said, when 40 percent of all new TLD registrations occur.
"New entrants will get no second chances," Matson says, "and the
incumbents have immature business models that have not yet been tested
by competition that deregulation will unleash." Matson is a former
partner with Ernst & Young and KMPG management consulting firms.
New TLDs May Help Deflect Social Sites' Inroads
With the potential expansion of the DNS, companies with well-known
brands must decide whether to apply for a gTLD (e.g., .BUY) for
defensive or strategic reasons, or to simply fend off competitors from
applying. Others must consider if having their own brand-specific TLD
will help reverse the loss of traffic, advertising and transaction
revenue to third-party social media sites such as Facebook. Raad says
adoption costs are high, and an ineffective launch will be difficult to
mitigate. In addition, all players are subject to a changing technology,
political and legal landscape and shifting Internet user behavior and
needs.
Architelos, Inc. is a strategy and market development consultancy that
focuses on growth, brand, positioning and business development for
clients within the Internet and DNS sector. Founded in 2011 by Alexa
Raad, former CEO of PIR, the .ORG top-level domain registry, and John
Matson, a veteran management consultant to Fortune 500 companies,
Architelos brings wisdom and experience to turn rapid market change into
innovation and success for its clients.
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