ACIF & SPAN merger fully approved

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 10 August 2006 17:59

IT Industry - Deals

The merger of the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) and the Service Providers Industry Association (SPAN) to form the Communications Alliance, announced in June,  has now been approved by the members of both organisations and will formally occur on 1 September.
The overriding driver for the merger is the issues that the industry will face with the emergence of next generation networks, the growing convergence of mobile and fixed networks and services and of what have traditionally been broadcasting and telecommunications services.

In a letter sent to members when the merger was announced, ACIF spelt out the objectives of the merger as being "to bring together the services and outputs of each organisation into one entity - so that the delivery of the services and outputs of one can be enhanced by leveraging off the services and outputs of the other; to form one entity whose membership will benefit from the particular strengths and unique values which each organisation brings [and] form one entity with a membership which is more widely representative of the industry than the individual organisations; to form one entity which is able to present a representative voice on industry issues and in policy debate and development; to form one entity with a capability and voice that will be a catalyst for the participation by all industry participants."

The new body will be governed by a transitional board, co-chaired by current ACIF chairman Neville Stevens and SPAN chairman John Kranenburg, both in non-executive roles.  A newly elected board will commence on December 1 and will elect its own chair.

ACIF CEO Anne Hurley has already been confirmed as the CEO of the Communications Alliance with responsibility for managing the business and operations of the new body.