WITSA Inducts New Chairman

Taipei - June 14, 2000

On June 14, 2000, the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) appointed George Newstrom as its new Chairman. Mr. Newstrom took over the leadership of the global industry alliance during at a special ceremony at the 2000 World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT2000) - the preeminent global IT executive conference hosted by WITSA since 1978.  Newstrom is an EDS Corporate Senior Vice President and President, EDS Asia Pacific, headquartered in Hong Kong, and is on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), the U.S. WITSA member association. Mr. Newstrom also served as Chairman of the 1998 World Congress on IT held in Fairfax, Virginia, USA. 

Mr. Newstrom replaced Robert B. Laurence, who served as chairman of the global alliance for 8 years. Mr. Laurence welcomed Mr. Newstrom to the WITSA chairmanship: "It has been an honor to serve and to see WITSA grow from under 20 to more than 40 countries and regions today. I am pleased to be turning over the reins to a global IT leader such as George Newstrom, and I look forward to watching WITSA continue to grow," Laurence said.

 “I am delighted to receive this opportunity to serve the global IT industry,” Mr. Newstrom said, adding, “I believe that when governments, business and consumers work together, we can create a better world through the use of information technology. It's our responsibility to bring industry together, to promote a trustworthy online business environment, and to play an active role in educating regulators and technology users on the great potential of IT to work for the betterment of life, preservation, the environment, society, and humanity.”

      Pictures from the Transfer Ceremony

        June 14, 2000 - at WCIT2000

         Picture 1: George Newstrom. Picture 2:  Robert Laurence

         introduces George Newstrom at the Transfer Ceremony.

        Picture 1: George C. Newstrom receives the official

        WITSA gavel from Robert B. Laurence as the new

        Chairman of the Alliance. Picture 2: George C.

        Newstrom thanks WITSA for his new appointment.

        Pictures 1-2: George Newstrom & Robert Laurence make

        final remarks upon completing the transfer ceremony.